International students launch academic year

International students were first to launch into the 2012 academic year at CPIT yesterday with some 60 students from around the world commencing their English language studies.

New students from China, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia and Korea joined a group of 12 from the Korean Bible University, which regularly sends students to CPIT for four-week English and New Zealand Study Courses.

Students from the Korean Bible University in Seoul enjoy the sun while on a lunch break at CPIT. From left to right: Jee Young Park, Jung Enn Young, Jung Mi Lim, Gyuri Kim and Kwon Min-Jung.

Students who are studying for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exams at the end of the month were already working hard to gain their qualifications in time to enrol in mainstream programmes at CPIT.

CPIT International Director Beth Knowles said all the students were full of energy after their summer holidays and keen to get started on their studies.

“It’s going to be an interesting year and there are very positive signs that it will be a great year,” she said. “We have five Japanese groups coming in February to study English for example. CPIT was recently selected as the new Cambridge English Examination Centre for Christchurch, which will attract new international students to Canterbury and also upskill workers who are here for the rebuild and recovery of our city.”

The English and New Zealand Study Course students, meanwhile, will study English each morning during their four weeks in Christchurch and explore Christchurch in the afternoons with trips planned to attractions such as Willowbank and the Antarctic Centre as well as a meeting with Deputy Mayor Ngaire Button.

Student YouJin Kim, 21, from the Korean Bible University, said she was looking forward to studying at CPIT. “I came here to enhance my English and to travel to another country,” she said. “It is very exciting!”