India's National Education Policy(NEP) focuses on internationalization

New Delhi: The new National Education Policy (NEP) draft proposed by India is an exciting development reflecting its focus on internationalisation of education, according to Education New Zealand (ENZ), the country's government agency for international education.

"The Indian government is focusing on internationalisation in the draft national education policy and is a very exciting development, which New Zealand is committed to supporting.

"New Zealand and India are pursuing a strong programme of international education collaboration, ranging from student and academic mobility to joint research initiatives," John Laxon, Regional Director Asia, Education New Zealand told PTI. Laxon said,"International education collaboration benefits the education systems, economies and societies of both countries. New Zealand looks forward to partnering with India in the field of education for the long-term." According to official statistics, there has been a 63 per cent increment in first time student visas for universities in New Zealand and the number has nearly doubled from university enrolment numbers in 2017.

The ENZ on Tuesday announced 32 new scholarships worth Rs 8.2 million. "The New Zealand Excellence Award scholarship programme is beneficial for both countries. "It helps talented Indian students pursue a range of specialist programmes in areas such as STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), business and creative arts at New Zealand universities. Already over 100 talented Indian students have benefitted from these scholarships," said ENZ Chief Executive, Grant McPherson.

McPherson added,"Awardees go on to strengthen ties between our two countries by contributing to a broader exchange of ideas in our universities, building our respective research capabilities, and enriching our cultures. "New Zealand is currently experiencing significant growth and interest in high level courses from Indian students. This is something that we hope to see continue."