Search

Showing 10 of 503 results for group registration

From the CE: 2023 is off to a flying start
Following the appointment of Chris Hipkins to Prime Minister, last week we welcomed our new Minister of Education, Jan Tinetti. Minister Tinetti knows education well. She has over 20 years as a primary school principal, in four schools across Southland and Tauranga. She also holds a Diploma in Teaching (Primary), a Bachelor of Education and Master’s in Education with First Class Honours, from the University of Canterbury.
Both appointments are good news for international education. We have both a Prime Minister with rich knowledge and appreciation for the many benefits that international education brings working alongside a Minister of Education who has significant education experience.
The first month of the year saw significant announcements in China, an important partner country. The first was the change to the Zero-COVID policy, followed shortly after with the decision by the Chinese qualification recognition agency to revert to pre-COVID settings for online qualifications. Chinese students were already returning to study in New Zealand and these announcements will encourage this further.
In response to these changes in China our team collaborated with Tourism New Zealand to drive awareness of New Zealand as a short-term study destination. Late last year we put the New Zealand education brand back on the map in Colombia with an important event in Bogota. I am also excited to see the relaunch of the New Zealand Schools Scholarships – our flagship initiative for Viet Nam.
The first month of the year also saw our first iwi-led Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia recipients (Te Piriru Marae, Ngāti Maniapoto) travelling to Hokkaido for six weeks, forging connections with the indigenous Ainu people of Japan. There will be more on this in next month’s ENews.
While I’m on the subject of the Prime Minister’s Scholarships the most recent round of applications saw a significant and very pleasing increase in Māori participation to 22 percent up from five percent from 2016 to 2019. We are eager to continue this increase and will be partnering with iwi to raise it further in the March group application round.
After the challenges of the past couple of years, a flying start was exactly what we needed and I am very pleased that is what we have.
Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa
Let us keep close together, not wide apart.
Ngā mihi nui,
Grant McPherson
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.
Prime Minister's Scholarships for Asia help students from New Zealand and India to showcase a unique cross-cultural collaboration
The students travelled to India and for five weeks, worked with local students from Indian fashion powerhouse Pearl Academy and artisans from Kala Raksha, an NGO in Kutch, Western India. Collectively they produced a collection of garments, which reflected a philosophy from the past to everyday life. The work helped students and artisans to develop an understanding of different cultural values and ability to think creatively and collaboratively.
“We are thrilled to have 15 Prime Minister’s Scholarship recipients from Whitecliffe College visit India and take this opportunity to collaborate with Pearl Academy students in fashion and sustainability.” said David Pine, New Zealand High Commissioner to India.
“New Zealand and India hold strong education ties and the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia symbolises the New Zealand government’s commitment to further strengthen bilateral ties between both countries.”
Administered by Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao, the Prime Minister's Scholarships for Asia is a unique scholarship programme that enables the rich exchange of language, culture, skills and opportunities. It not only highlights New Zealand government’s commitment to help grow strong connections between young New Zealanders and Indians but fosters global citizens by inspiring students to take action on pressing issues affecting the world.
Since 2013, the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia and Latin America have enabled more than 2,400 New Zealanders to broaden their horizons through life-changing learning experiences in Asia and Latin America. Applications are open until 23 April for the 2023 group scholarship round. To find out more about the Prime Minister's Scholarships for Asia and Latin America, visit our website here.
Around the world in five
United Kingdom
British Council examines future of English language learning
English will remain the world’s most widely spoken language over the next decade driven by employment and higher education trends, and teachers will continue to be at the heart of learning despite the rise of AI and automation, according to a new publication by the British Council.

United States
New forecast warns that US is falling behind in the global race for talent
A new HolonIQ analysis focused on the US and its competitive position relative to other leading study abroad destinations finds that within the total global international education market, the US is losing share of foreign students to Australia, Canada, and the UK.

Canada
Dalhousie University - New study abroad course takes 14 Indigenous students to Aotearoa-New Zealand
A group of Indigenous students from Dalhousie have embarked on a two-week study tour of New Zealand that will transport them deep into the country's rich Māori history and culture.

