Research Report on Indian Students' Issues in Auckland, NZ

This research report investigates the experiences of Indian students in Auckland, New Zealand, focusing on the challenges they encounter. The report begins with an introduction outlining the research objectives, which include identifying the issues faced by Indian students, understanding the underlying reasons for these issues, and proposing solutions. The methodology involves qualitative research with interviews of Indian students at the University of Auckland and a review of existing literature. The literature review explores various aspects, including the experiences of African doctoral students in New Zealand, the underperformance of New Zealand universities compared to Australian counterparts, the nature of higher education in New Zealand, foreign language teaching and learning, and stress management techniques. The report identifies gaps in the literature and proceeds to analyze the collected data, followed by recommendations to address the challenges and issues faced by Indian students in Auckland. The report aims to provide insights into the difficulties faced by Indian students and offer practical solutions to improve their experience in Auckland.

Running head: RESEARCH REPORT
Research Report
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
1.1. Key Research Objectives..................................................................................................2
1.2. Key Research Questions...................................................................................................3
1.3. Methods for Data Collection and Analysis.......................................................................3
2. Literature Review.....................................................................................................................4
2.1. Understanding the Experiences of African Doctoral Students in New Zealand...............4
2.2. Underperformance of New Zealand Universities compared to Australian Counterparts. 5
2.3. Understand the Wicked Nature of Higher Education in New Zealand.............................6
2.4. Experiences of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning in New Zealand and its
Impact on Inter-Cultural Development........................................................................................7
2.5. Stress Management for Students in New Zealand Universities – Methods and
Techniques...................................................................................................................................8
3. Gaps in the Literature Review..................................................................................................9
4. Data Analysis and Discussion..................................................................................................9
5. Recommendations to Address Challenges and Issues faced by Indian Students in Auckland
12
References......................................................................................................................................15

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Introduction
New Zealand has been serving as a premier destination for higher education for
international students for quite some time now. Universities and colleges in New Zealand are
popular among international students because of the diversity of courses that are offered here for
study and the job opportunities associated with the study of higher educational courses in New
Zealand. Students from around the world travel visit New Zealand to get a degree in higher
education in the hope that this will brighten their prospects of getting a job, not only in New
Zealand but in any international destination (Thorup-Binger & Charania, 2019). This is primarily
due to the fact that the higher educational degree and diploma programs that are offered in
institutions in New Zealand are student friendly in terms of course content and student evaluation
systems and are enable students to get well trained in the art of employability. Many of the
academic institutions in New Zealand that offer degree and diploma programs in higher
education are recognized worldwide, the University of Christchurch being a well-known
example in this respect, which is why students studying at New Zealand universities can hope to
get placed in desirable jobs not just here but in the neighboring country of Australia or in any
other international destination (Buchanan, 2019). This assignment prepares a research report that
focuses specifically on the experiences of Indian students in New Zealand. The report narrows
down on the issues that are faced by Indian students in New Zealand with special reference to the
capital city of Auckland. Some of the key objectives and questions that are posed as a part of this
research study are as follows –
1.1. Key Research Objectives
 To arrive at an understanding of the issues faced by Indian students in Auckland

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 To understand why it is that Indian students face the issues that they do
 To discover ways and means by which the issues that have been identified can be
overcome by the Indian students
1.2. Key Research Questions
RQ 1 – What are the Issues that Indian Students face when they arrive in Auckland?
RQ 2 – What are the reasons behind the issues that are faced by Indian students in Auckland?
RQ 3 – How can the identified issues be overcome by the Indian Students?
1.3. Methods for Data Collection and Analysis
The data for this study has been collected through two research methods. The first of
these entails qualitative research, whereby thirty Indian students at the University of Auckland
were subjected to in-depth personal interviews in order to arrive at the answers to the research
questions. The sample of thirty students was chosen randomly and conveniently owing to the
paucity of time and resources. The interviews lasted for forty five minutes to one hour and were
conducted entirely in keeping with the consent of the students being interviewed. The goals and
objectives of the research study, namely to identify the issues faced by Indian students in
Auckland and develop recommendations to address the same, were made known to the sample
population at the outset of the interview so that they were entirely in the loop of why they were
being interviewed and what purpose their answers were going to serve. Apart from primary
research, data for this study was also retrieved through the review and analysis of peer edited
journal articles, book chapters and books, as well as websites and newspaper articles on the
subject of foreign students in New Zealand and New Zealand as a center for international

