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• Auckland schools build relationships with education agents and schools in Japan

  For the first time, a group of 16 Auckland-based high schools collectively visited Japan.  

  Their aim? Engaging with education agents and local schools to explore building long-term relationships, develop student exchanges and promote study at primary and secondary schools in Auckland.  

  ENZ supported the delegation by hosting an event at the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo for the school’s delegation to make local connections. Over 50 local education agents, schools and the New Zealand delegation were brought together to connect, share and learn from each other. 

  

  Representatives from Massey Highschool and Waiuku College speaking to education agents at the New Zealand Embassy event.

  Mount Roskill Grammar School International Director, Wendy Reid, said the visit showed what regions can achieve with a joined-up approach.  

  “It was a privilege to work with so many professional and knowledgeable Auckland schools, and continue to build relationships with our Japanese partners,” Wendy said. 

  Feedback from partners in Japan was also positive. Ritsumeikan Uji Junior and Senior High School English Head of Department, John Headon, said the regional approach to this engagement showcased New Zealand’s strength in community spirit.  

  “No matter which school you visit, there’s a strong sense of reassurance that the entire region will come together to support their students,” he said.   

  The participating schools were Auckland Grammar, Botany Downs Secondary College, Gulf Harbour School, Howick College, Maraetai Beach School, Massey High School, Mount Albert Grammar, Mount Roskill Grammar School, One Tree Hill College, Rosehill College, Sacred Heart College, St Mary’s College, St Peter’s College, Takapuna Grammar, Waitākere College and Waiuku College. 

  While in Japan, the Auckland school group maximised the opportunity by independently visiting other key regions, visiting partners and meeting with prospective families.  

  Since their return, the group of schools has been busy following up with the new and existing partnerships. 

• Auckland Agency Group progresses student well-being initiatives

  AAG Chair Isabel Evans, Director of the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Auckland, says more than 60 per cent of international students currently study in Auckland.

  “The AAG group was established to build cross-agency government leadership in the Auckland region,” she says.

  “We also wanted to ensure that agencies on the ground in Auckland are collaborating effectively.”

  Education members of the AAG include the MOE, Education New Zealand (ENZ), New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and Tertiary Education Commission. Other government agencies include New Zealand Police, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Immigration New Zealand, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of Social Development and Office of Ethnic Communities, Waitemata and Auckland District Health Boards and the Human Rights Commission. Auckland economic growth agency ATEED also plays an important role.

  Ms Evans said the AAG was involved in stakeholder engagement in August which contributed to a draft International Student Wellbeing Strategy.

  “From this engagement, we identified a number of action areas. Since then, group members have been working on ways to improve the overall international student experience in Auckland, with the potential to roll these out nationally if successful.”

  Below are some of the initiatives underway.

  • ATEED and NZ Police are working on a refresh of a safety video for international students. While it will be filmed in Auckland, its messaging will apply to students nationally, and should be available from early 2017.
  • ATEED is developing an International Student Experience programme in partnership with ENZ and industry partners.
  • Several agencies are looking at ways to improve the information available to international students and their families. Students are seeking more information on such topics as the true cost of living, insurance and what it covers, employment rights, health services and New Zealand culture.
  • Agencies are also looking at ways to provide more volunteer and internship opportunities for international students. ATEED and MBIE will also launch phase two of their job-ready graduate programme working with ICT grads specifically.
  • Several agencies are looking at ways to better support international parents, particularly those accompanying children who are studying at primary school here. These parents can be isolated and lonely. This support can also extend to the homestay parents who host international students.

  “These initiatives are a start, and the AAG members are enthusiastically collaborating to make sure that opportunities to enhance the international student experience are progressed,” says Ms Evans.

  She says the AAG’s work is aimed to enhance the service that international students receive from their education provider, rather than replacing it.

  For further information, please contact ENZ Acting Director, Student Experience, Sahinde Pala at Sahinde.pala@enz.govt.nz.

