PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSHDunedin rolled out the red carpet yesterday to welcome the latest cohort of international students, as the city celebrates year-on-year growth in the international education industry. About 250 Dunedin secondary school students from 22 countries, and representatives from mana whenua, the Dunedin City Council, University of Otago, Otago Polytechnic, Otago International Students’ Association and Education New Zealand attended a pōwhiri, facilitated by Enterprise Dunedin, at Puketeraki Marae yesterday. ‘‘Every international student brings a host of cultural perspectives to our city, from more than 20 different countries.’’Recovery in Dunedin’s international education sector has been strong since the Covid-19 pandemic. At present, Dunedin hosts about 4000 international students, contributing an estimated $268m to the local economy. Nationwide, the government is targeting growth from 83,400 to 119,000 international students by 2034, nearly doubling the sector’s value to $7.2billion.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 30, 2026 16:40 UTC