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  • From the CE: The need to connect remains critical

    Kia ora tatou,

    This month I want to add some colour, and give credit, to the work New Zealand institutions and the Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) team have been undertaking offshore in the continuing drive to raise awareness of NZ education options and opportunities.

    I have mentioned before how much of this activity is often ‘unseen’ from New Zealand, and yet it is pivotal to our marketing and outreach to potential students, their parents, agents, institutional and government partners. The principle focus of this effort is to engage with students, build awareness, and drive interest and enrolment in New Zealand education providers. But that is not all. These activities and events, play an important role of ensuring the sector and its institutions remain connected to key international counterparts and government agencies, lifting the profile of New Zealand as a destination for international education while building long term resilience for the sector.

    Here is a quick update on some of this International activity. Images of some of these interactions are shared in our international photo gallery update here.

    China:   Massey University and ENZ organised a Massey University friends and alumni reception in the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing on 27 August. About 50 participants attended the event including alumni and partners of Massey University. The event was particularly timely following China being the Country of Honour at NZIEC Ki Tua earlier in the month and highlights the important linkages between government to government and institutional relationships in key markets.  

    India:    ENZ was a gold sponsor of the IC3 Institute annual conference, held in Hyderabad on 23 - 24 August. ENZ was joined at the event by representatives of seven New Zealand universities and saw strong interest among counsellors in New Zealand as a study destination. More than 2,000 delegates attended the two-day event.

    Brazil; Colombia - Latin America:  Following on from strong interest shown in New Zealand at the first in person expo at the Australian Centre Expo in Sāo Paulo in August, ENZ’s Director of Engagement Latin America, Javiera Visedo, took the opportunity to reconnect with providers and stakeholders across New Zealand after attending NZIEC Ki Tua. In Auckland, she delivered a market insights session to local ELS and PTE sector representatives highlighting opportunities for growth.

    Malaysia: The first instalment of the Indigenous People Talk series took place on 13 August with Dr Hazel Abraham from AUT joining Malaysian academics to discuss the importance of education and technology to empower indigenous communities in both countries.

    Indonesia: Universities New Zealand signed an arrangement with LPDP (the Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education) on 2 August in Jakarta. The Arrangement was signed by Prof Neil Quigley, University of Waikato Vice Chancellor and Chair of the UNZ International Committee, and Andin Hadiyanto, President director of LPDP. New Zealand Ambassador to Indonesia, HE Kevin Burnett joined representatives of all eight New Zealand universities to witness the ceremony.

    South Korea: In three short days from 31 August to 2 September, the ENZ team organised an Agent seminar, a New Zealand Education night reception and the New Zealand Education Fair. All were well attended and interest from attendees was high.

    Thailand: Similarly, in a compressed week from 25 - 30 August, the ENZ Thai Team coordinated Agent seminars, the New Zealand Education Fair in Bangkok, and follow-up school visits and agent fairs in the Thai provinces of Chiang Mai, Phuket and Chonburi.

    Vietnam: In the lead up to the New Zealand Education Fairs which will take place in October, the ENZ Vietnam team participated in the GSE Education Fair by hosting a ‘Study with New Zealand’ session on 9 September.

    If you are interested in learning more about how your school or institution can participate in building connections with international students, contact our international team through this link.

    Within New Zealand, we were delighted to welcome the first cohort of students from Ichihara City to undertake a study tour at Waimea College in Nelson from 6 - 20 August. Reinforcing the importance of the study trip, ENZ’s Lisa Futschek joined the Mayor of Ichihara in Wellington to discuss further strengthening of the Education Cooperation Arrangement with Ichihara City that was originally signed in 2020.

    Our sector engagement team continued its briefings of key sub-sector peak bodies to outline the ENZ Annual Plan and how it impacts their sector. This included briefings for the SEIBA Board, QTI and ITENZ, and English New Zealand. This followed briefings early in August with international directors of New Zealand universities and Te Pūkenga. Feedback from the bodies was appreciative of the explanation and sharing of the plan, with questions raised at the briefings a key part of the transparent and helpful feedback we received.

    The urgency for the international education sector to address challenges and opportunities of the future continued on from the NZIEC Ki Tua conference in mid-August  through to the recent ITENZ conference held in Christchurch on 12 and 13 September.  The PTE sector has faced some of the most challenging conditions in recent times, but the determination of those attending to identify and take opportunities to regain their previous strength was impressive and bodes well for the sector’s path to a brighter future.

