Southern institute of Technology (SIT) recently hosted Education Agent, Sher Gautam in his first visit to the Invercargill campus, to help increase his knowledge of the institute, city and region, and grow student recruitment from the Nepal region.
Mr Gautam, who visited the campus on June 6th, had been a sub-agent to SIT since 2019, giving him opportunities to send students to the far south. He was delighted to play a role in the student journey, noting that SIT Nepali graduates had gone on to secure excellent careers in prominent organisations such as Southland Hospital, Environment Southland, Invercargill City Council, and the hospitality sector. “This is a testament to the quality education provided [here] …I'd also like to extend my gratitude to the SIT team for their outstanding guidance and support.”
One such graduate success story is Arati Adhikari, who completed qualifications at SIT to assist her with employment in the local health sector. After arriving in New Zealand in 2019, Ms Adhikari completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science at SIT in 2020 and then completed her Bachelor of Nursing qualification in 2024. “I’m now a Registered Nurse at Kew Hospital,” she said, acknowledging the big impact SIT has had on her life. Receiving RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) towards her SIT qualification – from her nursing qualification and work experience in Nepal - was a big bonus.
Ms Adhikari said achieving her postgraduate diploma was the pinnacle of her SIT studies. “They offered me the Level 8 programme due to my background in Nursing. It was very rewarding for me.” Having only applied to Southland Hospital for work, Ms Adhikari was thrilled to be employed there, as it allowed her to settle in the south. “It’s marvellous. You can’t believe how happy and lucky I feel," she said. “I’m very grateful to SIT, and of course, proud of my career.”
Mr Gautam’s first impressions of Invercargill was how peaceful, clean, and welcoming the city is. “It has a calm, student-friendly environment that immediately makes you feel at home. Nepali students tend to seek a peaceful, affordable, and safe environment; Invercargill provides all of this,” he stated. The lower cost of living compared to bigger cities was a huge benefit, and he thought the warm, welcoming local community would make it easier for students to adjust. “In addition, Southland’s natural beauty — beaches, parks, and scenic landscapes — offers a healthy balance between study and lifestyle.”
After an extensive tour of the campus facilities, Mr Gautam thought the hospitality training kitchens, modern laboratories, and creative arts studios were real standouts. “It was also great to see the well-equipped health science labs and facilities tailored to real-world training. The integration of academic resources with practical spaces really reflects SIT’s career-focused philosophy.” The support services for international students were another highlight.
Mr Gautam said he was highly impressed by the institution’s practical, hands-on learning approach, strong industry connections, and supportive academic atmosphere, saying the approachable staff “were clearly dedicated to student success”.
Mr Gautam said he would advise Nepali students on SIT’s practical, career-oriented programmes, which from day one, prepare students for employment; the family-friendly visa options – master’s students can bring their spouse, who can work full-time, and their children can study in New Zealand with access to free education as domestic students; and SIT is a strong fit for science students – Nepali students from microbiology, biology, zoology, botany, public health, and general science backgrounds, “which are popular fields of study in Nepal”, would find SIT’s applied health science and other programmes, highly relevant and beneficial for their academic and professional goals.
Overall, Mr Gautam thought SIT Invercargill was an ideal destination for Nepali students looking for quality education, practical experience, and a supportive environment. “With the added advantage of family visa options and the potential for free education for children, SIT becomes not just a study destination, but a life-changing opportunity for many.”
Thanking the international team for their kindness and warm welcome, Mr Gautam said the visit was an exceptional experience, due to SIT’s outstanding hospitality. “I felt valued and appreciated. The team's humility and shared aspiration to visit Mt. Everest and Nepal left a lasting impression on me.” He was looking forward to returning to SIT soon.
International Marketing and Partnerships Senior Officer, Whitney Irwin, said they were working diligently across all their partners overseas to see the international student numbers increase to pre-covid levels. The growth of students from the Nepalese region brought richness to the diversity of culture, ethnicity and knowledge dissemination to the SIT International student population and added benefits to SIT and the wider southland community. “We are excited to be able to build our international student body back stronger, post covid, and widen the regions that we recruit students and their families from.”