India
Dishonest players in India are 'damaging' industry reputation
Education counsellors across India say duplicitous players in the international education market are having a seriously negative impact on the sector, with one senior counsellor describing the situation as “supremely unethical”.

Netherlands
Netherlands outlines plans to control international student flows
The Dutch education minister has written to universities to outline plans for controlling international student numbers, including a central management system, tools for ministerial intervention, strengthening of the Dutch language and targeted instruments on programmes to control flows.
Continuing the discussion on the impact of AI on education
Since ChatGPT’s (Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer) launch in November last year, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool has featured heavily in headlines around the world, sparking conversations from boardrooms, to classrooms, and around the dining room table. Discussions on the significant impact this tool and future AI technology is having on how we teach, assess, and support our students here in New Zealand’s education system are happening in all areas of our sector, including here at Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ),
A particular discussion during a recent EdTechNZ panel webinar on Artificial Intelligence and the impact on Education, looked at where educators may want to focus their valuable time now that generative AI platforms are available. For example, do educators want to spend their time researching topics, analysing data, and producing unique activities of work, or spend it on building meaningful relationships and place-based experiences with and for learners; gaining insights into learners’ interests, engaging in critical thinking activities and deepening learners experience of and outcomes in education?
Following EdTechNZ’s interesting and successful March webinar which can be viewed here; Artificial Intelligence and the impact on education, ENZ hosted an in-person seminar at our Tāmaki Makaurau offices in late April. This seminar's purpose was to look deeper at how this emerging technology is changing the way we learn, teach, and innovate.
Professor Ian Watson, recent past professor at the University of Auckland, spoke to a group from across the education spectrum including secondary schools, Private Training Establishments, EdTech founders, Education Publishers, Google, about AI and its impact on education.
Professor Watson is considered an AI pioneer with 30+ years in the AI machine learning environment and reflected on the history of AI, including that it is not a new or sudden phenomenon, and its progress over time.
“AI imitates intelligence and is great at the specific but not so much the general. For example, aircraft use AI to be able to perform extremely specific flight tasks, but it will never be able to suggest a recipe and cook it!”, Professor Watson said.
“Within education, AI will certainly provide value in routine, mundane and repetitive tasks such as grading, lesson planning, report writing but in the hard and difficult tasks such as developing a universal design for learning and differentiated or targeted learning, it has its flaws. It is not always factually correct and still needs a human to educate it”.
Professor Watson also talked about how important it is, critical even, to teach learners how to use these tools, so they are empowered. Such tools include the likes of AI4K12 for K-12 learners.
Anyone looking for more insights and conversations about AI should check out the TechWeek23 programme with over 400 in person and online events to be hosted from 13 – 20 May.
Techweek AI focussed online events of note include:
- AI and education with AUT Monday 15 May
- AI is here to stay: Its impact on online, flexible, and distance learn with FLANZ (Flexible Learning Association) and EdTechNZ Thursday 18 May at 11:00am – 12:00pm.
Survey shows that New Zealand is among top destinations for Brazilians who study abroad
Belta’s annual survey, sponsored by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), was conducted between December 2022 and April 2023 with 763 students and 317 international education agents from all regions of Brazil surveyed to assess their perceptions of international education. The survey results were shared at a recent event in Sao Paolo with dozens of agents and media attending, in person and virtually, to hear about the survey’s latest findings.
ENZ’s Market Development Manager in Brazil, Bruna de Natale, delivered a short speech ahead of the results release. She said it was positive to see so much interest in the release of the survey results, especially when the results revealed that New Zealand continues to rank strongly as an international education destination amongst Brazilian students.
“In this most recent survey, New Zealand moved to seventh position on the list of top education destinations sought by Brazilians who studied abroad, compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic when it was in eighth place. The main reason driving country choice for the students surveyed is the quality of life – New Zealand ranks very well for the quality of life, education, and the protection of civil rights.
“The quality of teaching is another reason given by those surveyed when choosing New Zealand and 60% of participants rated the quality of our English schools and language programmes as good or excellent. It is fantastic to see that New Zealand continues to attract attention as a quality international education destination and it is certainly on the radar as a desired destination for future exchange students,” said Bruna.
Of the international education agents who were surveyed, 52.9% reported that the demand for students interested in New Zealand has remained stable since the borders reopened, while 20.6% recorded growth in interest. This group projects that the numbers of Brazilian students travelling to New Zealand will return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 and 2024, with the highest flows expected for the first (35.3%) and second quarters of 2024 (32.4%), with demand increasing gradually from the first quarter of 2023.
For a copy of the full survey in English, please email belta@belta.org.br.