    On the marketing front, visits to the Study with New Zealand (SWNZ) website continued to perform well with the total number of active sessions lifting nine percent to 125,203 during August. Of particular interest was the strong interest from Thailand which overtook India in August as the main source of interest with a spike in activity before and during the Education Fair in Bangkok. As we move through the year, other markets are also expected to show lifts in activity associated with local market fairs and promotion.

    This week also saw ENZ host the first Tertiary Education Institution Manaaki Scholarship workshop in Auckland since ENZ took over the management of the scholarships programme last November. The workshop was attended by all eight universities and Te Pūkenga, with support and involvement from MFAT, Manaaki alumni and Skills Consulting Group. The scholarships not only benefit the students, but also the sector who gain access to many international students through this unique programme.

    As I look back on this month’s review it is obvious to me that to continue the rebuild of the international education sector for New Zealand the need to connect remains a critical part of the recovery. Whether it is happening in other countries or here in New Zealand, it is important to remember we are a ‘people’ business – we need to get out there and connect. Safe connecting.

    He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata! He tangata! He tangata! 

    What is the most important thing in the world?  

    It is people! It is people! It is people! 

    Ngā mihi,

    Grant

  • Record audience for early childhood education symposium with China

    This year, the symposium attracted a live audience of 350 attendees and a livestream audience of 100,000, well over the number of attendees in previous years. The symposium’s theme was ‘Advancing Inclusiveness in Early Childhood Education’.   

    The Early Childhood Education Symposium is an initiative between Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) and China Center for International People to People Exchange (CCIPE), a sub-agency of China Ministry of Education (China MoE).   

    The symposium provides a platform for New Zealand Early Childhood Education (ECE) institutions, academics, practitioners, and policy experts to engage in a cross-cultural dialogue. It leverages New Zealand’s expertise in ECE teacher training programmes.  

    This was the first year that a delegation of government representatives and ECE experts from New Zealand travelled to China to present at the symposium in person, which sent a positive signal to education partners in China about New Zealand’s strong focus on reconnecting and strengthening our education credentials in the China market.  

    The symposium’s live presenters from New Zealand included Dr Jane Ewens, Manager Early Learning, Ministry of Education and Fiona He, Director and Founder, TuiTui Educare/Universal Kids Early Education Centre. Dr Ewens presented an overview of the New Zealand Government’s policy focusing on advancing inclusiveness in early childhood education.  

    ENZ’s General Manager International, Lisa Futschek, who provided opening remarks, said the symposium highlighted the special education relationship between New Zealand and China and our long and fruitful dialogue in a variety of education areas.   

    “It’s fantastic to see how the symposium has grown and evolved since 2020. We were delighted to be able to travel there, grow our connections in-person, and enable collaboration between people across the education landscape in both our countries.   

    “2023 has already been an exciting year for rebuilding face-to-face connections for New Zealand and China, and the symposium just helped us build on that so wonderfully,” Lisa said. 

    ENZ General Manager International, Lisa Futschek.

    CAO Diefeng, Deputy Director General, China Centre for International People-to-People Exchange indicated in his opening remarks that the China-New Zealand Early Childhood Education Symposium has received extensive attention because of its scale and influence. It is highly welcomed by the education sector from both China and New Zealand and is becoming a key platform for early childhood education communication.  

    “The symposium exemplifies the sound education cooperation between our two countries and plays an important role in deepening substantive cooperation by both sides,” CAO Diefeng said. 

    Dr Jane Ewens said the information exchange was valuable to all audiences and demonstrated there are opportunities for the Ministry of Education to learn from our Chinese partners. 

    “We can create stronger educational ties and foster ongoing cooperation with China, aligning with government priorities. This could include exploring attracting Chinese teachers and students to New Zealand's early childhood education teaching workforce. 

    “There is also an opportunity for New Zealand practitioners and policy makers to consider and possibly integrate how China implements their curriculum as we develop curriculum resources for New Zealand Early Childhood Education kaiako (teachers),” Dr Ewens said. 

    Dr Jane Ewens from the New Zealand Ministry of Education presents the Policy Overview.

