Kia ora Salient

 

Official information request international student issues

 

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your official information request
dated 15 November 2024.

 

We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible and in
any event no later than 13 December 2024, being 20 working days after the
day your request was received.

 

If any additional factors come to light which are relevant to your
request, please do not hesitate to contact me so that these can be taken
into account.

 

Ngâ mihi,

 

Blair Doherty

Senior Advisor, Official Information and Privacy

Legal Services

Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington

[1]www.wgtn.ac.nz 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Salient Magazine <[FOI #29209 email]>
Sent: Friday, November 15, 2024 11:53 AM
To: OIA Requests <[VUW request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Understanding the university's
approach to enrolment, support, and handling of issues raised by
international students.

 

Dear Victoria University of Wellington,

 

Under the Official Information Act 1982, I am requesting information
regarding international student outcomes, enrolment policies, support
initiatives, and complaints. My interest lies in understanding the
university's approach to enrolment, support, and handling of issues raised
by international students. Specifically, I request information on the
following:

 

1. Pass and Success Rates of International vs Domestic Students For each
of the last five academic years, please provide the pass rates and overall
completion rates of international and domestic students, broken down by:

 

- Undergraduate programmes

- Honours programmes

- Master’s programmes

- PhD programmes

 

Are there any significant differences in academic performance trends
between international and domestic students? If so, please provide
analysis or data on the factors that may contribute to these disparities.

 

2. International Student Enrolment Policies and Academic Readiness What
specific admission requirements or assessments are required for
international students applying to undergraduate, honours, master’s, and
PhD programmes? This includes any mandatory language proficiency tests,
academic readiness assessments, or prior qualifications verification.

 

Has the university implemented any testing or pre-admission evaluations
aimed at determining an international student’s likelihood of success in a
New Zealand tertiary environment? If so, what are these evaluations, and
how are they factored into the admission process?

 

Does the university have policies or guidelines that outline differences
(if any) in the enrolment criteria between domestic and international
students?

 

3. Support for Transition from International to Western Academic Systems
What resources or support services does the university provide to assist
international students transitioning from non-Western education systems?
This includes any orientation programmes, language support, academic
workshops, or mentorship initiatives specifically designed for
international students.

 

Are there specific policies, plans, or documents outlining the
university’s strategies for supporting international students’ transition
academically and socially? If so, could you provide copies of these
documents?

 

Has the university conducted any evaluations or studies on the
effectiveness of its support systems for international students? If such
evaluations exist, I request a summary or copy of any findings from these
assessments.

 

4. Scholarships for International Students For each of the last five
academic years, how many international students were offered scholarships,
and how does this compare to the number of domestic students offered
scholarships?

 

Of the international students who were awarded scholarships, how many
completed their degrees under those scholarships, and how many were
removed from their scholarship programme before completion? Please provide
comparative data for domestic students as well.

 

What are the criteria and processes for awarding scholarships to
international students, and are there any differences compared to the
processes for domestic students?

 

5. Complaints by International Students

In the last five academic years, how many complaints have been lodged by
international students regarding lack of support, particularly in
academic, language, social, or mental health services?

 

If possible, please provide a general summary of the nature of these
complaints, ensuring that all responses comply with privacy standards and
do not disclose individual information. Specifically, I would like to
understand any recurring issues or systemic concerns raised by
international students regarding the university’s support services.

 

6. Long-term Tracking of International Student Success and Retention Does
the university track the retention rates of international students as
compared to domestic students? If so, could you provide these rates for
the last five years?

 

Are there any reports or analyses related to the long-term academic or
employment outcomes of international students post-graduation? If
available, please share insights or summaries.

 

Thank you for your attention to this request. Please don’t hesitate to
reach out if further clarification is required. I look forward to your
response.

 

Kindly,

Salient Magazine.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[2][FOI #29209 email]

 

Is [3][VUW request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to Victoria University of Wellington? If so, please contact us
using this form:

[4]https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[5]https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

References

Visible links
1. www.wgtn.ac.nz
http://www.wgtn.ac.nz/
2. mailto:[FOI #29209 email]
3. mailto:[VUW request email]
4. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
5. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Salient,

 

We would like to clarify one point of this request. For question 1, you
are seeking “pass and success rates of international vs domestic
students”. If we want to try and measure the rate that students that are
granted a qualification at the end of a period we would need to look at an
enrolling cohort and their qualification results at the end of a 3-5 year
period but this data would be incomplete. Completion based on a metric of
qualification granted working backwards from the last 5 academic years
will not capture the students that are not allowed to continue in their
qualification due to underperforming students being placed on Academic
Hold as these students will remain on “Qualification Sought” indefinitely.

