New Zealanders aged 18-35 feel that travelling is a better way to gain life skills than studying. Photo / 123rf
Fears of debt are discouraging many young Kiwis from going to university, but when it comes to gaining life experience, the majority feel travelling abroad is a better route, a new survey has found.
A recent survey commissioned by travel company Contiki asked 1,000 New Zealanders aged 18-35 about their motivations for pursuing higher education.
More than two-thirds (67%) feel they can learn more life skills by traveling abroad than by studying from a textbook.
Of course, life skills aren't the only reason why New Zealanders undertake degrees and apprenticeships after high school. Many tertiary qualifications, such as law, medicine, teaching and trades, are prerequisites for certain professions or give you the skills you need for work.
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But higher education is a privilege that some cannot afford: 62% say they want the “experience” of college, while half (50%) say worries about debt have stopped them from pursuing further education.
The country's university enrolments fell last year. Photo / File
These results are backed up by figures from the Ministry of Education, which said university completion rates have fallen to 86 percent in 2023, the lowest since 2014, and the situation is not expected to improve this year.
With inflation and the cost of living continuing to rise, most young New Zealanders surveyed (70%) said they wanted to save money, especially for travel.
Inspired by the study's findings, KonTiki launched a promotional campaign called “KonTiki University,” matching university courses with ConTiki tours.
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Want to learn about “Veterinary Medicine”? Join us on an 11-day South African tour. Interested in European Studies? Minor it on a 23-day trip through 12 countries or learn navigation on an island hopping tour of Croatia.
If you're not sure which course to take, you can also take a quiz that will recommend a “course” or itinerary.
KonTiki is not against university education, managing director Toni Ambler makes clear, but rather wants to raise awareness of the benefits of studying abroad.
“We're not telling people to slack off in their studies, but we are encouraging young New Zealanders to get out and look at 'education' from a new perspective,” she said.
“There's no better way to learn about history, culture, or even about yourself than to actually experience the world and history.”
While wandering around Europe isn't a qualification to put on your CV, being out in the world has its psychological benefits.
Multiple studies by organizations like the U.S. Travel Association and prestigious universities like Columbia Business School have proven that traveling abroad, exposing yourself to other cultures and familiarizing yourself with a foreign environment, improves cognitive functioning, increases openness to new experiences, and fosters creativity.
