Through PINZ’s advocacy, seven PINZ ITP’s have had their bachelor’s degree programmes recognised by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Higher Education. PINZ is now working with the New Zealand Ministry of Education Counsellor in Riyadh and TVTC to get the remaining ITP’s programmes approved.
PINZ GM Busines Development Mike Zino in Riyadh
The recognition opens the way for scholarship approved students to attend New Zealand ITPs to complete degree programmes. An immediate result of this degree recognition was that applications from over 230 candidates were registered at an Expo held by PINZ in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in March. Approximately half of these applicants are teaching staff at the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation’s (TVTC) tertiary vocational training institutions and colleges of technology, who typically hold two-year associate degree in areas as diverse as business, engineering and IT – they will be coming for 12-18 months of English tuition followed by two years to complete the related ITP degree. All students will be on Saudi Government scholarships.
PINZ expects this to be the first of a number of staff and students from Saudi Arabia who will be upgrading their qualifications in New Zealand over the next 5 years or more.
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