 

A better approach may be to look at the GPA of domestic and international
students in their first year of a qualification from the 2019 – 2024
academic year. This will somewhat show the success rate and performance
levels of international versus domestic student in their first year.

We can then look at which new domestic and international students
enrolling in the last 5 years have been placed on academic hold which will
show which students are having difficulties in their studies and have not
been allowed to continue in their programme.

 

Please let us know if you would like to proceed with this alternate
approach.

 

Ngâ mihi,

 

Blair Doherty

Senior Advisor, Official Information and Privacy

Legal Services

Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington

[1]www.wgtn.ac.nz 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Salient Magazine <[FOI #29209 email]>
Sent: Friday, November 15, 2024 11:53 AM
To: OIA Requests <[VUW request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Understanding the university's
approach to enrolment, support, and handling of issues raised by
international students.

 

Dear Victoria University of Wellington,

 

Under the Official Information Act 1982, I am requesting information
regarding international student outcomes, enrolment policies, support
initiatives, and complaints. My interest lies in understanding the
university's approach to enrolment, support, and handling of issues raised
by international students. Specifically, I request information on the
following:

 

1. Pass and Success Rates of International vs Domestic Students For each
of the last five academic years, please provide the pass rates and overall
completion rates of international and domestic students, broken down by:

 

- Undergraduate programmes

- Honours programmes

- Master’s programmes

- PhD programmes

 

Are there any significant differences in academic performance trends
between international and domestic students? If so, please provide
analysis or data on the factors that may contribute to these disparities.

 

2. International Student Enrolment Policies and Academic Readiness What
specific admission requirements or assessments are required for
international students applying to undergraduate, honours, master’s, and
PhD programmes? This includes any mandatory language proficiency tests,
academic readiness assessments, or prior qualifications verification.

 

Has the university implemented any testing or pre-admission evaluations
aimed at determining an international student’s likelihood of success in a
New Zealand tertiary environment? If so, what are these evaluations, and
how are they factored into the admission process?

 

Does the university have policies or guidelines that outline differences
(if any) in the enrolment criteria between domestic and international
students?

 

3. Support for Transition from International to Western Academic Systems
What resources or support services does the university provide to assist
international students transitioning from non-Western education systems?
This includes any orientation programmes, language support, academic
workshops, or mentorship initiatives specifically designed for
international students.

 

Are there specific policies, plans, or documents outlining the
university’s strategies for supporting international students’ transition
academically and socially? If so, could you provide copies of these
documents?

 

Has the university conducted any evaluations or studies on the
effectiveness of its support systems for international students? If such
evaluations exist, I request a summary or copy of any findings from these
assessments.

 

4. Scholarships for International Students For each of the last five
academic years, how many international students were offered scholarships,
and how does this compare to the number of domestic students offered
scholarships?

 

Of the international students who were awarded scholarships, how many
completed their degrees under those scholarships, and how many were
removed from their scholarship programme before completion? Please provide
comparative data for domestic students as well.

 

What are the criteria and processes for awarding scholarships to
international students, and are there any differences compared to the
processes for domestic students?

 

5. Complaints by International Students

In the last five academic years, how many complaints have been lodged by
international students regarding lack of support, particularly in
academic, language, social, or mental health services?

 

If possible, please provide a general summary of the nature of these
complaints, ensuring that all responses comply with privacy standards and
do not disclose individual information. Specifically, I would like to
understand any recurring issues or systemic concerns raised by
international students regarding the university’s support services.

 

6. Long-term Tracking of International Student Success and Retention Does
the university track the retention rates of international students as
compared to domestic students? If so, could you provide these rates for
the last five years?

 

Are there any reports or analyses related to the long-term academic or
employment outcomes of international students post-graduation? If
available, please share insights or summaries.

 

Thank you for your attention to this request. Please don’t hesitate to
reach out if further clarification is required. I look forward to your
response.

