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• Wellington International Students Excellence Awards showcase the value of international education

  Established in 2016, the Wellington International Student Excellence Awards, held by WellingtonNZ, recognise high-achieving international students based in the Wellington region.

  Awardees included Academic Excellence Award winner and Whitireia NZ/WelTec student Matthew Hitchener from England, who was honoured for his project introducing pelvic binders to paramedic services in Wellington. Pelvic binders are commonly used overseas to compress the pelvis to prevent bleeding in those with a pelvic fracture. After a successful trial on a LifeFlight helicopter, the binders will soon be launched on all Wellington Free Ambulances.

  WellingtonNZ Workforce and Business Growth Manager, Matt Carrere, says the awards show both what the Wellington region can offer international students, as well as the vast contribution students make to the region in return.

  “Wellington is an interconnected, social and diverse region where international students learn and thrive. It’s unsurprising that many choose to remain here after their studies to pursue a career.”

  The awards also recognised individuals and organisations that work to welcome international students to the region.

  PhD candidate at Victoria University of Wellington, Anna-Marie White, received the Internationalisation Award – Domestic Student for organising regular PhD writing workshops (or ‘bootcamps’) with international students.

  She was nominated by a group of PhD candidates from around the world, who said: “Anna has expressed her manaakitanga to her international friends and has increased our feeling of home, our love of New Zealand, and our passion for our research. Bootcamp will always be the highlight of our PhD studies, and Anna is a member of the Wellington community that you can be incredibly proud of.”

  This year’s Internationalisation Workplace Award went to Wellington tech company MarginFuel for offering employment and internships to 20 international students and graduates.

  “MarginFuel offers the students opportunities to further their careers, and in return we have found the students are intelligent, hard-working and add a rich layer to our team culture,” CEO Andrew Pascoe says. “New hires especially comment on how culturally diverse we are, and how this adds so much to the organisation.”

  For the full list of winners, visit the WellingtonNZ website.

• SIT students journey to Japan

  The students are Bachelor of Information Technology or Master of Information Technology students at SIT. Thanks to the scholarship, they are participating in an eight-week Cybersecurity and Internet of Things Knowledge Transfer and Cultural Programme at Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST).

  Accompanying the students is Dr John Ayoade, the academic leader of the Master of Information Technology programme at SIT. Having previously worked at Tokyo’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Dr Ayoade took the group to visit NICT to attend presentations and hands-on workshops by its cybersecurity experts and researchers.

  “The PMSA programme will help the students to build connections, networks and friendships, and develop a deeper understanding of the Japanese language and culture,” said Dr Ayoade.

  “They’ll also gain an international perspective that will stand them in good stead for their future careers, and in the short-term, contribute to ideas for their postgraduate and master’s projects at SIT.”

  Staying in Kichijoji, a vibrant suburb in Tokyo, the students have also had some down time to explore Shinjuku, Akihabara, Shibuya, Harajuku and SkyTree and visit the local shops, cafes and restaurants.

  Having just concluded their first week, they are excited and looking forward to learning from the talented professors at NAIST.

• PTE English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL) Provision Fund

  The $1.5 million fund is designed to help English language schools impacted by the border closure to international students.

  The funding was announced in July by Minister of Education Chris Hipkins as part of the Government’s $51.6 million Recovery Plan for International Education.

  The PTE ESOL Fund is part of the first workstream, which seeks to stabilise the sector while borders remain closed. Read more about the Recovery Plan.

  The funding aims to help increase demand for English language training, to be met by English Language Schools. It will also help with upskilling and improving the employability of New Zealanders with English language needs, including migrant partners and dependents of New Zealanders.

  The fund is being implemented by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).

  Eligibility

  To be eligible for the PTE ESOL Provision Fund, your organisation must hold a Category 1 External Evaluation and Review (EER) rating from NZQA as at 1 July 2020.

  Teaching enabled by this fund may only be provided to Category A and B learners. All learners must be in New Zealand.

  Read more details on eligbility

  How to apply

  Applications for the PTE ESOL Provision Fund are open now and will close at 5pm on Friday, 28 August.

  To apply, you need to complete the form on the TEC website and send it through to the TEC Customer Group via email: customerservice@tec.govt.nz

  Read more detail and apply

  Other considerations 

  For the full list of terms and conditions, including successful applicants’ reporting and monitoring requirements, refer to the TEC website.

• Applications and nominations for the Impact Awards are open until Sunday 23 July

  The Impact Awards celebrate young New Zealanders aged 16–30, who are making a difference for our communities, country and beyond. This includes those with NZ citizenship, permanent residence or other visa for five years or have the right to work/study in NZ and have been here for two years. 

  This year there are five different award categories - climate, enterprise, inclusion, wellbeing, and local impact categories. Applications can be made either as an individual or a group, or you can nominate someone you know.  

  The Awards are run by Inspiring Stories, a kiwi charity that believes in the power of young people to create change. More information about these awards including links to the application and nomination forms can be found here The Impact Awards — Inspiring Stories  

• Ara student’s volunteering experience

  Sas has been involved in the Christchurch Youth Council’s Civics focus group, is an International Student Representative for the Ara Student Council, and is the Student Representative for Engineering, representing his classmates at the Engineering New Zealand Canterbury Committee meetings each month.

  He has found that volunteering is great for networking and considering his future career options.

  “I love it because it’s study-related, and I get to meet a lot of industry people,” Sas said.

  “It’s been good for developing my communication skills, and public speaking. Currently I’m doing my final year project on recycled concrete but I’ve also talked to the City Council to see if there’s any research they want me to do for them. It’s good to do industry projects.”

  In future, Sas is interested in working with Engineers without Borders.

  “I’d love the opportunity to go to the Pacific Islands and use the knowledge I’ve learned so far to help build structures and give back to those communities.”

  Lynda Clegg from the Ara Careers Centre believes students can find great value in volunteering.

  “Volunteering offers a range of opportunities for students including building on their employability skills, gaining experience in an area of interest, contributing to the community and enhancing their CV,” said Clegg.

  Ara organised a Student Volunteer Expo earlier this month to connect students to volunteering with a variety of organisations, including Ronald McDonald House, Salvation Army and SPCA.

• Introducing David Downs, incoming Chief Executive

  He most recently served as Chief Executive of New Zealand Story, a collaborative agency bringing together several internationally focused government organisations (including Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ)) to curate New Zealand's brand and reputation to benefit the country's international growth aspirations. In this role, he led work to strengthen New Zealand’s global reputation and brand, supporting the country’s international growth ambitions.

  He previously spent around a decade at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) in general manager roles, building extensive experience in international business. Earlier in his career at Microsoft, he led the South East Asia Emerging Markets portfolio within one of the company’s divisions and spent significant time working across the region. He has also worked in Europe.

  David began his career as a software developer and remains closely connected to the technology sector, with a strong interest in artificial intelligence. He has spent several years building his expertise in AI and recently taught a course on the subject at The Icehouse.

  Alongside his executive career, David has significant governance experience. He was until recently Chair of The Icehouse board, is Deputy Chair of Young Enterprise, and chairs the advisory group for the Kupe Leadership Scholarship at the University of Auckland.

  You’ve just stepped into the CE role – what excites you most about leading ENZ at this moment?

  A few things. Firstly, we’ve got a high-performing team here, and there’s been some great progress to build on. It’s also a fascinating time in the global environment – tricky, obviously, with global disruption and geopolitical tensions – but that leaves New Zealand in a relatively strong position as a trusted, safe destination for students. The export opportunity of international education is a significant one for New Zealand. And personally, I just love learning about the sector, and the strategic opportunity of bringing so many highly talented people into New Zealand – thinking about our future workforce, enabled through education.

  What drew you to this role and to international education?

  I’ve had a bit to do with the education sector over the last few years. While I was a very poor student myself – straight Cs in my undergraduate years! – I really appreciated the opportunity to have an education in New Zealand and overseas. For the last seven or eight years I’ve chaired the Kupe Leadership Scholarship at the University of Auckland, and I see the impact that education has. I’ve also been on the board of Young Enterprise, a programme that teaches business and entrepreneurship in high schools across New Zealand.

  International education takes that to another level again – bringing talented people from around the world to New Zealand, while also building New Zealand’s reputation as a destination. It really builds on my previous role at New Zealand Story.

  People describe you as a storyteller – how does that shape your leadership style?

  Storytelling has always been my nature. As a stand-up comedian, actor and writer all through my twenties, telling stories as a way of getting information across, bringing people along and enthusing them towards a greater vision is just a natural way of how I like to work.

  I believe good leaders inspire through stories – they’re far more memorable than data and facts alone. Stories motivate people, and they’ve been the way we’ve transmitted information for millennia. The power of storytelling is something I regularly reflect on and have taught workshops about, so I guess it’s simply part of what I do.

