Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) organised the first ever ‘Study with New Zealand’ Roadshow in Sri Lanka from 5 to 8 March, marking a significant milestone in strengthening the long standing education partnership between New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

The roadshow signals ENZ’s renewed and long term commitment to deepening institutional collaboration, enhancing student mobility, and reinforcing the strong people to people connections that have defined the relationship between the two countries for over seven decades.

Bringing together 19 leading New Zealand tertiary institutions including universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics, and private training establishments the delegation is engaging with government bodies, tertiary education institutions, schools, agents, and prospective students. The programme includes institution to institution meetings, information sessions for high school counsellors, and student facing education fairs in Colombo and Kandy hosted in collaboration with Thames International Ltd.

His Excellency David Pine, New Zealand High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Maldives, spoke at the roadshow events and noted that education has long been a cornerstone of the New Zealand Sri Lanka relationship. He highlighted that the partnership dates back more than seven decades, beginning with the Colombo Plan in 1950, which enabled hundreds of Sri Lankan scholars to pursue higher education in New Zealand and helped establish enduring people to people links that continue to shape the relationship today.

He also remarked that New Zealand is encouraged by the growing collaboration between Sri Lankan and New Zealand institutions particularly in the fields of agriculture, engineering, business, and technology and reaffirmed New Zealand’s commitment to strengthening partnerships that advance skills development, research collaboration, and student success.

Ms Anna Gestro, Group General Manager, International Marketing, Brand and Scholarships, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao, stated:
“The numbers tell a positive story. Between January and August 2025, 3,120 Sri Lankan students enrolled in one of New Zealand’s world class education institutions an impressive 57 percent increase compared with the same period in 2024. New Zealand offers a safe, inclusive, and globally connected education system recognised for its quality. Our approach is guided by the Māori values of Manaakitanga (hospitality and care) and Kaitiakitanga (guardianship and responsibility), which foster wellbeing, belonging, and respect.” International education remains an important bridge between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, supporting knowledge exchange, economic development, and enduring connections between communities.

The Study with New Zealand Roadshow marks the beginning of a new chapter in the Sri Lanka New Zealand education relationship one that is future focused, collaborative, and grounded in shared values.

Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is the government agency dedicated to helping New Zealand realise the social, cultural, and economic benefits of international education. Our role is to promote New Zealand as a high-quality education destination offering excellent education and student experiences.

With approximately 85 staff in 15 locations around the world, ENZ works closely with New Zealand’s diverse education sector which includes schools, English language providers, Private Training Establishments, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics, and universities.

Internationally, we work with a range of education stakeholders, including government agencies and education providers to identify and encourage sustainable growth opportunities for New Zealand’s education sector.