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education. The data that was ultimately retrieved was subjected to the process of content analysis
or textual analysis, which is typical of qualitative research.
2. Literature Review
2.1. Understanding the Experiences of African Doctoral Students in New Zealand
Doyle et al. (2017), have undertaken a study on the experiences of doctoral students from
Africa at universities and colleges in the country of New Zealand. The research focuses
specifically on doctoral students from Africa who are pursuing PhD. degrees from New Zealand
universities in the medium of English. A small group of African students and African academic
supervisors in New Zealand were studied for this purpose. It is the argument of the authors that
the experiences of African doctoral students in New Zealand and Australia is a subjected that has
not been researched upon and documented well enough as yet, and that plenty of questions
remain yet to be uncovered with regard to the experiences that are faced by young doctoral
students from the continent of Africa, in the country of New Zealand in particular. What is
specifically argued by Doyle et al. (2017), is that the system of education as offered at higher
educational institutions in New Zealand is that which challenges the deficits that are so typically
characteristic of students from Africa. The fact that the ever increasing internationalization of
PhD. pursuits worldwide is adding a whole lot of complexity to the process of doctoral writing is
an issue that has been raised by the researchers in this piece of work, with questions being asked
by them as to how supervisors at academic institutions in New Zealand and students from the
African continent recognize as well as navigate the many differences that arise when writing a
doctoral dissertation in the medium of the English language. The authors conclude with the
observation that a number of recommendations need to be put in place in order to understand

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how supervisors at higher educational institutions in New Zealand with African well as other
international doctoral students effectively to overcome such challenges.
2.2. Underperformance of New Zealand Universities compared to Australian
Counterparts
Marshall (2018) has conducted research on the underperformance of universities in New
Zealand with special reference to the role that the experiences and results of international
students have to play in this respect. The study has been carried out by observing enrollment of
international students at New Zealand universities as well as in universities in Australia. In the
view of Marshall (2018) international education is recognized widely as something that provides
a diverse range of outcomes for universities and students in the destination countries as well as in
the source countries. However, Marshall (2018), goes onto argue that politicians in the country
of New Zealand view international education and higher education at that, as something very
different. According to Marshall (2018), politicians in New Zealand look at international higher
education as a means by which export earnings can be significantly raised, as to be able to raise
the subsidies that are needed in order to make university education more accessible locally, in the
country. Marshall (2018) also adds that New Zealand universities have recently been subjected to
quite a lot of criticism for falling behind their counterparts in Australia, adding that Australian
universities are doing a far better job of raising revenue through enrollment of international
students at Australian universities. What the research undertaken by Marshall (2018), explores is
the observation of how New Zealand universities are failing compared to their counterparts in
Australia and this observation is undertaken through an examination of the patterns of
international student enrollment in both Australian universities and New Zealand universities.
Significant drivers for international student enrolment are studied with reference to the country

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of Australia, with potential strategic as well as policy implications being discussed by the author
the growth and development of international education in New Zealand, in a way by which such
education can respond to the identified drivers.
2.3. Understand the Wicked Nature of Higher Education in New Zealand
Marshall (2014) has also undertaken research on the role that technological innovations have
had to play in driving higher educational growth and development in the country of New
Zealand, stating the problem that arises in this respect to be a wicked problem., Marshall (2014)
argues that New Zealand just like many other countries in the world is a nation that is faced with
the challenge of both sustaining as well as educating a very large population. Since the economy
of New Zealand in his view is one that is based on knowledge and modern skills rather than
commodities and low cost labor, it is an increasing challenge for the state to come up with ways
and means by which the challenge of providing quality higher education in the country can be
met, so that the growth of a knowledge and modern skills economy can be well supported. He
argues that the specific challenge that is faced by university education in New Zealand is the
combination of economic and political drivers that are interacting, in order to create wicked
problems that complicate and obstruct the process of innovation, in study and educational models
that are utilized for adult education. The wicked nature and character of higher education in New
Zealand is something that has been well explored in this research and a number of strategies have
been considered by Marshall (2014), that identify potential ways by which the wicked problem
can be minimized and addressed while enabling progress in areas such as efficiency, quality and
educational impact on society in New Zealand at the same given time.