• Strong interest in Prime Minister’s Scholarships, now supported by new website

  More than 30 group applications were received for the PMSA, and ten for the PMSLA, before applications closed on Monday 16 May 2022 after a two-week deadline extension. The total value of applications was $8.7 million. Decisions will be announced before the end of June 2022, with travel expected to take place in the second half of 2022 and the first half of 2023. 

  The Prime Minister’s Scholarship programme supports educational experiences in Asia and Latin America for New Zealanders, and the latest round was open for group applications only. Universities, wānanga, institutes of technology and polytechnics, private training establishments, iwi and other educational organisations were able to apply for a programme on behalf of a group of people.  

  To ensure that a wider range of New Zealanders have access to the benefits of this programme, a new website was launched this month: http://scholarships.enz.govt.nz. The new website aims to help develop broader awareness and understanding of the scholarship for potential individual applicants, breakdown any barriers to participation, encourage diversity of applicants, particularly for rangatahi Māori, and improve people’s experience of participating in the scholarship.  

  The new website includes a ‘refer a future scholar’ feature. The addition is the result of the mahi of our Kāhui Kaupapa who wanted to acknowledge that often ‘Kāore te kūmara e kōrero mō tōna ake reka’ – the kūmara doesn't speak of its own sweetness. We can now offer an alternative for rangatahi, so they know that people in their community saw them as worthy recipients of the scholarship. The website also offers the opportunity for prospective applicants to subscribe to updates and announcements of upcoming rounds.  

  Since 2013, the PMSA and PMSLA have enabled more than 2,400 New Zealanders to broaden their horizons through life-changing learning experiences in Asia and Latin America. The scholarships are flexible and offer funding to support short or long-term programmes including study abroad / exchange, internships, postgraduate study, and language programmes.

• Japan and New Zealand celebrate long education partnership

  To acknowledge the 25th anniversary of the first school visits by four Japanese schools, ENZ partnered with Air New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand to host a reception in January, thanking the schools for their continued support of New Zealand. The event received positive media interest in Japan and resulted in almost 30 articles.

  The event was opened by a powerful kapa haka performance by local group Nga Hau E Wha to showcase Māori language and culture.

  

  Nga Hau E Wha performing a kapa haka

  Misa Pitt, ENZ’s Senior Market Development Manager – Japan, said Māori language and culture has been a popular subject for school trips to New Zealand.The event was opened by a powerful kapa haka performance by local group Nga Hau E Wha to showcase Māori language and culture.

  “I learned that Yokohama Senior High School has its own kapa haka group,” she said.

  After the performance, Misa officially welcomed the guests before Stephen Payton, New Zealand Ambassador to Japan, and awarded the school representatives a certificate of appreciation, signed by ENZ CE Grant McPherson. They also received plaques and airline tickets from Clovis Peryer, General Manager of Air New Zealand Japan.

  Both Ambassador Payton and Clovis emphasised that New Zealand is a safe and welcoming environment for international students, with Misa adding that support starts from a government level.

  “I explained our code of practice for the care of international students, assuring them that New Zealand has a robust support system for the well-being of students,” said Misa.

  Ambassador Payton also noted that both the upcoming Rugby World Cup and 2020 Tokyo Olympics are opportunities to further promote an education exchange between the two countries.

  “We look forward to continue working closely with the awarded schools to promote New Zealand as a study destination,” said Misa.

  

  Ambassador Payton awarding representatives of the Japanese schools.

  The Japanese schools awarded were:

  Osaka Kunei Senior High School – 25th anniversary
  Have sent 3,800 students on an academic study programme

  Tama University Hijirigaoka High school and Junior High School – 25th anniversary
  Have sent 2,770 students on an academic study programme

  Urawa Reimei Senior High School – 20th anniversary
  Have sent 5,000 students on a school excursion

  Yokohama Senior High School – 25th anniversary
  Have sent 690 students on an academic study programme

• Join us for the Latin America Study with New Zealand Virtual Fair 

  “The fair will be a great opportunity for providers to connect with prospective students in the Latin American market, using an interactive digital platform,” says Javiera Visedo, Director of Engagement Latin America for Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ).   

