WELLINGTON, June 13 (Xinhua) -- A new wellbeing strategy for international students in New Zealand was launched on Tuesday, aiming to help protect and enhance the country's reputation as a safe and welcoming study destination, said Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith.

"International education is our fourth largest export industry and provides jobs for more than 30,000 New Zealanders," said Goldsmith, adding that it is vital students have a high-quality experience while studying in New Zealand.

In addition to the strengthened pastoral responsibilities of education providers introduced in 2016, Education New Zealand now has a dedicated staff member whose focus is on delivery of a high-quality experience for international students, he said.

"The new wellbeing strategy builds on this progress, setting out focus areas that international students have told us to make the biggest difference to their study experience," said Goldsmith.

Education New Zealand is building an online information hub that will bring together information about life and study in New Zealand, as "access to accurate information is particularly important for international students," he said.

In addition, 750,000 NZ dollars (541,935 U.S. dollars) per year is being made available for new initiatives that align with the strategy and strengthen international student wellbeing, he said.

A draft International Education Strategy for New Zealand, which sets out the government's vision for international education, will be released for consultation later this month. Enditem

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