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2.4. Experiences of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning in New Zealand
and its Impact on Inter-Cultural Development
Howard et al. (2019) have focused specifically on foreign language teaching in the country
of New Zealand. The journeys of students in the development of intercultural capabilities have
been studied in detail by the authors. It is argued by Howard et al. (2019), that intercultural
capability appears to be novel concept for most teachers in the cities and towns of New Zealand.
Yet the authors add, that at the same time, intercultural capability is something that has
developed as a new expectation in the schools and educational institutions that offer foreign
language courses, in New Zealand. Data for this project has been collated over a period of two
years, with student voices being foregrounded in the paper in order to reveal how early learners
experienced programs in language training where intermediate and non-specialist school teachers
facilitated intercultural and comparative explorations for the first time ever. What the findings of
the research reveal is that the shifts that took place in the practices of the teachers is something
that led in turn to variable but worthwhile intercultural learning gains for the students who signed
up for such programs. The research undertaken by Howard et al. (2019) made use of what may
be termed as an interdisciplinary approach is order to undertake an examination of the type of
impact that age is likely to have on the cultural development of a learner at this particular stage
or level. The positive role that the attitude and encourage of teachers can have on students and
the learning process in this respect is something that has been well outlined and analyzed by the
researchers. Intercultural and comparative explorations turn out to be a better experience for
students if teachers are encouraging and positive about such a learning process.

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2.5. Stress Management for Students in New Zealand Universities – Methods and
Techniques
Smith et al. (2019) have undertaken interesting research on how cognitive re-appraisal
techniques bring about stress reduction in students in New Zealand with special reference to
dental students in their fourth year in New Zealand universities. It is argued by Smith et al.
(2019) that the fourth year of the bachelor’s degree in Dental Sciences offered at New Zealand’s
is the toughest and most difficult program for students to graduate. The use of a self-applied
technique known as cognitive re-appraisal has been studied by the authors to understand how this
can bring about considerable reduction in stress in a student by facilitating a student to rise to the
challenges that he or she is faced with rather than succumbing to such challenges. The survey
method was utilized by the authors in order to undertake this study. A detailed questionnaire was
sent out to dental students in their fourth year in New Zealand universities with the questionnaire
containing as many as twenty items. The respondents of the survey were assigned randomly to
control intervention and re-appraisal intervention groups with each group being asked to watch
one educational video closely, as part of the study. A follow up study or survey was conducted
once again after a period of three weeks. The results of the research revealed that the group that
was made to watch the vide that educated them on cognitive re-appraisal techniques, were able to
manage stress at university far better than students who were taught other forms or means by
which to control stress. The authors argue in conclusion that cognitive re-appraisal is therefore a
technique that can most certainly be used to manage stress that is experienced by dental students
in their fourth year in New Zealand universities.

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3. Gaps in the Literature Review
The literature that has been reviewed above does well to point out the standards and
techniques that are being embraced by New Zealand universities when competing with
Australian universities, the experiences that African students undergo when pursuing higher
educational degrees in New Zealand universities and the role that foreign language learning has
to play in promoting intercultural capabilities among students in New Zealand universities. The
literature also mentions the ways and means by which stress can be managed and reduced for
students enrolled in degree courses in New Zealand universities. However, the specific
experiences of students from South Asia, especially students from India have not been made
explicit in this review of literature. This report therefore hopes to uncover some of the gaps that
can be detected in this literature review in this respect.
4. Data Analysis and Discussion
It was found that most of the students, who took part in the interviews, are students who
belong to the age group of twenty to thirty years. As a result, what can be inferred from this is
the fact that New Zealand is preferred as a destination for higher education for people who are
primarily in their youth and not so much by people who are already in their adult or working
years and who wish to pursue higher education. The majority of the participants in the study
happen to be in their youth and are looking to land jobs as soon as they complete their degrees or
diploma programs that they are enrolled in.
What the interviews and discussions with the thirty students enrolled at Auckland also
revealed is that the majority of the students are those who hail from the southern parts and the

