New Japan trip seeks students

A group of Christchurch education leaders is travelling to Japan to ‘‘turn the tide’’ on a slumping international education industry.

Canterbury Development Corporation international education section leader Emily Branthwaite said Japanese students accounted for around 17 per cent of international students in the city prior to the February 2011 earthquake.

In 2010, the city hosted 2540 Japanese students, which dropped to 1200 last year.

Japan was targeted because of its longstanding relationship with Christchurch, and it was time to ‘‘turn the tide’’ and encourage international students back to the city, Branthwaite said.

The delegation comprised of leaders from all Christchurch education sectors, ranging from primary principals to Japanese education agents.

It was the first time such a big delegation had been forged, with the collective aim of promoting the city and its various institutes to potential Japanese students, she said.

Linwood College principal Margaret Paiti said it was the first time the sector had worked collectively for the benefit of the city, rather than as individual institutions.

‘‘We are working together and it is not about competing. This is about the identity of Christchurch education.’’

Christchurch is normally New Zealand’s second-largest centre for international education, and the 37 per cent drop in international students revealed in March is expected to cost the tertiary sector more than $10 million in lost revenue this year.

In response, the Government pledged $5m to help revive the sector over the next four years.

The Japan delegation is the first major project to be partially funded by the grant.

The group, which leaves tomorrow, will spend two weeks holding trade fairs in Tokyo and Osaka, and visiting smaller centres to hold teaching demonstrations.