  “ENZ is seeking expressions of interest in the fair, which we are hosting in collaboration with FPP. If you are interested in participating, please fill out the Expression of Interest form by 9 December 2022.”   

  Invitations to register will follow in the new year.  
  
  

  Find out more about Latin America 

  Key areas of focus for ENZ in Latin America include Brazil, Colombia and Chile, and we have staff based in São Paulo and Santiago.  

  Close to 6,000 international students came to New Zealand from Latin America in 2019, and Brazil is our eighth largest market. Since the pandemic there has been intense activity from our competitors with many of them establishing in-country representatives, which demonstrates the importance of this region in international student recruitment.  

  Beyond student recruitment, ENZ also values the government and education connections with the region. 

  ENZ recently hosted a series of Latin America Masterclasses, which saw participants from around Latin America tuning in to watch live lectures delivered by New Zealand academics.  

  In June this year, Education Minister Chris Hipkins created great buzz with his visit to Brazil and Chile, part of his first international trip since the beginning of the pandemic.   

  Group recipients of the Prime Ministers’ Scholarships for Latin America have recently started making their way to Brazil, Colombia and Chile to participate in short study exchanges. These include several Māori led groups, supporting connections with indigenous nations in the region.    

  In September, ENZ attended the FPP Virtual Fair in Colombia. The fair had more than 800 visitors, with over 100 visiting the ENZ booth. There was strong interest in tertiary programmes and language studies. The virtual fair was a great opportunity to promote New Zealand as a study destination within the Latin American market.  

  

  A group of 100 high school students from Paraná State in southern Brazil had a three-month study experience this year with schools in Auckland, Rotorua, Hawkes Bay, Palmerston North, Wellington, Canterbury and Invercargill.

  Brazil 

  In 2019, there were 3,324 Brazilian students studying in New Zealand. Being from non-English speaking countries, the majority of Latin American students will start their education experience in New Zealand studying English. Scholarships offered by the local state governments have also contributed to the presence of Brazilian students in New Zealand and in 2022, 100 students from the state of Parana in Brazil travelled to New Zealand on a 3-month exchange. The students were placed at high schools across the country and gave positive feedback about their time here.  

  Colombia 

  Colombia is New Zealand’s second largest market in Latin America, second only to Brazil. In 2019, there were 1,360 Colombian students studying in New Zealand. 

  In 2023, 22 students from Bogotá, Colombia, will travel to New Zealand to study during terms one and two. Most of the students will be based at schools across the North Island, with one group heading down to Nelson.  

  On 23 November 2022, ENZ launched the I AM NEW campaign in Spanish at an event in Bogotá, to promote a New Zealand education.  

  Chile 

  The recent CAPE LatAm ‘Celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations with Chile’ event, hosted at Parliament, was a great example of the rich history of connections between New Zealand and Chile.  

  Chile is New Zealand’s third largest market in Latin America. In 2019, there were 1,193 Chilean students studying in New Zealand. The majority of Chilean students come to New Zealand to study English Language, but enrolment in schools has also been consistent, with 17% of students studying at New Zealand schools in 2019. 

  Flights 

  Latam will be resuming their daily flights to Sydney via Auckland from mid-December and Qantas is flying three times per week from Santiago direct to Sydney. Although the cost of flights is high, in line with worldwide trends, the resumption of regular flights demonstrates the high demand for the Latin America to Oceania route.  

  Expressions of interest in the Latin America Study with New Zealand Virtual Fair are due by 9 December 2022. You can access the online form here.  

  If you have any questions about the event, please contact  latinamerica@enz.govt.nz   

• David Downs appointed Chief Executive of Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao

  David Downs takes over following the recent departure of Amanda Malu, who was appointed Secretary for Children and Chief Executive of Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children. 

  ENZ Board Chair Tony Gray said Downs’ international and marketing experience, including his tenure as Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Story Group, makes him well placed to lead ENZ as it continues delivering the International Education Going for Growth Plan.

