University Of Auckland Study Centres Provide Opportunities For International Students

As part of its response to the Covid pandemic, which has left thousands of international students unable to enter Aotearoa New Zealand for study, the University of Auckland is launching a number of International Study Centres (ISC) around the world. These will allow international students who wish to study here to complete a foundation programme in their home countries, before enrolling at the University of Auckland when border restrictions are lifted.

The Centres are being run in collaboration with Northern Consortium (NCUK), a global consortium of leading universities.

Brett Berquist, Director International at the University of Auckland, said the initiative formed part of a wider range of strategies to better serve prospective international students who may be unable to enter New Zealand right now.

“The University already has a number of successful partnerships with overseas institutions at undergraduate and postgraduate level, so it seemed natural to expand this to offer new pathways for international students wishing to join us. We have worked with NCUK and their global Study Centre network for several years, so we are well placed to further extend our collaboration,” he said.

“This also sits alongside the University’s Learning Centres in China, which have provided enrolled University of Auckland students with study support through local universities.”

The first University of Auckland International Study Centre will launch in 2021 at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), an institution with an existing 15-year partnership. The ISC will be based at the BFSU International Business School (IBS), one of BFSU’s newest and largest schools with more than 1,500 students.

Yanping Zhang, the Assistant Dean and Director of the International Office at IBS, said that his students were looking for high quality university destinations.

“This collaboration with NCUK and the University of Auckland, both already partners of BFSU, opens up new opportunities for our students and provides a March intake which is of interest to many students. It is a great honour to be the first International Study Centre to collaborate with NCUK and the University of Auckland, not only in China, but around the world.”

The first cohort of students will start their foundation programme in March 2021, which will include tailored New Zealand curriculum content created by University of Auckland staff. Students will have direct links with the University to help prepare them for the move to studying on campus in Auckland.

As a further sign of its commitment, the University has established a scholarship for the top graduates of the International Study Centres. It will support successful recipients with up to $10,000 towards their tuition fees for an undergraduate degree.

NCUK’s CEO, Professor John Brewer, said that the Covid pandemic had meant that universities and students needed to look for innovative ways to approach international study.

“NCUK has long provided high-quality pre-university and university equivalence qualifications to students in their home countries. This collaboration with the University of Auckland means that students who want to join the University, but cannot begin their studies in New Zealand, can still start their academic journey.”

Education New Zealand and New Zealand’s eight universities have recently announced a partnership with NCUK which allows students from more than 30 countries to pathway from any of the NCUK’s global network of 81 recognised study centres, to any New Zealand university. All New Zealand universities are supporting this partnership and committing more than $300,000 per year in dedicated scholarships.

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