    This year’s symposium resulted in a range of valuable outcomes for New Zealand’s education relationship with China and for the sector. The symposium generated good visibility for New Zealand, with 45 media articles (accounting for almost four million views), which included reporting from top tier Chinese media. Many connections and leads for New Zealand participants were created during and after the symposium – one New Zealand speaker reported being approached by 50 Chinese counterparts after their virtual presentation. 

    Aside from the symposium, the New Zealand delegation’s key objectives included supporting a bilateral education initiative linked to the New Zealand-China Arrangement on Education Cooperation and Training, while showcasing New Zealand’s expertise in early childhood education practices and curriculum to audiences in China.  

    The visit provided a chance for the delegation to understand best practices in early childhood education from a Chinese cultural perspective that they could put into practice in New Zealand to better support learners from Chinese backgrounds. As part of the programme in Nanjing, the delegation visited two kindergartens and presented a panel session with academics and students at Nanjing Normal University. 

    If you are interested in the ECE Symposium or partnering with ENZ on this event in the future, please contact the ENZ China team at China@enz.govt.nz. 

    The audience in Nanjing take notes during the presentations.

    Attendees of the Hefei Shuangyou Education Group in Anhui Province watch the symposium online.

  • Aotearoa New Zealand Indigenous led Education Technology

    Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, this was the first time South by Southwest® (SXSW®) has been hosted in the South Pacific. Taking place from 15 to 20 October, the conference celebrated the convergence of technology, film, music, education, and culture. 

    With kaupapa Māori at the heart of the Aotearoa Whare, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) was asked to support a showcase of Aotearoa Indigenous Education Technology (EdTech) companies in a panel conversation. Represented on the panel were four EdTech Founders who whakapapa Māori, from TŌNUI Collab based in Te Tairāwhiti (Gisborne), Tiaki Global based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington), Code Avengers based in Waikato (Hamilton) and ARA Journeys based in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland). 

    The theme of “Aotearoa NZ Indigenous-led Education Technology” was explored by this group of Māori owned companies. Their initiatives have indigenous researchers, designers, and content developers creating innovative digital learning experiences for indigenous learners, their whānau and communities, and learning experiences for non-indigenous learners that draw on indigenous knowledge and know-how. 

    From left to Right – Duane Grace – Tiaki Global, Amber Taylor – ARA Journeys, Shanon O’Connor – Tōnui Collab, Hamish Day – Code Avengers.

    Adrienne Bonell, Public Diplomacy Manager, MFAT said that it was a fascinating panel, expertly moderated by Duane Grace (Tiaki Global). 

    “The passion, smarts and energy Shanon O’Connor, Amber Taylor, and Hamish Day contributed as panellists on this vital kaupapa was palpable in the room. 

    “It was obvious the crowd felt the same given the number of pātai  (questions) and that we ran out of time in the end,” said Adrienne.  

    Supporting our Māori and Pasifika EdTech community is essential for the New Zealand education sector, as it enriches our curriculum with diverse perspectives and aligns to our community values. It also enhances Aotearoa New Zealand’s distinct and unique indigenous voice in the world, uplifting our global competitiveness. 

    Amber Taylor of ARA Journeys said that the connections made during the conference are starting to bear fruit. 

    “Since the conference, I have received emails from a few attendees who expressed a keen interest in our projects and initiatives.  

    We are excited about the possibilities they hold for our future collaborations and expanding our reach to audiences beyond our current business sphere," added Amber.

  • Strong interest in NZ from Filipino students at the Te Pūkenga Agent Workshop and NZ Study Workshop 2023

    55 education agents representing 27 agencies from across the Philippines attended the one-day workshop on 27 October. The workshop provided a valuable opportunity for the four Te Pūkenga representatives, including Bipul Das, Kerry Clarke, Prashanth Nallur Puttaswamy and Richard Cao, to share their most recent updates and developments, including information on Te Pūkenga’s vocational education offerings. 

    ENZ’s Market Manager – Philippines & Thailand, Chortip Pramoolpol, supplied an update on ENZ’s activities and showcased the array of tools and resources available to empower education agents in promoting New Zealand as a study destination. Joining the workshop remotely were key figures from Immigration New Zealand. Celia Coombes, Manager of International Education, Dolores Hyde, Senior Advisor for International Education, and Philippa Lee, Immigration Officer, Visa Operations, delivered a comprehensive briefing on student visa applications and post-study work rights. If any education agents would like a copy of the slides delivered by ENZ, they are available on IntelliLab here - ENZ Philippines.

