New Zealand is situated 2, 000 kilometres to the east of Australia. It has a population of 4.1 million people, of which about 80 per cent live in urban areas. Nearly a third of New Zealanders live in or around the largest city, Auckland, in the north of the North Island. New Zealand's population is ageing. The median age at the last census in 2001 was 35 years.
New Zealand's GDP per capita has steadied and begun to increase. In the five years 1998–2003, the growth rate averaged 2.56 per cent; in the year to June 2005 the economy grew by 3.1 per cent.
Export of services is a major growth area. Export education is a small but significant services sector that experienced extremely rapid growth and is now facing some decline. Earnings are estimated at NZD 1.4 billion (GBP 524 million) for 2004.
New Zealand has become one of the most open economies in the world. Credit Rating Agency Standard & Poor's gives the New Zealand currency a long-term AAA rating. A further indication of foreign confidence in the New Zealand economy is the exchange rate, which is at historically high levels against major trading partners, although it is slowly weakening.
New Zealand has a stable Westminster-style democracy with a 120-member single House of Parliament. Members of Parliament are elected by a Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP) voting system. The current Labour government was voted in to power through a coalition agreement in 2005, the next general election scheduled for 2008.
Major social services including education, health and social security are funded through central government. Local government is responsible for municipal and resource management matters.
In July 2005 the school population was 762,790, at 2580 schools. In 2004 there were 566,662 individuals enrolled in higher education institutions. This was made up of 166,991 students at eight universities, 232,734 students at 20 polytechnics, 14,608 at four colleges of education, 70,775 at Maori-based institutions, and 81,554 at 263 Private Training Establishments. All institutions are spread evenly through out the country.
Compulsory schooling is divided into primary, intermediate and secondary sectors. School is compulsory from age six, but most children begin school when they reach five. The school year begins in late January and runs until mid-December.
There are three types of state tertiary institution: universities, polytechnics, and wananga or Maori-based institutions.
The private sector has a small but important role in New Zealand's education system. It is most influential in the secondary school sector. A feature of New Zealand’s school system is integrated schools. These are privately owned, primarily Catholic schools, which receive state funding but are allowed – indeed obliged – to preserve their 'special character' within the secular state system.
There are no private universities or polytechnics in New Zealand. The Private Training Establishments within the tertiary sector generally occupy niche roles in vocational training.
In higher education, the major problems facing the government are quality and relevance. The government is the major source of funding for higher education (although it provides just under half of universities' income) and wants more assurance that its money is spent on good quality courses that are relevant to its strategic national goals.
The main competitors to the UK are Australia and the USA, that operates an advisory service from Wellington. The British Council occasionally collaborates with the USA to market Education UK at joint UK/USA overseas study fairs and information seminars.
Postgraduate study is by far the most popular option for students looking at UK study opportunities. This is due to the more specialised nature of study at this level that is possibly not available in New Zealand, the quality of UK postgraduate study, scholarship opportunities, length and cost of study time and the ever growing recognition that an international portion of an academic record is held in high regard.
Popular subject areas include medicine, law, business, design and the arts. New Zealand students are well represented at the top UK universities and are generally highly regarded as motivated and engaging.
New Zealand is a destination itself for international students with a large pool of international students currently undertaking pre-university and undergraduate studies in New Zealand. One of the advantages of recruiting third country students from New Zealand is the fact that these students have already made the adjustment to life and study in western country and have a high proficiency of English.
The British Council New Zealand’s office is situated with in the British High Commission in Wellington. The office does not have public access, but the Internet, which is a common mode of communication in New Zealand, is utilised effectively for marketing and promotional purposes and on-line enquiries.
Education priorities for British Council New Zealand include leadership, employability and education pathways and quality assurance as well as facilitating and brokering institution level partnership between the UK and NZ particularly around exchanges and research.
British Council New Zealand has an extensive network of key contacts at a wide range of schools, tertiary institutions and education organisations throughout New Zealand. These include festivals, art galleries, tertiary departments, professional bodies and government ministries to name a few.
British Council New Zealand aims to connect aspirational young New Zealanders in the 18 – 35 year old age range with the best of contemporary UK. We work in an integrated way within the arts, science and education sectors in partnership with New Zealand and UK organisations.
| 