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Eastern parts of India. While some students were found to be from northern India as well, the
majority of these students hailed from southern Indian cities like Chennai and Bangalore and
Eastern Indian cities such as Kolkata and Bhubaneswar. What this indicates is that the decision
to pursue a higher educational degree in New Zealand is something that is favored far more by
people living in the southern and eastern parts of India, that is the coastal regions of the country
rather than those who reside in the North and the North- West of the country, the reasons for
which are of course not too clearly known. It was also found that the majority of the students
who were interviewed for the research were students who were enrolled in level 8 courses in
Auckland University and the course of study in which they are enrolled is Business Studies.
What such a finding appears to indicate is the fact that most of the Indian students who come to
pursue an education in Auckland are people who are interested in pursuing the highest of
educational degrees only and who wish to attain education of a sophisticated standard. Since
Business Studies is a preferred choice of subject among these students, it appears that most of the
students interviewed are interested in landing corporate jobs in New Zealand cities and towns or
back in the home country immediately upon graduation.
With regard to specifically the issues being faced by Indian students in Auckland in
particular and New Zealand in general, what the discussions and interviews revealed is the fact
that most of the interviewees have been staying in New Zealand for at least five years, with a few
of them having extended their stay beyond five years. This appears to indicate that Indian
students are pursuing courses at both the bachelor’s and master’s level in New Zealand with
some even progressing to the PhD. level. The first major issue faced by Indian students in New
Zealand as revealed through the interviews conducted appears to be culture shock. It was
difficult for most of the students who have been interviewed for this project, to accept the radical

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differences between Indian culture and New Zealand culture, with many of them having felt
racially quite inferior to the white population in Auckland. The interviews and discussions with
the thirty odd students also reveal that students felt both sad as well as annoyed when they were
faced with issues such as culture shock and home sickness. Some of the coping strategies that the
students took recourse to, in order to deal with the issues that they were faced with, are ignorance
and keeping busy with various activities. It was clear from most of the responses provided by the
students that staying engaged with a variety of activities on campus and ignoring the issues that
they were being faced with altogether served as suitable coping mechanisms for surviving in a
different land with an alien culture.
Most of the students who were interviewed reveal that they received little or no support from
family members in Auckland to deal with the issues that they were faced with. Instead, what
many of the students appeared to report is that students from similar cultural backgrounds, such
as students from Bangladesh and Pakistan, and even other Asian students like Chinese and
Japanese students provided them with comfort and support in a time of identity crisis. When it
comes to analyzing how Indian students feel when in New Zealand compared to when they are
back in the home country, most of the students report that the experience is amazing, given the
fact that New Zealand is a country that is filled with so many natural wonders and the lifestyle of
a First World country is absolutely breathtaking and overwhelming for them.
The results of the interviews taken with thirty students enrolled at Auckland University
revealed that what students miss the most about being away from home is their parents and home
cooked Indian food. Clearly family ties and culture appear to be the main factors behind the
loneliness that is experienced by Indian students who are enrolled at Auckland University, given

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the fact that most of these students appeared to be craving for home cooked food by their parents
quite a bit.
Fifty percent of the students who were interviewed for the study revealed that life in New
Zealand was for them but a struggle while the other half described their situation as happy. Half
of the students are struggling to study and make ends meet at the same time, while the other half
of the respondent population is enjoying the experience of living and studying in a beautiful First
World country.
With regard to making recommendations or suggestions for other Indian students who arrive
at Auckland to pursue a higher education, what some of the interviewees stated was that Indian
students need to research well enough about the type of situations that they are likely to be faced
with when they arrive in Auckland for the first time. Some others stated that being fully
equipped in necessary in order for Indian students to be able to enjoy their study experience in
New Zealand while the remaining sample population stated that students would actually have to
live and study in Auckland for some time in order to get an idea of what life was truly like not
just in New Zealand but in any foreign country for that matter.
To conclude, it can be stated that fifty percent of the sample population are satisfied with the
stay and study experience in New Zealand while the other fifty percent have complained about
being faced with the struggle for survival and making ends meet, especially given the fact that
life in a First World Country is hard to sustain on limited finances and that higher education in
New Zealand is becoming increasingly expensive with every passing day.