    Bipul Das from Te Pūkenga’s International Team said that it was incredibly valuable to be able to meet face to face with education agents and prospective students in the Philippines. 

    “It was wonderful to see the education agencies are excited to promote New Zealand as the preferred study destination for vocational education and we are grateful for the support from ENZ, our Education Agents and INZ on the work being done in the Philippines market. We will continue to focus on growing our international student population from the Philippines, " said Bipul. 

    Following on from the workshop, ENZ and Te Pūkenga welcomed over 170 visitors to the NZ Study Expo 2023. The event provided a unique platform for attendees to explore the breadth of opportunities in New Zealand including specific courses, scholarships, and post-study opportunities and discuss these personally with the NZ representatives on-hand.  

    From left to right: Prashanth Nallur Puttaswamy, Bipul Das, His Excellency Peter Kell, New Zealand Ambassador to the Phillippines, Kerry Clarke, Chortip Pramoolpol, Richard Cao and Joel Miranda Angon.

    New Zealand Ambassador His Excellency Peter Kell presided the event and shared his remarks, encouraging Filipinos and their families, to choose New Zealand as a destination to continue their education journey.  

    Ambassador Kell told the audience “This event is more than just a fair; it is a bridge that connects aspirations with opportunities. It is a platform for our Filipino students to explore and embrace new horizons, to acquire skills and knowledge that will empower you to become leaders in your chosen fields.  

    “New Zealand’s education system is often highly regarded and ranked in the world for preparing students for the future. Our education providers often have strong connections to industry and the business community. This facilitates internships, work placements, and real-world experiences for students, preparing them for the workforce,’ he added.  

    ENZ Market Manager – Philippines & Thailand, Chortip Pramoolpol, was excited to have had the opportunity to speak face to face with interested students and their families following the pandemic.  

    “There is certainly a lot to be said for being able to explain in-person to prospective students and their families, why they must consider New Zealand as a destination for future study and we were so pleased to see such genuine interest.  

    These events generated dozens of leads which has helped drive a significant increase in in visits and enquiries from Filipino students to the Study with New Zealand website,” added Chortip.   

    If any education providers or agents would like any additional information on marketing to students in the Philippines, please contact Chortip Pramoolpol – chortip.pramoolpol@enz.govt.nz

    Bipul Das from Te Pukenga International Team presented on their programme offerings.

  • AUT international students connect with senior citizens

     A uniquely engaging initiative supported by New Zealand Police and AUT recently brought together international students and local senior citizens to connect in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. 

    The initiative was an outcome of a meeting of the Auckland Agency Group, of which Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao is a member and enabled international students to understand and start to integrate into local culture guided by senior residents and members of the wider Auckland community. 

    As the last 12 months have seen the welcome return of international students to our campuses and communities, New Zealand Police Ethnic Services teams around the country, including in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, have been busy engaging with international students in a number of ways.   

    Around 18 students met with 10 senior citizens at the Northbridge Residential Village.  

    The event helped international students engage with their local community, establishing intergenerational bonds, helped them access support networks, engage in cultural exchange, and actively participating in community affairs.  

    The event included a panel discussion involving members of Northbridge Residential Village, AUT international students, and New Zealand Police. The panel discussion unfolded in two key segments: the initial part addressed the dynamics of culture shock, while the subsequent portion revolved around the overarching themes of diversity and inclusion. 

    AUT Students Association, International Affairs Officer, Yun Ke, said that the AUT international student interaction with local senior citizens event was a great success.  

    “We have received immensely positive feedback from students about the event, which is exciting.   

    “This interaction saw double the participation by international students, as compared to a previously held event in September,” Ke said.  

    San Winkyi, an international student from Myanmar, was grateful to New Zealand Police for the way they supported the event.  

    “The police’s presence and assistance contributed significantly to the event's success, and we deeply appreciate their commitment to international student safety and wellbeing,” San said.  

    For Huabiao Xiao, an international student from China, the interaction was a wonderful opportunity to appreciate cultural differences while enjoying communicating with an open and inclusive local community of senior citizens.  

