Vietnam could become destination for New Zealand students, scholars

The New Zealand Education Partners Conference 2026, organized by ENZ, brought together more than 50 New Zealand education institutions and over 100 representatives from Vietnamese partner organizations.

“The story is not only about bringing learners to New Zealand, but also about how we can bring our students and academics to Vietnam to learn,” Downs stressed.

He said that young New Zealanders have traditionally been inclined to go overseas to study, work and gain new experiences.

As New Zealand’s ties with Asia continue to deepen, Vietnam could become a destination for exchange programs and research.

He shared that he used to work in the hi-tech manufacturing sector in New Zealand, so he realized that New Zealand businesses were interested in Vietnam’s experience in manufacturing technology, scaling up operations and lean manufacturing processes.

“Vietnam is now one of the leading manufacturing countries,” Downs said.

“This is an area where New Zealand is very interested in learning more about manufacturing technology.”

Meanwhile, New Zealand has expertise in areas such as agri-tech.

This could provide opportunities for the two countries to develop joint research projects and expand exchanges involving students and academics, he said.

Science and technology are also expected to offer opportunities for education institutions and research institutes in the two countries to connect, particularly in agricultural technology, engineering, biomedical sciences and emerging fields of research.

Vietnam among ENZ’s top investment priorities

Vietnam remains one of ENZ’s priority growth markets and is one of only two countries where the agency invests in activities across the full range of education segments, Downs said.

In 2025, the number of Vietnamese learners in New Zealand rose 14 percent, higher than the 11-percent overall growth in international student numbers in the country.

Universities enrolled 61 percent of Vietnamese learners, with 47 percent pursuing bachelor’s degrees, 24 percent master’s degrees and seven percent doctoral degrees.

Vietnamese students mainly majored in business and management, languages and literature, information systems, economics and econometrics.

Other education segments also recorded growth in 2025.

The number of Vietnamese learners at private training establishments increased 34 percent, while English-language schools saw a 25-percent rise and public training establishments grew 10 percent.

Downs said that after international education was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, New Zealand has increased its investment and resources in Vietnam, including personnel, scholarship programs, student support initiatives and efforts to strengthen connections with schools and education consultants.

While some study destinations are tightening regulations for international students, including visa requirements, Downs said New Zealand was taking a different approach by remaining open and welcoming to international students while maintaining high-quality education.

“Opportunities to work after completing a program are part of how New Zealand attracts international students,” he said.

“Learners can stay and work for a period of time, gain experience, and then return home with the knowledge and professional experience they have acquired.”