Links lost if NZ doesn’t value its Asian business graduates

April 24, 2012

Vital links may be lost if NZ doesn’t value its Asia-born business graduates - report

Asia-born, New Zealand-educated business graduates can play a valuable role in fostering relationships between New Zealand and Asia - but those relationships can be harmed if they have negative experiences here, a new report from the Asia New Zealand Foundation has found.

The third and final report in the Tracking Study of Asian Business Graduates outlines a wide range of ways the graduates can contribute to building business links between Asia and New Zealand. Many are highly-skilled, multilingual, and expert at working across different cultures. All of the business graduates interviewed for the study wanted to maintain links with New Zealand and New Zealanders.

But their potential contribution to Asia-New Zealand business relationships is likely to remain unrealised if they face barriers to employment, or leave New Zealand with negative memories and unfulfilled expectations, the report says.

Asia New Zealand Foundation director of policy and research Dr Andrew Butcher says the case studies in the report show that if the business graduates have positive study and employment experiences here, New Zealand can benefit enormously from their business entrepreneurial skills.

“Conversely, the report also shows that if they have negative experiences here, not only do we miss out on the unique skills they can offer in building business links with Asia, but New Zealand’s reputation can be harmed.

“The Government aims to double the economic value of international education to $5 billion by 2025. This report shows we must not overlook the importance of high-quality institutional and pastoral care in pursuing that aim.”
In an audio interview accompanying the report, one of its authors, Massey University international student chaplain Terry McGrath, says the emphasis on international student numbers in recent years has contributed to a less caring environment. “The old days of the Colombo Plan, where we gained a great deal of kudos for what we did, are long since gone. Now that we are treating the students coming in as clients, as customers, they are asking the question, are they getting value from us?”

The report identifies a need for well-integrated government policies, including excellent information about pathways from study to work, and straightforward but flexible visa application processes.

“Fostering such an environment is likely to serve the long-term interests of New Zealand, whether graduates stay (and contribute to the local economy) or leave (maintaining connections and/or recommending the country to others).”

More than 250 Asia-born New Zealand-trained business students and graduates participated in the three parts of the tracking survey, which was prepared for the Asia New Zealand Foundation by International Student Ministries of New Zealand.

The Asia New Zealand Foundation is a non-profit, non-political organisation dedicated to building New Zealand’s knowledge and understanding of Asia.

Click here to read the report and listen to the audio interview: http://www.asianz.org.nz/our-work/knowledge-research/research-reports/business-research

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