    “Spending time with local seniors and police officers was an amazing experience, far beyond anything I could have imagined. These elders are simply the epitome of local cultures and society, and I deeply appreciate their differences and uniqueness. At the same time, I appreciated how New Zealand police officers are committed to promoting a community culture,” Huabiao said.   

    Education providers with international students who are interested in organising a similar event are welcome to contact Faymie Li, faymieli@enz.govt.nz or Ross Crosson, ross.crosson@enz.govt.nz.   

  • Marketing toolkits

    On this page are links to a number of toolkits that you may find helpful as you look to market your education institution to international students. 

    Also, included are some toolkits to help you raise the profile and benefits of international education here in New Zealand. 

    Digital Boost

    This is a free self-directed online learning platform, packed with short videos, live events and expert advice to help you grow your business and thrive in today's digital world. https://digitalboost.business.govt.nz/s/?language=en_NZ

    NZ Story Toolkit

    On this website, you will find free resources including images, footage, brand videos, infographics, presentations, research and how-to-guides to promote New Zealand offshore. New Zealand Story | New Zealand Story Group (nzstory.govt.nz)

    Social Licence Toolkit

    Check out ENZ's communications toolkit that helps you tell stories about the benefits of international education to New Zealanders. The significant impacts of COVID-19 mean international education needs increased public support to rebuild and recover, so it can help our country to do the same. By using unified messaging and telling shared stories, we can create a new international education story that captures the hearts and minds of the New Zealand public. Communicating the benefits of international education - toolkit | ENZ IntelliLab

    Brand Lab

    The ENZ Brand Lab is a rich source of images, videos and other marketing tools to help our industry partners promote New Zealand education. Home | Education NZ Brand Lab | The ENZ Brand Lab

  • EdTech famil programme provides eyes on New Zealand for innovation

    The programme included visits to Singapore, Viet Nam and Indonesia by a New Zealand delegation that included nine companies. The nine companies had a diverse range of education expertise, products and services from cutting edge Neuroscience for early childhood education to delivering TV-style drama series for English language education young adults.  Six core companies participated across the three counties - Language fuel, Neurofrog, Chasing time English, StepsWeb, Jix Reality, and PipiLearning, while three additional companies already in the regions  Writers' toolbox,Komodo wellbeing and Kami, joined the Singapore programme for specific elements. 

    The programme included meetings with the Ministries of Education of all three countries, specifically to understand the digital adoption and education roadmaps of each. Singapore shared their Transformation of education technology masterplan 2030 as a capability multiplier for educators and learners, and Viet Nam shared their focus on and investment in technology and management systems and using education technology to build the human potential of their citizens. Indonesia shared their Super App which allows for their 646.2 thousand schools, 4.2 million teachers and lecturers and 71 million students to all benefit from the large-scale acceleration of an economy moving at pace with a firm policy that ‘no one is left behind’. 

    Alana Pellow, ENZ’s Business Development Manager, led the delegation and said that the programme was carefully put together to ensure the visit was as much about showcasing New Zealand’s expertise and innovation in EdTech as it was to learn about what other countries and leaders in this space are doing.  

    “Across the three countries, the EdTech companies had the opportunity to meet and visit education providers from schoolteachers and leaders, vocational education providers and universities to education enrichment centers. They also heard from New Zealand business leaders and government agencies in each region, as well as had briefings and networking with local EdTech owners to gain a deep understanding of the economic and EdTech landscapes in each country. 

    “The public, private and enrichment education landscapes, which offer significant opportunity for EdTech’s, was a great eye opener particularly in Early Childhood Education (ECE), English language, literacy and English language teacher’s space.  

    “For example, in Viet Nam it is not uncommon for parents to spend 30% of their income on education – including after school enrichment education such is the ambition of parents for their children,” said Alana. 

    The private school market across all three markets is viewed as particularly significant for New Zealand. During the visit, it was noted by a number of diverse education related professionals how the New Zealand EdTech group were subject matter experts with education specific capabilities and expertise across many areas from linguistics, literacy, English language, teaching, academic R&D and collaboration with recognised and respected global experts such as – Oxford University Press, Oxford University, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, National University of Singapore, Institute of Technolgy Education and the University of Auckland. 

