Expat graduates follow HEKE campaign

It seems the Heroic Educated Kiwi Expatriate (HEKE) campaign is working, with IRD figures showing a sustained increase in expat graduates paying off their student loans.
Overseas-based student loan borrowers paid $8.9 million in May 2011 and $6.9 million in June 2011 – which means a 45 and 38 per cent increase to those months in 2010.
HEKE founder Sir Paul Callaghan says even though the direct impact of the campaign is unclear, the result of an extra $9 million repaid is encouraging.
The Victoria University Professor and NZ'er of the Year asked Kiwi graduates to make a contribution to the Christchurch earthquake recovery mission by paying back their student loans.
The campaign coincided with more active targeting of loan defaulters by IRD in recent months.
Sir Callaghan says, "By paying off their loans these students are not only making life easier for themselves, they are directly helping NZ's balance sheet… – something we need desperately in the wake of the devastating Christchurch earthquakes."
He says if the higher level of repayment is sustained, it would show a significant contribution to NZ's ability to rebuild Christchurch.