New Zealand, the small South Pacific nation home to over 3,000 Filipino students in 2016, has been ranked the happiest country in the Asia-Pacific region. It has also secured a place amongst the top 10 happiest countries in the world.
According to the recent World Happiness Report, New Zealand ranked as the world’s eighth happiest country, outstripping annual favorites, Australia and the United States, which ranked ninth and 13th, respectively.
According to ENZ Regional Communications and Strategic Relations Manager for Southeast Asia, Ben Burrowes, the country’s emphasis on happiness and overall wellbeing of its people has become one of the key pull factors for Filipino students in choosing New Zealand as their international education destination.
The World Happiness Report is the fourth in a series that started in 2012, and is one of many such pieces of research to feature New Zealand in recent times, including being ranked first in both the Global Peace Index and the InterNations’ Ease of Settling In Index. In the HSBC Expat Explorer Survey, New Zealand ranked in the top three for its emphasis on tolerance and quality of life in the global survey.
“The Kiwis emphasize close family ties. Regardless of whether you’re an international student or visitor, they’ll go the extra mile to include you in their community. Everyone is accepting of you and display a genuine interest in learning about your cultures and traditions, which makes it easy for everyone to settle in,” said Filipino graduate Lily Joy Al Omari, who completed her postgraduate Diploma in Management (Health) at the Toi-ohomai Institute of Technology in Rotorua.
Paolo Songcayauon, a student pursuing Health Services Management at the National Institute of Education in Auckland, attributes the country’s welcoming culture and safe environment as to why he chose to study in New Zealand.
“The crime rate and corruption is low, and the availability of emergency medical and fire services make New Zealand one of the safest countries in the world. Hearing about New Zealand’s high safety standards was a crucial factor in helping me decide to further my education here.”
In addition to offering students a world-class education, the New Zealand system also equips international students with industry relevant experience by allowing them to work up to 20 hours per week during term time and up to 40 hours per week over term break.
This flexibility provides students the opportunity to gain work experience while in university thereby allowing students to receive a well-rounded education that prepares them for the demands of the current workforce. With this, it is no wonder then that up to 94 percent of students surveyed by the International Student Barometer (ISB) in 2014 and 2015 shared that they are very satisfied with their overall experience at their New Zealand institution.