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5. Recommendations to Address Challenges and Issues faced by Indian
Students in Auckland
 Universities and colleges in Auckland including the University of Auckland need to come
up with ways and means by which Indian students can feel more included in the culture
of the university. This can be attained by appointing Indian students as cultural
ambassadors during inter-collegiate and inter-university festivals and programs, during
which Indian students can get an opportunity to let other international students know
about their culture and traditions (Moon et al., 2019).
 Counseling services need to be made available to Indian and other international students
at the University of Auckland in order to address issues that can arise among such
students because of the fact that they are so far away from their homes, and they miss
their parents and their families. Such counseling services should make it a point to
highlight for such students the many positives that they can experience upon studying in
New Zealand, and that although being away from their families is not easy, there is a lot
that they have to look forward to by pursuing higher educational degrees and jobs in a
First World Country (Ryan et al., 2019).
 Anti-racism committees need to be set up along the length and breadth of campuses in
New Zealand universities and colleges that are home to international student populations,
including Indian students. Such committees need to be instructed to crack down hard on
instances of racism so that Indian students in Auckland face less of a culture shock while
studying here, and feel more included and wanted by the people who are around them.
Racism or racial and cultural intolerance is something that can send Indian students into

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depression if not worse, and has to be controlled strictly if the experiences of Indian
students in Auckland are to be improved (Skaria et al., 2019).
 Indian students on campus in Auckland University need to be encouraged to interact with
students from other ethnic backgrounds a lot more rather than sticking to their own. This
will give them the opportunity to open their eyes, minds and ears to new experiences and
will inculcate in them greater aware and understanding of international cultures and the
international experience altogether (Buchanan, 2019).

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References
Buchanan, F. R. (2019). International student perceptions of experience in the West. Journal of
International Education in Business, 000-000.
Doyle, S., Manathunga, C., Prinsen, G., Tallon, R., & Cornforth, S. (2018). African international
doctoral students in New Zealand: Englishes, doctoral writing and intercultural
supervision. Higher Education Research & Development, 37(1), 1-14.
Howard, J., Tolosa, C., Biebricher, C., & East, M. (2019). Shifting conceptualisations of foreign
language teaching in New Zealand: students’ journeys towards developing intercultural
capability. Language and Intercultural Communication, 1-15.
Marshall, S. (2016). Technological innovation of higher education in New Zealand: a wicked
problem?. Studies in Higher Education, 41(2), 288-301
Marshall, S. (2019). Are New Zealand universities underperforming? An analysis of
international enrolments in Australian and New Zealand universities. Compare: A
Journal of Comparative and International Education, 49(3), 471-488.
Moon, C. Y., Zhang, S., Larke, P., & James, M. (2019). We Are Not All the Same: A Qualitative
Analysis of the Nuanced Differences Between Chinese and South Korean International
Graduate Students’ Experiences in the United States. Journal of International Students.
Ryan, J., Rabbidge, M., Wang, Y., & Field, J. (2019). Satisfiers and Dissatisfiers for
International Vocational Education Students. Journal of International Students

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Skaria, R., Whitehead, D., Leach, L., & Walshaw, M. (2019). Experiences of overseas nurse
educators teaching in New Zealand. Nurse Education Today.
Smith, A., Scott, I., Ratnayake, J., Newsham-West, K., & Cathro, P. (2019). An Intervention
Study: Does a Cognitive Reappraisal Technique Reduce the Perceived Stress in Fourth-
Year Dental Students in New Zealand?. International journal of dentistry, 2019.
Thorup-Binger, C., & Charania, N. A. (2019). Vulnerability and capacities of international
students in the face of disasters in Auckland, New Zealand: A qualitative descriptive
study. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 101136.