Bruna delivering an introductory speech at an event which released the results from Belta’s survey on international education.
Thai delegation signs MOUs with two NZ universities
Education New Zealand’s Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) Programme Manager, Jaruwan Pongjaruwat, led the Thai delegation from Rajamangala University of Technology (RMUT) and Silpakorn University (SU). The delegation visited several universities and Te Pūkenga business divisions across both the North and South islands in the last week of May.
Jaruwan said that the main aim of the visit was to facilitate a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing between RMUT and the University of Otago and between SU and the University of Canterbury. It also proved a good opportunity to further develop the relationship that these offshore partners have with Te Pūkenga.
“It was an absolute pleasure to accompany this group of senior officials from RMUT and SU around New Zealand. The visit gave the RMUT delegation members an opportunity to revisit institutions which they have previously partnered with for student and teacher mobility projects, including Wintec, Weltec and Otago Polytechnic.

RMUT and SU delegates see how Wintec manages engineering material and resources across different disciplines.

“It also provided an opportunity for our delegation to visit new education providers such as the University of Waikato and the University of Canterbury to learn more about the areas in which these institutions excel. They particularly enjoyed learning more about what each institution has to offer and seeing how New Zealand education providers link research to commercial products and services. On top of that, delegates also had the opportunity to visit Weta Workshops and have dinner at Bellamy's restaurant in The Beehive whilst in Wellington," said Jaruwan.

Thai delegates visiting the University of Canterbury’s Faculty of Engineering

It is hoped that this visit will lead to future projects in the areas of teacher development, articulation programmes, student mobility and a joint foundation programme. The joint foundation programme will now be extended to cover students studying science and health science, allowing students a pathway to all eight New Zealand universities.
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
Supporting international education mobility in China with Tourism NZ and Air New Zealand collaboration
ENZ and Tourism NZ Launch the "New Zealand Study Tour Promotion Alliance" Initiative in South China
Tourism New Zealand and ENZ have been working closely together since 2020 to promote study tour programs for Chinese students and their families. This collaboration has had a positive impact, with a growing interest in short-term studies and family tours to New Zealand during the Chinese summer holiday period (this July and August). To further strengthen relationships with Chinese business partners, Tourism New Zealand recently launched the "New Zealand Study Tour Promotion Alliance" initiative, with support from ENZ.

From left to right: Sandy He – South China Manager, TNZ; Rachel Crump – NZ Consul General in Guangzhou; Grace Yao – Regional Trade Manager Greater China; Felix Ye, ENZ Guangzhou

The purpose of the "New Zealand Study Tour Promotion Alliance" is to tap into the potential for growth in this segment post COVID-19. The initiative offers students a short-term study tour experience, providing them with a glimpse into the New Zealand educational system and lifestyle. The alliance consists of ten selected members, including key partners such as K-12 schools and educational organisations directly or indirectly associated with K-12 schools in South China. These members include two provincial-level international education associations representing the public and international school sectors, an international school networking platform, and seven Chinese international/private schools. All ten members of the alliance have either sent students to Aotearoa New Zealand or have committed to promoting New Zealand as a study tour destination in the next three years. They will receive direct or indirect support from both Tourism New Zealand and Education New Zealand.
The official launch of the initiative took place on 21st June, with over 80 participants from the education and tourism industries invited. Rachel Crump, the New Zealand Consul-General in Guangzhou, officiated the ceremony and expressed her excitement about this cross-industry cooperation between Tourism New Zealand and Education New Zealand.
Rachel said “I have often participated in Tourism New Zealand and Education New Zealand events, but this is the first time I’ve participated in a joint event. This type of cross-industry cooperation is new and significant for both agencies.”
Michael Zhang, ENZ's Regional Director - Greater China, also said "As we reconnect following the three years of the pandemic, we invite Chinese students and their families, to come back to New Zealand and become an important bridge between our two countries again.”