    Interest in New Zealand’s Education Technology was picked up by the local press in Indonesia and Viet Nam, with Viet Nam in particular seeing 17 stories feature across its various media channels. This has provided valuable visibility of New Zealand’s innovation and expertise in digital education across a wide education subsector value base from ECE and K-14 to R&D at tertiary level. Positive leads have followed and the founder and CEO of SIS and Inspirasi schools, which has schools across Indonesia, South Korea, Myanmar, and India, has already been in touch with two of the NZ EdTech companies to explore future collaboration. 

    Meeting with Politeknik Negeri Jakarta (VET) Indonesia.

    ENZ’s EdTech delegation meeting with Mr. Nguyen Bao Quoc, Deputy Director (Digital Transformation), and colleagues at the HCMC Department of Education & Training, Ho Chi Mihn City, Viet Nam.

    The delegation also attended the EDUtech Asia Policy Summit in Singapore where education, education policy makers and education technology solution providers came together from across Southeast Asia. Highlights included:

    1. The pace and scale at which many SEA countries are upskilling and shifting their policy and philosophy to equip their educators, citizens and systems to be meaningfully productive.
    2. That digital literacy training is not just the domain of learners.  Educators also need high quality digital training, materials and resources. 
    3. Artificial Intelligence is forcing a rethink on everything and in assessments, what do we care about assessing? Knowledge attainment or the deep skills for being human?  
    4. Partnership is hard but offers competitive advantage and ‘’success’’ when human skills are done well, and many global universities are doing partnership well and reaping the rewards. 

    Any New Zealand EdTech and Education publisher companies interested in finding out more about the SEA market can contact Alana Pellow - alana.pellow@enz.govt.nz 

    ENZ’s EdTech delegation meeting with Mr. Nguyen Bao Quoc, Deputy Director (Digital Transformation), and colleagues at the HCMC Department of Education & Training, Ho Chi Mihn City, Viet Nam.

  • PIF Recipient: Connect2NZ

    Connect2NZ aims to show that tertiary education providers can work with government agencies to build a framework for international learners that is innovative, future focused, and learner-centric.     

    Connect2NZ’s target audience is professionals, living outside New Zealand, who are seeking skills development in emerging sectors. Work has been undertaken to determine learner needs and match those with areas where New Zealand is strong. The project will design and deliver micro-learning and short courses which have pathways, allowing these learners to study from a group of courses to achieve their desired career outcomes. Potential topics include technology, leadership, health and wellness, food and agritech, energy, tourism, design and natural hazards. Our goal is to eventually extend our offerings to degree qualifications.  

    "What excites me the most about the Connect2NZ project is the exploration of potential new offshore/online markets. In particular, the global lifelong learner market which is huge and to date not well served by some of the fantastic educational offerings available from the New Zealand Higher Education sector, "  

    Professor Mick Grimley, Dean of Future Learning and Development, University of Canterbury 

    Some of these courses will be delivered by one provider partner, while others will be jointly designed and delivered. The number of tertiary education providers is expected to grow following consultation with government agencies and community outreach.    

    The pilot project is supported by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ). Through its International Education Product Innovation Fund, ENZ is supporting a range of pilot projects that reimagine how a New Zealand education can engage and inspire international learners and create impact through new delivery modes, approaches and partnerships.  

    "Connect2NZ breaks the mold by uniting our organizational strengths in solving a challenging problem. When we prove success, the value add is a model other institutions can follow". 

    Dr David Dannenberg, Director of Learning, Teaching and Library, Lincoln University.

     

     

  • PIF Recipient: Te Kaihau Ltd

    Te Kaihau Ltd, based in the Hutt Valley, is the organisation behind the Global Enterprise Experience (GEE), a well-known social enterprise proposal competition. For years, GEE has brought together eight-person virtual teams from around the world. Their challenge: to work together on a six-page business case for a profitable, self-funding business venture that addresses a United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and can get off the ground with limited capital. 

    In 2022 alone, GEE placed 1,100 participants from 131 universities and 98 other organisations across 72 countries onto global teams. Although many participants are tertiary students studying business or other courses, GEE teams are open to anyone, anywhere in the world, looking for a cross-cultural challenge. 