 

Kindly,

Salient Magazine.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[2][FOI #29209 email]

 

Is [3][VUW request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to Victoria University of Wellington? If so, please contact us
using this form:

[4]https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[5]https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

References

Visible links
1. www.wgtn.ac.nz
http://www.wgtn.ac.nz/
2. mailto:[FOI #29209 email]
3. mailto:[VUW request email]
4. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
5. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Tçnâ koe Salient

 

Official information request international student issues

 

I refer to your official information request dated 15 November 2024.

 

Please find attached a response to your information request.

 

Ngâ mihi,

 

Blair Doherty

Senior Advisor, Official Information and Privacy

Legal Services

Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington

[1]www.wgtn.ac.nz 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Salient Magazine <[2][FYI request #29209 email]>
Sent: Friday, November 15, 2024 11:53 AM
To: OIA Requests <[3][VUW request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Understanding the university's
approach to enrolment, support, and handling of issues raised by
international students.

 

Dear Victoria University of Wellington,

 

Under the Official Information Act 1982, I am requesting information
regarding international student outcomes, enrolment policies, support
initiatives, and complaints. My interest lies in understanding the
university's approach to enrolment, support, and handling of issues raised
by international students. Specifically, I request information on the
following:

 

1. Pass and Success Rates of International vs Domestic Students For each
of the last five academic years, please provide the pass rates and overall
completion rates of international and domestic students, broken down by:

 

- Undergraduate programmes

- Honours programmes

- Master’s programmes

- PhD programmes

 

Are there any significant differences in academic performance trends
between international and domestic students? If so, please provide
analysis or data on the factors that may contribute to these disparities.

 

2. International Student Enrolment Policies and Academic Readiness What
specific admission requirements or assessments are required for
international students applying to undergraduate, honours, master’s, and
PhD programmes? This includes any mandatory language proficiency tests,
academic readiness assessments, or prior qualifications verification.

 

Has the university implemented any testing or pre-admission evaluations
aimed at determining an international student’s likelihood of success in a
New Zealand tertiary environment? If so, what are these evaluations, and
how are they factored into the admission process?

 

Does the university have policies or guidelines that outline differences
(if any) in the enrolment criteria between domestic and international
students?

 

3. Support for Transition from International to Western Academic Systems
What resources or support services does the university provide to assist
international students transitioning from non-Western education systems?
This includes any orientation programmes, language support, academic
workshops, or mentorship initiatives specifically designed for
international students.

 

Are there specific policies, plans, or documents outlining the
university’s strategies for supporting international students’ transition
academically and socially? If so, could you provide copies of these
documents?

 

Has the university conducted any evaluations or studies on the
effectiveness of its support systems for international students? If such
evaluations exist, I request a summary or copy of any findings from these
assessments.

 

4. Scholarships for International Students For each of the last five
academic years, how many international students were offered scholarships,
and how does this compare to the number of domestic students offered
scholarships?

 

Of the international students who were awarded scholarships, how many
completed their degrees under those scholarships, and how many were
removed from their scholarship programme before completion? Please provide
comparative data for domestic students as well.

 

What are the criteria and processes for awarding scholarships to
international students, and are there any differences compared to the
processes for domestic students?

 

5. Complaints by International Students

In the last five academic years, how many complaints have been lodged by
international students regarding lack of support, particularly in
academic, language, social, or mental health services?

 

If possible, please provide a general summary of the nature of these
complaints, ensuring that all responses comply with privacy standards and
do not disclose individual information. Specifically, I would like to
understand any recurring issues or systemic concerns raised by
international students regarding the university’s support services.

 

6. Long-term Tracking of International Student Success and Retention Does
the university track the retention rates of international students as
compared to domestic students? If so, could you provide these rates for
the last five years?

 

Are there any reports or analyses related to the long-term academic or
employment outcomes of international students post-graduation? If
available, please share insights or summaries.

 

Thank you for your attention to this request. Please don’t hesitate to
reach out if further clarification is required. I look forward to your
response.

 

Kindly,

Salient Magazine.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[4][FYI request #29209 email]

 

Is [5][VUW request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to Victoria University of Wellington? If so, please contact us
using this form:

[6]https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[7]https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

References

Visible links
1. www.wgtn.ac.nz
http://www.wgtn.ac.nz/
2. mailto:[FYI request #29209 email]
3. mailto:[VUW request email]
4. mailto:[FYI request #29209 email]
5. mailto:[VUW request email]
6. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
7. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections