Education and Trade : Education and Trade Multilateral and Bilateral Approaches
To Trade in Education Services Trade in Education: Trade in Education
When education services are offered on a commercial or fee-paying basis to foreign consumers. What roles do governments have in trade in education?: What roles do governments have in trade in education?
As exporters themselves; through public sector education institutions;
As regulators of the environments in which institutions operate;
As parties to international agreements which establish standards for education;
As parties to international agreements which establish rules for trade in education.
Trade Agreements covering Education : Trade Agreements covering Education
Trade agreements cover trade in education through their frameworks of rules for trade in services.
Multilateral : World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreements;
Regional : Asia Free Trade Agreement (AFTA);
Bilateral : ANZCERTA New Zealand belongs to several trade agreements and groups:: New Zealand belongs to several trade agreements and groups:
WTO GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services)
OECD. What do these agreements achieve for New Zealand education exporters?: What do these agreements achieve for New Zealand education exporters?
Through them the government can work to remove barriers to our education exports so that New Zealand institutions have improved opportunities in key markets.
Some examples of barriers:: Some examples of barriers:
Non-recognition of New Zealand qualifications and registration;
Restrictions on the import or export of educational materials;
Foreign equity caps;
Legal restrictions which impede establishment of offshore campuses by institutions;
Requirements for joint-venture campuses.
Barriers are removed or reduced: When parties to agreements make commitments to give foreign suppliers the same access and treatment in their market as their own suppliers;
This gives equality of opportunity – not preferences to foreign suppliers;
Based on domestic regulatory frameworks. Barriers are removed or reduced Current Negotiations:: Current Negotiations: WTO Services negotiations under the General Agreement on Trade in Services part of comprehensive trade round launched in Doha last year;
Two deadlines :
Requests 30June 2002, Offers 31 March 2003;
New Zealand made requests to 24 countries;
Work on GATS rules will also continue;
CER, CEP : periodic reviews ongoing.
More information:: More information: