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ENZ launches Korean Student Reporters Programme
Throughout 2021, this group of student reporters will share everything from their personal experiences to advice for Korean students about to embark on their New Zealand study.
ENZ Senior Market Development Manager – South Korea, Kay Lee, said that the ENZ Korea blog is an invaluable resource for prospective international students there.
“All the student reporters are very keen to help future international students avoid mistakes and make better decisions. Their vivid and inspiring stories will help potential international students from Korea to prepare for their study in New Zealand post-COVID.
“We’re encouraging them to write in an honest and informative way, as their insights as a student are priceless to someone thinking about studying in New Zealand in the future.”
The student reporters consist of 10 tertiary students (from University of Auckland, University of Otago, University of Canterbury, Unitec, WelTec and Up International College) and 10 secondary school students (from Nelson College for girls, Sacred Heart Girls’ Collage, Bethlehem College, St Peter's Cambridge, Takapuna Grammar School, St Margaret College and Auckland International College).
The first batch of stories in January included headlines like ‘My first summer break in New Zealand’, ‘Life in New Zealand during COVID-19’, and ‘University entrance preparation in New Zealand’.
The student reporters programme is the first time ENZ has asked international students from Korea to contribute to our digital content platform in the local language. It is part of ENZ’s Korea team’s efforts to keep the New Zealand education brand alive in-market under the New Zealand Government’s Recovery Plan for International Education.
Hong Kong student wins Wellington award for unstinting community service

The Year 12 student from Wellington Girls’ College has been named a winner at the annual Wellington International Student Excellence Awards for her contribution to the city’s international student community and her tireless community service.

She was among a group of 24 high-achieving secondary and tertiary international students recognised at the event for excelling academically, in the arts, sport, community, or online.

As the only child of a teacher and a primary school assistant, Jasmine came to New Zealand in November 2019 to complete her education. Leaving behind a competitive school environment, and a tense and complex political environment, she arrived in Wellington ready to embrace the open and culturally diverse environment she found herself in.

Jasmine says that she had always wanted to get involved in community activities, but until arriving in New Zealand she lacked both the confidence and the opportunities.

“As an international student here, I have been given so many opportunities. I want to treasure all of them and get involved.”

Jasmine quickly understood the value of participation and leadership.

“Arriving in a new country where you don’t know anyone can be a lonely experience, and it’s easy to just hang out with people from your own country, but I have made great friends, both from New Zealand and around the world, and gained support through the organisations I’m involved with.”

From helping to reinvigorate the International Club at school, Jasmine went on to be a key player in the establishment of the Wellington International Students’ Association, which not only connects international students across city schools, but also seeks to build relationships between domestic and international students.

Domestic and international students learn from each other

She believes there is much that domestic students stand to learn from international students.

“They get to see a perspective from another part of the world. Coming here to study has allowed me to immerse myself in New Zealand's culture and learn far more about the country than I would if I was a tourist.

“I’m sure the same applies to New Zealand students who haven’t had the opportunity for exchanges or travel. Through encouraging domestic students to get involved in our events we have built stronger connections.”

But Jasmine hasn’t stopped there. From Mary Potter Hospice to Conservation Volunteers New Zealand to the Student Volunteer Army (SVA), she has put in the mahi. She recently earned her SVA Silver Service Award pin for clocking up more than 250 volunteer hours working to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Taking her community service to the next level, Jasmine has been selected to represent Wellington Girls’ College in the National Ambassador programme. She will join other like-minded students from around the country working to connect, support, and empower international students.

All of this while juggling studies, sport, mentoring, and music. However, she insists that she has gained more from her community service than she has given.

Volunteering builds skills and network

“Volunteering gave me the opportunity to get out there and build a strong network with experienced people. I’ve gained important inter-personal skills like customer service and communications, and I’ve also learned a lot about New Zealand culture.”

Jasmine says being an international student in New Zealand has also allowed her to appreciate some of the important issues which other communities, such as the LGBTQIA, face.

“I appreciate the inclusiveness towards gender minorities here. In Asia, people are much more reserved about their beliefs and opinions but here we can have open discussions and everyone can be passionate about sharing their thoughts. It has had a powerful influence on me.”

Global citizen skills important

The global citizen skills acquired through international education are so important for the current generation of students heading off to Uni or into the workforce, Jasmine says.

“It’s important to know people from other parts of the world, understand some of the issues they face, and appreciate their culture and beliefs. Building relationships in-person is so much more valuable than learning from the internet.”

“The diversity of ethnicity and cultures, religious and political opinions here in New Zealand has really enhanced my worldview.”

Jasmine is delighted to have been recognised for her contribution to the community, and says her parents were thrilled when her name was announced at the awards ceremony. “Not only are they proud of my own achievements, but they feel that I am representing Hong Kong well in New Zealand.”

Jasmine’s parents were among 214 friends and family of recipients who joined the livestream of the awards ceremony from around the world.

As for the future, Jasmine is looking forward to completing Year 13 and being a member of the student executive next year, striving for the SVA Gold Award for volunteering, being a National Student Ambassador, and ultimately heading to the US to study Computer Science.
Education New Zealand nominated for three upcoming awards
ENZ recognised for Gilman Scholarship mahi
Education New Zealand has been selected as a finalist in the 2021 AmCham - DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards. The awards, run by the American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand, celebrate the success and innovation of companies doing business with the United States.
ENZ is a finalist in the Bilateral Connections category and our entry focusses on how our Gilman Scholarship funding and other initiatives underway with US federal agencies and education institutions are helping build lasting connections between New Zealand and the United States through education. The winners will be announced at a function in Auckland on 26 August.
ENZ's digital China ecosystem recognised in China Business Awards
ENZ is a finalist in the 2021 HSBC NZCTA China Business Awards, New Zealand's preeminent awards for recognising business success in China. ENZ is nominated for the United Media Solution Award for Digital Excellence in Business between China and New Zealand, for our China digital ecosystem and experience work.
Tū Ngātahi nominated in prestigious marketing awards
ENZ's Tū Ngātahi campaign, delivered by Special Group, has been selected as a finalist in the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards. Tū Ngātahi calls for New Zealanders to stand together with our international student community and send a message of empathy and support. It is nominated in the Public Good category.
International students welcomed across New Zealand

In February, hundreds of international students gathered at a University of Auckland orientation event. ENZ’s Student Experience Manager, Ross Crosson, says, “The wait, for many, has been long but there was a very positive vibe in the air.”

In Hamilton, the Wintec | Te Pūkenga International student services team held an interactive event to welcome students on campus. They used a range of activities to create connections amongst the students and to familiarise them with student support services available.

Over in Wellington, Victoria University of Wellington Vice Chancellor Nic Smith took the opportunity to connect with students face-to-face as they were settling into halls of residence.

More than 150 international students from 11 local secondary schools were welcomed into Dunedin at Puketeraki Marae on 8 March. In the event organised by Enterprise Dunedin and Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki, the guests spent the morning at the pōwhiri, which was accompanied by pupils from Waitati School kapa haka group, and then enjoyed a kōrero and some kai.
First-ever New Zealand Global Competence Certificate with teachers from across Asia wraps up
Over five weeks, the group completed 10 virtual sessions and 20 self-directed online modules. They learnt skills crucial to cultural competence, like how to build bridges in multicultural situations and how to break down stereotypes.
This cohort received very positive feedback from those involved in the course, from learners to facilitators. Tran Nguyen Trinh Nguyen, a teacher from Gia Dinh High School, said:
“After the course, I am more confident in embracing the differences that other people around me have. I am more eager to challenge myself to become a better listener, a better conflict solver and a more dynamic global citizen.”
Videos on this cohort’s NZGCC journey and appreciation messages from learners and facilitators can be viewed here.
This teacher cohort, alongside a recent students’ cohort, has also worked to lift the profile of New Zealand education in the Asia region – particularly in Vietnam. The team has received an overwhelming number of applications for the next NZGCC teachers’ course: 171 applications for the 25 available places.
“By organising these special NZGCC cohorts, we hope to equip both teachers and students with additional knowledge and skills that supports their daily work and study, and enables them to thrive in what is an increasingly globally connected world,” ENZ Regional Director – Asia, Ben Burrowes, said.
“We believe that the training programmes will open up more education linkages between all participating schools and when travel resumes, we look forward to seeing more Vietnamese teachers and students in New Zealand for in-person exchange programmes.
Educators interested in participating in future cohorts can contact marina.wilmerstadt@enz.govt.nz to find out more.
Raising the profile of NZ’s PTEs with China education agents

In China, large education agencies play an important role in raising the awareness of a New Zealand education to prospective students and their families. For this reason, 10 director-level representatives from the largest Chinese agencies were invited to join a Famil tour by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) to demonstrate in person how New Zealand offers a modern, high quality and sophisticated learning environment for Chinese students.

In early May, the group visited education providers in Dunedin, Invercargill, and Auckland with a full and varied programme including visits to high schools, a primary school, universities, institutes of skills and technology, and private training establishments. There were also several cultural and tourism activities planned as well as networking events with economic development agencies, private training establishments and English language schools.

A key part of the Famil was the networking function held at the end of the week of activities at Media Design School in Auckland, providing a platform for New Zealand’s Private Training Establishments (PTEs) and English Language Schools (ELS) to engage directly with the visiting agents. Representatives from 24 providers from Auckland, Christchurch and New Plymouth attended the event.

ENZ’s General Manager Māori, Ed Tuari, welcomes the guests to Media Design School with a mihi and welcome.

The event included opening remarks by ENZ’s General Manager Sector Engagement and Innovation, Wendy Kerr, who reiterated to the education agents that New Zealand’s PTEs and ELS play a vital role in New Zealand’s international education ecosystem.

“Our PTEs and ELS are renowned for their innovative programs, real world and practical approach and strong commitment to student success and employability.

These institutions equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive as global citizens in today’s interconnected world.”

ENZ’S General Manager Sector Engagement and Innovation.

On behalf of ENZ, Wendy also expressed her appreciation to the agents for their ongoing collaboration and support, saying that the agents’ promotion of New Zealand PTEs and ELS opens doors for Chinese students to access world-class education and invaluable international experiences.

A panel discussion took place, focusing on the opportunities and challenges in the China market, featuring three directors moderated by Ruth Cooper, Country Director New Zealand of Media Design School and QTI co-Chair.

During the panel discussion, the agents suggested that providers could enhance their promotion efforts in China by highlighting employment opportunities and utilising Chinese social media to share the most up-to-date information.

Ruth Cooper, Country Director New Zealand of Media Design School and QTI co-Chair (left) facilitates a panel discussion on the opportunities and challenges in the China education market.