Felix Ye, Rachel Crump, and Grace Yao took a group photo with the members of the Alliance

The initiative focuses on promoting a two to four-week New Zealand short-term study experience, which combines classroom study with a sightseeing holiday component. During the Chinese summer holiday, students attend one or two weeks of classroom study in a New Zealand school while their parents enjoy a holiday in the country. After the study part of the tour, families have the option to spend additional weeks in New Zealand. The initiative is expected to attract over 1,000 students plus their families to New Zealand during this July and August Chinese summer holiday period.

After the launch ceremony, the guests mixed and mingled, chatting and networking with each other

ENZ and Air New Zealand to develop strategic partnership for growth of international student sector in China
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao and Air New Zealand have pledged to work together to develop a strategic partnership for the international student sector in China.

ENZ’s Felix Ye moderated the panel discussion with the Alliance members

The initiative was launched with the signing of a Statement of Intent at a special ceremony in Shanghai which was witnessed by Minister of Tourism, Hon Peeni Henare in Shanghai on 30 June during the Prime Minister’s Trade Delegation to China.
Both parties will seek to take advantage of existing cooperation and provide a framework for further potential areas to be developed.
These could include joint promotional and marketing efforts in China, as well as supporting student mobility from New Zealand-China partnerships, joint programmes, and institution to institution co-operation.

ENZ’s Chief Executive Grant McPherson and Air New Zealand’s General Manager – Asia Jonathan Zhang, sign a Statement of Intent at a special ceremony in Shanghai on 30 June during the Prime Minister’s Trade Delegation to China.
From the CE: Keeping the focus on NZ
Kia ora koutou,
It’s July and in New Zealand the middle of winter. Halfway through the year it’s a good time to reflect on how far we have come in a rapid six months. My first reflection is that it is great to have international students back in our communities, lecture theatres and classrooms. Since the borders reopened, we’ve seen good volumes of student visa applications, and those applications are reflected in steady growth in enrolments. While some parts of sector are doing better than others, the big picture is that learners are considering and choosing New Zealand as the place to come for a quality international education.
Having travelled to India, the US and Canada, and most recently China, alongside sector representatives, we should not underestimate how important this awareness and preference is. International education is hugely competitive. Competitors like Singapore and Ireland are not sitting still and we, collectively, need to keep New Zealand in front of the high-value students we want to attract.
In my opinion, the Prime Minister’s visit to China did just that. Education was a significant part of the itinerary and its importance as part of the bilateral relationship was mentioned in almost every engagement with the Government of China. The Prime Minister delivered an address at Peking University, and he had the opportunity to meet with alumni in a more informal environment. We also saw excellent coverage of the visit in key China media. China is an important partner market for New Zealand, and this was a very successful visit. A word of thanks to everyone involved in its organisation, the sector members of the delegation who travelled and everyone who participated. I know it was a mammoth task.
Another reflection I have is how pleasing it is to see young New Zealanders getting out into the world again as Prime Minister’s scholars. Reciprocity, as I am reminded when I am in market, is an important part of international education. Around 171 New Zealanders from 14 groups will travel to Asia and Latin America over the next year as part of the most recent Group round and the second round of individual scholarships will open next week.
As we look to what lies ahead, the theme of next month’s NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE KI TUA, Te Ara Ki Tua The pathway forward, will provide an immediate opportunity to focus on our future. Thanks in advance to the sector leaders who are speaking or running workshops in what looks to be a compelling programme at our 30th conference. KI TUA is our annual opportunity to get together as one and to listen, learn, discuss and importantly, network. Globally, we are a small participant and to build on the good start of the past six months we must continue to move forward together. I encourage you to attend and I look forward to meeting and talking with many of you in a few weeks.
Ki te kotahi te kakaho ka whati, Ki te kapuia e kore e whati
Alone we can be broken. Standing together, we are invincible
Ngā mihi nui,
Grant McPherson