  What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

  It might surprise some people that I used to be a stand-up comedian as a job. That led me to setting up a comedy club and working in TV, which led me into business, which eventually led me into the government world. A strange career path! I doubt many other stand-up comedians are now government chief executives – although, surprisingly, President Zelensky of Ukraine used to be a comedian too, so I guess I’ve got big shoes to fill.

  

  From your experience with New Zealand Story, NZTE and Microsoft, what have you learned about New Zealand’s place in the world – and how we tell that story?

  My roles at New Zealand Story, NZTE and Microsoft – where I worked across South East Asia – taught me about New Zealand’s unique ability to be an aspirational destination, and an aspiration in general for people who see our country as not only good IN the world, but good FOR the world.

  We really do stand out as an exemplar of a values-based country. Our Māori culture, te ao Māori, is such a critical part of our global image and such an opportunity to show who we are to the rest of the world. Our spirit of manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga and pono are great examples of New Zealand having a unique way to care for people and place.

  Then we have this extra innovation streak. As the youngest country in the world – in terms of when we were populated by humans – we have an innovation and go-it-alone spirit. We refer to it as pōtikitanga: the concept of being the youngest child and wanting to carve our own path.

  What’s your vision for ENZ over the next few years?

  Firstly, to achieve our international growth targets. It’s critical for us as an organisation to contribute to the New Zealand economy. We also know the work we do brings in export revenue – highly valuable for a small exporting economy – and allows us a deep connection with others and the chance to build relationships.

  I think ENZ is in a great position to take the great work that’s been done in the past and accelerate it – thinking deeply about building a future New Zealand through the links we make with education.

  What are the biggest opportunities and challenges for New Zealand in international education, and how could we respond?

  Virtually every sub-sector has an opportunity to keep growing and bringing in talent. There are definitely headwinds, and we’ve got to be mindful of those – making sure we remove friction and ensure the right quality candidates come into the country. I’m confident, with our relationships across NZ Inc, that we’re doing a good job of having high-quality education products and a pathway for our visitors.

  How do you see ENZ working with education providers, agents and partners?

  I’m still learning how ENZ works with education providers, agents and partners, but I’m really interested in getting more involved personally. I know our team has strong relationships across multiple parts of the sector – with individual entities and with the sector peak bodies – and I’m looking forward to meeting as many people in the sector as I can.

  What would you like the sector to know about how you want to work together?

  In a word: collaboration. We can’t be successful alone as a government organisation. We’re essentially a broker – what we do is facilitate introductions, leads and opportunities for international students to understand more about New Zealand. The real work comes when those students are introduced to educational institutions, so we need to collaborate and form tight relationships.

  Outside of work, what do you like to do?

  I have three boys, all in their twenties, and live with my wife, Katherine. I really enjoy getting into New Zealand’s outdoors. I also have a personal history with battling cancer – there’s a documentary about that journey called ‘A Mild Touch of Cancer’ – and I spend quite a bit of my time outside work in the cancer advocacy and fundraising space. I sit on several boards for health-related charities, championing bringing innovative cancer therapies to New Zealand. If people want to learn more about me, they can check out my TED talks.

• ENZ hosts annual TEI Manaaki Scholarship workshop 

  For the next two days (14-15 September) participants from all eight universities and Te Pūkenga will be reviewing good practice and experiences in sessions led by speakers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the Manaaki Scholarships team at Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), Manaaki scholar alumni and the Skills Consulting Group.  

  The workshop is the first to be hosted by ENZ since it took over operational management of the scholarships programme from MFAT last November. The Manaaki Scholarships represent the New Zealand government’s single largest investment in international scholarships and have been awarded for more than 70 years.   

  ENZ Manaaki Scholarships Manager, Julia Moore said the programme had been designed to ensure the maximum interaction between participants and presenters.  

  “It is an opportunity for all parties to come together, track progress achieved since the change in management, plan ahead for the future and share experience in key areas such as admissions processes, orientation and pastoral care.” 

  Speaking at the opening of the workshop, ENZ Manukura – Chief Advisor Māori, Ed Tuari said the best way to honour and build on past achievement was by continuing the development of the Manaaki Scholarships as a world-class scholarship programme. 

  “Manaaki is about integrity, trust, reciprocity, and sincerity. It is about the way you respect a person and acknowledge who they are and where they come from that honours them and keeps your reputation and integrity intact.” 

   

  “Manaaki is not a single act of hospitality; it is a culture of care and respect.” 