  “David has an innate understanding of New Zealand and its competitive advantage in a rapidly changing world. Coupled with his leadership experience at New Zealand Story Group, he is well placed to lead ENZ at this time,” Tony said. 

  Downs is currently Chief Executive Officer of New Zealand Story Group, a role he has held since July 2021. Previously he has previously held a number of General Management roles at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), most recently working with the technology sector to help fast growing tech companies grow internationally and New Zealand companies adopt digital commerce channels to market. Prior to this he had an extensive career in leadership roles with Microsoft in New Zealand and Asia Pacific.

  “David is a passionate New Zealander and storyteller by nature, and we are looking forward to his joining ENZ in June,” Tony said. 

  In the meantime, Dr Linda Sissons will continue as Acting Chief Executive and the Board will be working closely with her and the leadership team to ensure a seamless transition.

• New Zealand experience grows global indigenous network

  A special bond forged through a Study Abroad programme, involving Vermont’s Champlain College and Auckland University of Technology (AUT), was marked by the gifting of a unique pare whakairo (carved doorway mantel) to the US College in September.

  Called Te Hononga (The Convergence), the pare whakairo was created by kaiwhakairo (Māori carver) Pahi O’Carroll over four weeks in residence on the Champlain campus. 

  The pare is unlike any other. It is carved from a wood native to the area – black walnut – and evokes values, beliefs and traditions common to both Māori and the indigenous people of Vermont, the Abenaki.

  The relationship between Champlain and AUT dates back five years, when New Zealand Honorary Consul and trustee of Champlain College, Dr George Burrill, first established a study abroad exchange programme between the two institutions. To date, over 100 students have participated.

  One of the highlights of American students’ time at AUT is the Noho Marae programme.

  “Every year students tell us how the Noho Marae programme has profoundly impacted them,” ENZ General Manager – International, Lisa Futschek, says. “It turns them into lifelong advocates for New Zealand, its education system and Māori culture.”

  Run by AUT Senior Lecturer in Māori and Indigenous Development, Jason King, the mini-course includes basic Te Reo Māori, Māori mythology, waiata (songs) and cultural customs. It includes with a noho marae (weekend-long marae experience). 

  King describes the course as “the base of a tree, from which branches and leaves grow”. 

  “The course puts indigenous goggles on students,” he says. “It opens them up to areas of discussion with their own indigenous people.

  “My ultimate aim is to connect us not only globally, but indigenously.”

  Thanks to their connection to Māori via AUT and the Noho Marae programme, Champlain College made a formal connection to their own indigenous people, the Abenaki tribe. A representative from the Abenaki was present at the unveiling of Te Hononga. 

  Many US students choose to keep in touch after they return home through the student-led Whānau Councils. These were first established in 2010 after students from Europe were so moved by their AUT marae experience that they set up their own group to maintain their connection to New Zealand and each other. There are now three Whānau Councils across Europe and the US actively supported by AUT.

  For the European council’s 10-year anniversary, members of group are planning to return to New Zealand – this time with their partners and children.

  “We tell them during the Noho Marae, after studying in New Zealand you are whānau for life,” King says.

• Kiwi students become ambassadors in Beijing

  The students represented three cohorts from Massey University and the University Canterbury. Two of the groups were based at Peking University, while the other had been studying in Hangzhou.    

  This marks the second year in a row that PMSA groups have come together at a function at the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing.  

  New Zealand Ambassador to China, Clare Fearnley, welcomed the visitors and provided an update on the China-New Zealand relationship. Other Embassy staff, representing a range of government agencies from the Ministry of Primary Industries to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade were present to talk to students about their roles and areas of interest. 

  ENZ Regional Director North Asia, Adele Bryant, said it provided a great opportunity to encourage the students to be ambassadors for New Zealand education during their stay in China. 

  “These students are ideally placed to help raise the profile of New Zealand education, as they are great examples of the kind of students we produce – independent thinkers, and creative, innovative and skilled young people.” 

