NATIONAL: Australian fashion institutions could witness a decline in its lucrative foreign fee-paying market following an increase in racial tension across the country.
Indian-based education consultancy firms have already recorded a drop in enquiries for admissions to Australia, following recent attacks on Indian students in Victoria and further protests in Sydney. The effects of the global economic crisis, as well as visa and immigration difficulties, had compounded the problem with some firms claiming enquiries had fallen by as much as 25 per cent.
New Delhi-headquartered Study Overseas Education Consultants said the implications for Australian fashion academies could be dire, given the already dwindling interest in courses available here.
"I believe Australia was never perceived as a lucrative option for students to study fashion as the choice of programs, especially at the masters level are very limited," Australian division head Rimple Puri said. "[However] overall numbers to New Zealand have seen a distinct growth, especially since the time India was classified an Assessment Level 4 country."
Thomas Cook associate vice president Mahesh Iyer also confirmed an "emerging trend" in students heading to New Zealand to study fashion design. Both believed campaigns to promote educational offers in India had helped boost numbers.
"The rise in numbers to New Zealand can be attributed to several factors like easier [processes for] permanent residency, cost effectiveness compared to Australia and [initiatives such as] one year open work permits."
Admissions for students from India took place three times a year over February, July and November. According to official figures from Education New Zealand, the number of first time student visas for fee paying students from India had grown exponentially. A comparison of the four months from July 1 - November 1 during 2006 and 2008 indicated a 390 per cent rise in numbers.
Education New Zealand communications specialist Michelle Waitzman said India was a key market for the promotion of its fashion courses.
"Several New Zealand institutions offer quality fashion design programs, mainly through our Polytechnics and Institutes of Technology, as well as some privately owned institutions.
"All institutions accepting international students are also signatories to the Code of Practice for Pastoral Care of International Students, which ensures they are well supported in every aspect of their studies and life in New Zealand."
The organisation was quick to distance itself from racial tensions in Australia, advising New Zealand Trade and Enterprise marketing teams in India to do the same.
"What we want to do is to remind education agents in India that New Zealand is a different country from Australia - in the nicest possible way," chief executive Robert Stevens told newspaper New Zealand Herald. Overall however, Australia currently retained 90,000 Indian students to New Zealand's 6000.