Two North Island colleges have been recognised with a prestigious International Education Excellence Award in the category of Excellence in Student Support by industry body Education New Zealand.

"Student support can sometimes be taken for granted because New Zealand institutions do it so well," says Robert Stevens, CEO of Education New Zealand. "These awards give us a chance to give credit to those who go above and beyond the normal level of support, to really give our international students a wonderful experience in New Zealand."

Tied for this year's award are Mount Maunganui College in Mount Maunganui, and Awatapu College in Palmerston North. Both are co-ed secondary schools with about four percent of their students coming from overseas.

Mount Maunganui College has been welcoming international students for 15 years, making them one of the most experienced schools in the country when it comes to meeting their needs. They have constantly adjusted their support to meet the needs of changing student demographics; from mainly Japanese and Korean students at the beginning, to more Brazilian and European students in recent years.

Awatapu College also work hard to make international students feel safe and included. In addition to ongoing support, they hold a Festival of Cultures Week each year in March and an International Languages Week in August. These events involve both domestic and international students, celebrating the range of cultures represented at the school.

Education New Zealand awards institutions for their achievements in international education at their annual International Education Conference. Winners are awarded in three categories: Innovation in International Programme, Excellence in Marketing and Excellence in Student Support.