Education Minister Anne Tolley and Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce depart at the end of the week for the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China where they will lead an 80-strong delegation of education representatives.

The delegation is made up of senior education representatives from New Zealand universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics, schools and Chinese language organisations.

Mrs Tolley says that Education Week at the World Expo, a joint venture between the New Zealand and Chinese education ministries, will give education providers the chance to strengthen existing relationships and build new ones with key Chinese education players.

“This is a great opportunity to showcase New Zealand education in a country which is extremely important to our economy.

“The potential benefits are huge, as we forge new relationships and promote the very best that New Zealand has to offer in education.”

Last year around 20,000 Chinese students came to study in New Zealand.

Mr Joyce says it's essential that we maximise our opportunities in this area and that we are able to compete with other countries for international students in a sustainable way.

“International education activities bring this country over $2.5 billion in income every year. So it’s important to ensure our institutions are appropriately supported offshore with key partners such as China.

“Education is a key pillar in the overall relationship between China and New Zealand, and bringing together our strongest educational and business practitioners demonstrates to China the value we place on the relationship and is vital if we are to be taken seriously as a strategic partner.”

Key events taking place throughout Education Week include high level meetings with Chinese government officials and conferences to explore collaboration in higher education, vocational education and Chinese language learning.

Mrs Tolley will also travel to Beijing for further Ministerial meetings.

ⓒ 뉴질랜드 코리아포스트(http://www.koreapost.co.nz), 무단전재 및 재배포 금지