Students at Auckland University of Technology's city campus. Photo: Supplied
New Zealand universities are reporting an uptick in Chinese student enrolments through transnational education programs.
The increase reflects shifting trends in global student mobility, a growing demand for more affordable international education options and the appeal of dual degrees recognized by institutions in both countries.
According to Education New Zealand, the country's education providers are engaged in a wide range of transnational education partnerships in China, primarily through joint programs and joint institutes, articulation agreements - which allow students to transfer credits between institutions -and programs that recognize prior learning.
Amanda Malu, chief executive of Education New Zealand, said both degree-level and undergraduate-level joint programs and institutes have grown steadily since June 2022.
"[Transnational education] cooperation between New Zealand and China, in the form of joint programs and joint institutions, dates back more than 20 years," she said.
Malu said 37 degree-level joint programs and institutes had been established between the two countries as of July 2024, covering fields such as agriculture, science, arts, engineering, business and health sciences.
An additional 16 undergraduate-level joint programs and institutes had also been established, she said.
Malu said a range of factors had driven growing interest in transnational education among Chinese students, including flexible learning models, dual qualifications and more affordable pathways to international degrees.
"Some of these programs offer students diverse and flexible learning models with options to study three years in China and one year in New Zealand, or studying entirely in China for four years," she said.
"Compared to studying in New Zealand as an international student, the cost of enrolling in joint programs or institutes tends to be lower, allowing more students and families to be able to afford a quality overseas education."
Amanda Malu, chief executive of Education New Zealand Photo: Supplied
She said many programs also awarded dual qualifications recognized in both China and New Zealand, often without requiring students to leave their home country. e
"Achieving qualifications that are recognized in more than one country adds to the programs' appeal," she said.
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) offers degree-level joint programs to Chinese students.
The university launched its first joint program in 2002 in partnership with the Shanghai Institute of Technology, now collaborating with three institutions across China.
A university spokesperson said AUT had seen consistent growth in Chinese student enrollments in its degree-level joint programs, with annual intakes reaching full capacity for each program.
"As of 2025, more than 3000 students have graduated from our joint programs in China," the spokesperson said. "China remains our largest and most established partner market."
The spokesperson said AUT signed a new collaborative agreement for its Master of Analytics program with China Jiliang University following the pandemic, which contributed to a notable rise in enrolments.
"The reasons include increasing AUT's reputation in China, the popularity of the programme in analytics, a master's degree of one-and-a-half years, pressure of employment and competitiveness of being admitted into a postgraduate program in China," the spokesperson said.
Compared to traditional undergraduate or postgraduate study in New Zealand, joint programs allowed students to begin their education in their home country while earning an international qualification, making overseas study more accessible and cost-effective, the spokesperson said.
For universities, the spokesperson said, partnerships with overseas institutions helped strengthen global ties and enhanced the international reputation of New Zealand's higher education sector.
Amy Rutherford, director of international at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, agreed.
Rutherford said transnational education programs played a crucial role in the university's international strategy and helped maintain its profile and brand abroad.
Rutherford said Victoria University of Wellington currently offered 10 joint programs, institutes and dual-degree programs offshore, including four partnerships with Chinese institutions.
Victoria University of Wellington's Joint Institute with Zhengzhou University in China. Photo: Supplied
The university's latest joint institute, launched with Zhengzhou University in China in September, offered three programs through its Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation.
"Students have access to an increasing number of education options both at home and abroad," she said.
"Post-COVID rising living costs have led some students to seek international education options in their home countries, which can be more cost-effective than studying an entire degree in Aotearoa New Zealand."
The University of Waikato also maintained several transnational education partnerships and joint programs with Chinese universities, including the University of Waikato Joint Institute at Hangzhou City University, established in 2017, and a joint program launched with Hainan University in 2023.
Both programmes allowed students to graduate with an undergraduate degree from each university.
The university also operated a joint program with Shanghai International Studies University, established in 1995, which allowed students to complete two years of study in China followed by two years abroad.
A university spokesperson said the University of Waikato had observed a global trend of students opting to study in their home countries or beginning their studies locally before completing them overseas - a shift largely driven by the more cost-effective nature of joint programs and transnational education.
A spokesperson for the University of Auckland said the institution had also seen an increase in Chinese students enrolling through transnational education programs, particularly in the wake of the pandemic.
The spokesperson said students must meet the academic standards set by each institution, along with any additional requirements outlined in joint or dual-degree agreements - such as minimum GPA thresholds, English-language proficiency, and specific residency or study duration criteria - to qualify for both degrees.
Students gather at University of Waikato's Hamilton campus in February. Photo: Supplied
Xiang Chen graduated from the University of Waikato Joint Institute at Hangzhou City University with dual undergraduate degrees from both institutions in 2023.
Chen said the courses were taught by faculty from both universities, and students needed to complete all required coursework within four years to qualify for the degrees.
"There's definitely academic pressure," he said. "You have to complete all the courses from both universities."
Compared to studying abroad, Chen said attending a joint institute in China was significantly more affordable.
"My annual tuition is around $9200," he said. "For students who go overseas directly, if you don't have between $23,000 and $46,000 a year, you won't live comfortably - unless you work part time."
He said the greatest advantage of joint institutes was the expanded pathway they offered for further study abroad.
"For example, some programs offer fast-track options for transferring to overseas universities after graduation," he said. "Teachers can also write recommendation letters for your applications."
Although Chen chose not to continue his studies overseas due to family reasons, he said roughly 80 percent of his classmates pursued postgraduate education abroad after graduation.
Jian Fang graduated in December last year from the one-and-a-half-year joint Master of Analytics program offered by AUT and China Jiliang University.
He spent one year studying at his home university in China and completed the final six months on AUT's Auckland campus.
Fang said he chose the joint program for its shorter duration and emphasis on applied, project-based learning.
"It's faster to finish this joint program," he said. "It usually takes about three years to complete a master's degree in China.
"This program gives students hands-on, project-based experience, while most master's degrees in China tend to focus more on theoretical learning."
Fang said enrolling in a joint program offered by Chinese and New Zealand universities allowed him to experience both the differences and similarities between the two education systems.
During the six months he spent studying in Auckland, Fang fully immersed himself in the academic freedom characteristic of New Zealand universities.
"The teaching approach at New Zealand universities is more creative," he said.
Fang planned to apply for a doctoral program at AUT and continue his studies in New Zealand.
According to Education New Zealand, the country's international education sector is rebounding strongly following the pandemic, with China remaining the largest source of international students, accounting for 34 percent of the total.
In 2023, New Zealand recorded 23,905 enrolments from China, a 19 percent increase from 20,050 in 2022.
By August 2024, that number had grown to at least 25,175.
From 2018 to August 2024, 102,565 Chinese students have enrolled at New Zealand universities. Of those, 24,885 were enrolled in programs while studying outside the country.