With the formalities out of the way, our education providers had the opportunity to mix and mingle with the education agents.
New student forum for NauMai NZ WeChat mini programme
Education New Zealand’s NauMai NZ platform is designed to inform, support and empower international students.
A WeChat mini programme – an app designed for the WeChat ecosystem popular with Chinese students – has extended NauMai NZ’s reach, attracting over 12,000 users in its first year.
The NauMai NZ WeChat mini programme helps students make the most of their New Zealand experience, with advice on everything from finding a part-time job and knowing their rental rights to looking after their wellbeing and understanding Kiwi English. There are also stories from students about their lives – for instance, people sharing ideas on what to do during their summer in New Zealand.
“We know that Chinese students prefer to connect with each other in their language, on the WeChat channel they trust,” says Faymie Li, Senior Advisor for Student Experience at ENZ.
“We’re delighted to see how much they enjoy this digital platform and how quickly it’s growing. It’s great to be able to connect Chinese students to each other and to people who’re willing to help them out.”
The WeChat mini programme has now run six livestreams hosted by experts, alumni and current international students on topics including employability, how to grow your network, and mental health and wellbeing. Students tuning in to watch can use the chat feature to ask questions.
The livestreams have attracted a total of nearly 3,000 live views with over 18,000 engagements during the live events and, so far, more than 1,000 views afterwards.
The WeChat mini programme has now added a new forum so that Chinese students and alumni can better share their life and study experiences and support one another. The text-based, moderated forum allows students to have their questions answered by their peers.
A group of international students have signed on as ambassadors for the WeChat forum, including alumni from the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia programme. One of the forum ambassadors, Mengdi Zhang, says she’s looking forward to connecting with newer students.
“I am excited to be a student ambassador so that any students with unresolved questions can reach out. I can see my own past in the students’ questions, and I hope to help them through to a better experience in New Zealand,” she said.
If you would like to know more about the NauMai NZ WeChat mini programme, contact faymie.li@enz.govt.nz. You can share it with others using the WeChat QR code.
Updated timeframe for the re-opening of New Zealand's borders
Note: The information in this story was correct at the time of publication, however, some steps in New Zealand's border reopening plan have now been brought forward. Click here to check the current border reopening steps.
“To slow the rapid spread we have seen overseas, we are pushing out the start of non-MIQ travel until the end of February 2022”, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said.
You can read the full announcement from the Government here.
The Government has not yet announced the date from which any specific group of foreign nationals, such as international students, will be able to travel to New Zealand or apply for visas to do so.
Until then, New Zealand’s current border settings will remain in place. Most people outside New Zealand cannot apply for a visa unless they have a border exception. There are limited border exceptions for international students.
New Zealand suspended most offshore visa applications from August 2020 and that suspension currently extends to August 2022. The Government may decide to lift the suspension, in whole or in part, before August 2022 – in line with its decisions on the stages of the border re-opening.
It is Education New Zealand’s view that it is better for international students, education providers and agents to wait for certainty on border entry conditions before making new plans or commitments to students.
At this stage, in most cases, if international students who are now in New Zealand leave, they will not be able to return to the country for the start of the 2022 academic year. They will need to wait to apply for visas and to travel to New Zealand until the dates the Government sets for them to do so.
At Education New Zealand we understand how much international students and education providers have been through during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will keep students and providers up to date with the Government’s decisions as they are announced.
We are looking forward to welcoming international students back to New Zealand.
More information
Find out more about visas from Immigration New Zealand if:
Find out more about New Zealand’s response to COVID-19:
ENZ unleashes the potential of Prime Minister’s Scholarships alumni
The first-ever event for alumni of the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia and Latin America was hosted by Education New Zealand in November 2021.
The scholarships, administered by ENZ, enable New Zealanders to study, research or intern in Asia or Latin America. Since 2013, more than 2,400 group and individual scholarships have been awarded.
The virtual event – Hono Mai: a call to connect – drew together alumni from all walks of life, based in New Zealand and around the world.
They heard guest speakers from the Asia New Zealand Foundation and the Latin America New Zealand Business Council, held speed networking sessions in small groups on the EventsAir platform, and joined in challenges and trivia questions.
ENZ’s Global Citizens Manager, Carla Rey Vasquez, says the event was designed and driven by alumni, for alumni.
“Our global citizenship work aims to equip New Zealanders with the competencies to engage with the wider world, build connections with people from other countries and cultures, and take action on the things that matter to them.
“Alumni have so many rich, diverse relationships around the world which can be used to support and uplift each other. Hono Mai is about sharing those relationships to help alumni achieve their own goals within their own communities,” she says.
One of the alumni involved in organising the event was Robyn Scrimshaw, who studied Chinese law and language in Shanghai with a Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia in 2014.
“Everyone had such a great experience on the trip; the event was about bringing that magic together and connecting everyone’s experiences in one place,” she says.
Now working as an urban planner in Tauranga, Robyn still draws on her experience of “different perceptions of public and private spaces” in the Chinese cities she visited.
Plans are underway for more networking events for Prime Minister’s Scholarships alumni in 2022.
Patrick Au: a champion for international students
Patrick is a registered psychiatric nurse and counsellor who migrated from Hong Kong in 1991.
He has been working with Asian migrants and international students in primary and tertiary healthcare for more than 20 years – most recently as the Asian Mental Health Coordinator for the Auckland District Health Board. He is now moving into full-time private practice.
ENZ’s Director of Student Experience and Global Citizens, Sahinde Pala, says Mr Au’s mahi (work) has been of incredible value to international students.
“Patrick has worked tirelessly to highlight issues and barriers for international students in the mental health system and has been a trusted advisor as initiatives and policies have developed over the years.
“He has been a respected member of the Auckland Agencies Group chaired by ENZ, which works on student wellbeing, and a key figure during the development of the International Student Wellbeing Strategy.
“At ENZ we have also been privileged to be able to call on Patrick’s services as we develop new content for our NauMai NZ platform for international students in New Zealand.
“We are sad to see him move on from the ADHB but grateful that he’s remaining in mental health support.
“We would like to thank Patrick for his enormous contribution to the international student community over the years and wish him all the best for his next chapter,” says Ms Pala.
He taonga rongonui te aroha ki te tangata
Kindness to all people is a great treasure