• Massey links up with Dutch social scientists

  Researchers from the Sociology of Development and Change group at Wageningen University in the Netherlands were hosted by Massey University’s School of People, Environment and Planning earlier this year.

  Together, they created and signed The Mordor Accord (referencing the Lord of the Rings film scenery where it was signed) and developed a collaborative workplan addressing issues to do with the environment, food, political economy and development studies.
  
  Massey Professor Glenn Banks, Head of the School of People, Environment and Planning, says the school jumped at the opportunity to work with Wageningen.
  
  “Massey and Wageningen have been working together for a number of years but it is only recently that we started a discussion between social scientists at the two institutions,” he said.

  “The main objective of the collaboration is to kick-start joint teaching, research and grant development, and to help strengthen and broaden the relations between the two universities.
  
  “We are also looking to gain from their strength in Latin America and Africa, where they do a lot of work. [In turn], they get a lot from us in the Pacific and Asia where they are looking to expand their research and are seeking networks and joint opportunities."

  In future, the partnership will translate into work programmes with joint publications, research grant development and applications, and staff and student visits and exchanges.

  Some of these are already underway – a Massey University Sociology PhD student Stella Pennell is leaving in mid-year for a three-month visit to Wageningen as part of her study.

• Individual applications for PM’s Scholarships for Asia and Latin America now open

  “Following on from the successful group applications, the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia and Latin America are now open to individual applications, and this is the only opportunity for individuals to apply in 2022,” Grant McPherson, Chief Executive, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao said.

  These scholarships enable talented New Zealanders who are passionate about supporting local and global communities to add an international dimension to their learning and develop their global citizenship competencies and networks.

  “We welcome diverse applicants from all stages and walks of life - you don't need to be a current student, and you don’t need top grades. We are looking for applicants who can display qualities like cultural awareness, initiative, and confidence. Previous scholarship recipients have come from a wide range of backgrounds and have studied in a range of fields, including environmental science, languages, law, the arts, and business.”

  More than 2,400 Kiwis have benefited from the programme since 2013, contributing to New Zealand’s ability to engage with key partners in Asia and Latin America.

  The Prime Minister's Scholarship is open to New Zealand citizens or permanent residents who are at least 18 years old at the time of application and have been a resident in New Zealand for at least 12 of the previous 24 months.

  Scholarship funding can be used to cover, for example, tuition fees to undertake a course in Asia or Latin America, flights to and from Asia and Latin America, living and accommodation costs, travel and medical insurance and visa fees.

  More information is available on the Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao scholarship website here. Applications close on 31 August 2022.

• Brazilian students look to New Zealand tertiary studies

  Organised by Brazil agent FPP Edu-Media, ENZ attended the high school tour to introduce Brazilian students to the tertiary possibilities in New Zealand, particularly undergraduate qualifications.

  The last BELTA SEAL Survey from March 2018 shows that 30% of the Brazilians who studied overseas in 2017 were in the 18 to 21 age group, and that their main motivation for international education is to stand out professionally. 

  Daniela Ronchetti, Director of Operations at FPP Edu-Media, says while short-term programmes have typically been the most popular overseas study for Brazilian students, there's a growing interest in undertaking full degrees overseas.

  “Many of these students, fluent in English and with experience of overseas study via summer courses at a young age, are comfortable enrolling in international universities.

  “With interest in the US and UK declining, Brazilian students are looking closer at New Zealand, Australia and Canada when considering a full degree abroad.”

  Ana Azevedo, ENZ’s Senior Market Development Manager for Brazil, visited eight international secondary schools, from small boutique schools with 15 students per class to large education groups with thousands of students, which are all investing in pathways to international tertiary education.

  

  ENZ’s Ana Azevedo with Marilda Bardal, International Relations Coordinator at International School Alphaville.

  “These schools typically offer bilingual education, IB (International Baccalaureate) or the American diploma and academic counselling, so that by the time students complete high school, they are prepared for an international experience,” said Ana.

  Also in attendance were government education organisations and universities from the US, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK – but Ana said New Zealand had an edge.

  “It was a great experience to stand among our competitors at the opening of each event and present New Zealand as the country that best prepares students for the future – not an easy ranking to beat!”

  “There is still work to be done on raising awareness of all that New Zealand has to offer to Brazilian students, particularly in tertiary education. It is a significant investment for a family so we need to be clear about the return of this investment.  

  “Showing students the variety of programmes they can find in New Zealand, the cultural diversity and welcoming environment – very few countries offer this combination. It is a full package!”