  Massey University’s Head of the School of Humanities, Kerry Taylor, also believes in the value of the programmes to students, both now and in their future. 

  “The PMSA provides an opportunity for our high academic achievers to experience first-hand the dynamism and relevance of China to New Zealand,” said Kerry.  

  “Many will come back to do more study in China or develop business links with China that will contribute to New Zealand’s prosperity.”

  

  A PMSA group from Massey University at the New Zealand Centre, Peking University. The Massey students studied an intensive Chinese Language programme at PKU.

• Japanese teachers visit New Zealand schools

  Participating schools had previously indicated their interest in New Zealand through a survey put together by Air New Zealand and ENZ and also attended a seminar prior to embarking on the tour.

  Japanese teachers were the focus for this familiarisation visit in recognition of the fact that they are among the key influencers, along with alumni and agents, for Japanese students and their families when considering international study locations. The word-of-mouth promotion of New Zealand as an education destination that comes from these visits is highly effective.

  The four-day tour started off with a visit to Rotorua where we visited the agrodome at the Rotorua English Language Academy to see the famous farm show, followed by a wonderful Māori experience at Te Puia. On the second day, despite the heavy rain, we received a warm welcome at Tauranga Boys’ College and Girls’ College, visited Hobbiton and enjoyed the experience of a Kiwi farm stay in Cambridge. The third day saw us visit the Waitomo glow warm cave and Waikato University, where the boys’ rugby team were hosted in July this year as part of the Game on English programme. The final day was dedicated to Auckland, where we visited Northcote College and Language International.    

  Participants were impressed by the quality of programmes and facilities offered by New Zealand schools and universities. The Cambridge farm stay in was also very well received by the teachers who considered it a uniquely New Zealand experience. Through conversations with teachers and counsellors, the Japanese teachers were also reassured by the level of support offered to international students in New Zealand. The group also had the chance to speak to some Japanese students and saw how well they integrate with New Zealand students in the classroom. A reflection of New Zealand’s emphasis on diversity, I believe. 

  With the growing demand from the high school sector in Japan, we were pleased to showcase New Zealand’s high-quality of education, along with the Kiwi lifestyle and cultural experiences. Following the trip Yamate Gakuin Junior and Senior High School in Yokohama has made a decision to send a group of students to New Zealand starting August 2016. Takigawa Boys' Junior and Senior High School in Kobe will also start offering a 3 months programme in New Zealand from 2018. 

  I look forward to facilitating more relationships between New Zealand education providers and institutions and agents in Japan in the coming year.

  I would like to sincerely thank all the institutions, local tourism offices and venues, and Air New Zealand for their support in making this programme a success.

  Misa Pitt

• Regional partners’ workshop goes to Hawke’s Bay

  The workshop is an initiative of ENZ’s Regional Partnership Programme (RPP), and drew a group of more than 20 regional coordinators from across the country. The RPP is a part of a strategic focus by ENZ to grow the value of international education across the whole of New Zealand as part of the effort to grow the industry’s value to $5 billion by 2025.

  “The aim of the workshop was for participants to share experiences and receive professional development to increase their effectiveness in working with education providers in their regions,” said Greg Scott, ENZ’s Regional Partnership Programme Manager.

  Topics included:

  • Product development

  • Inbound familiarisation planning

  • The upcoming regional digital resource

  • Increasing awareness of the value of international education in regional communities.

  Participants enjoyed a range of presentations including lively show-and-tell sessions from Education Wellington and Education Hawke’s Bay, as well as an update from Karen Chalmers, NZQA’s Director International and Policy.

  The day before the workshop, a smaller group of new regional coordinators came together at an ENZ-facilitated orientation session. They learned more about the RPP, contributed to an interactive business plan workshop, and heard some first-hand insights from Education Taranaki’s Rachael Berndt.

  Greg said feedback about both days was extremely positive.  

  “We've seen a good number of regions join the RPP over the last 12 months, and there is a significant increase in regional growth initiatives as a result of the formation and implementation of their strategies.”