    From a highly successful foundation, Te Kaihau Ltd is planning to upgrade the Global Enterprise Experience into an even more impactful programme that builds lifelong links between Kiwis and emerging global learners, while making a real contribution to sustainable development. Thanks to an award of funding from the International Education Product Innovation Fund, managed by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), the upgraded GEE programme is on the way to becoming a reality. 

    The new ‘GEE Peer-Leader Plus’ programme is designed to supercharge the impact of the existing programme, which already develops an impressive set of skills in its participants: cross-cultural communication, teamwork, entrepreneurship and innovation to name a few. 

    Future GEE learners who opt into GEE Peer-Leader Plus will benefit from one-on-one leadership coaching, peer-group interactive webinars, online learning modules, and a microcredential in peer-leadership which will be assessed on performance. 

     As Te Kaihau Ltd explains, the upgraded programme aims to transform learners into peer-leaders. Instead of being passive recipients of knowledge, peer-leaders step up to make a difference where they can, no matter their ‘designated role’ in a workplace or other organisation. Peer-leaders are confident, can influence others, are action oriented, and can support designated leaders to make change. 

    A deeper, more immersive learning experience through the GEE Peer-Leader Plus programme will also leave learners in a better position to bring their sustainable business concept to life, or take other meaningful action on the UN SDGs. 

    Woven throughout the new learning experience is a uniquely New Zealand theme, which draws attention to New Zealand’s efforts on sustainable development and positions New Zealand as a leader in ‘manaaki leadership’, which uplifts and supports the mana of others. 

    To complement the upgraded GEE experience, a microcredential will be developed and offered to universities and other education providers. A microcredential – a short course that offers certification on completion – recognises achievement in a specific set of skills, competencies, and knowledge. The GEE Peer-Leader Plus microcredential will provide a way for education providers to incorporate peer-leadership into their international-focussed course offerings. 

    Over time, and using the GEE Peer-Leader Plus microcredential as a stepping stone, Te Kaihau Ltd hopes to build a full qualification in global leadership and innovation by 2025, with the GEE Peer-Leader Plus experience serving as one module. With GEE participants coming from 800 universities around the world, Te Kaihau Ltd has built a valuable network of learners and education providers. Now, with support from ENZ and the International Education Product Innovation Fund, the stage is set for the New Zealand-led GEE programme to supercharge its impacts, building peer-leaders around the world with the skills and capability to take action for a better future. 

    More information: 

    Learn more about the Global Enterprise Experience (GEE) 

  • ENZ Agent Seminars in China make a strong impact for rebuilding connections

    China is the largest source of international students for New Zealand with agents being the leading channel for student recruitment in this market. Building strong connections between providers and agents in China is critical to recovering student mobility, improving awareness of New Zealand as a study destination and strengthening New Zealand's market position. ENZ's Agent Seminars in China are a well-recognised and impactful way of building relationships with a range of key agents.  

    Education Counsellor and ENZ’s Regional Director Greater China, Michael Zhang, (far left) at the Beijing Agent Seminar with representatives from New Oriental Education Agency and H.E. Grahame Morton, New Zealand Ambassador to People’s Republic of China.

    In addition, Agent Seminars also help to keep agents informed with the latest official information and is an important tool that Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) and other NZ Inc agencies use to share such information. According to recent Immigration New Zealand (INZ) data, agents in China have a high approval rate for student visa processing.   

    Currently, ENZ runs its Agent Seminar series twice a year in this region and this latest series of events held in Chengdu, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing were supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and INZ. INZ’s China-based representatives gave in-person presentations, an initiative which was well received with 88% of agents reporting its inclusion as “very or extremely important to their attendance” in a post-event survey. 

    Participants at the Hong Kong Agent Seminar discuss New Zealand education offerings.

     

    Kevin Wang from the International College of Auckland presenting at the Shanghai Agent Seminar.

     

    To leverage the visibility of New Zealand education providers in the China market, ENZ facilitated media interviews and social media recordings for participants at the Shanghai and Chendgu Seminars. New Zealand providers and ENZ representatives in Chengdu conducted interviews with 13 journalists, the highest response rate for media attending Agent Seminars to date. As a result, three million views were achieved from 58 stories published by 27 local media outlets, with New Zealand university representatives quoted in a media story and an exclusive interview and story for Te Pūkenga on the uniqueness of New Zealand's vocational education in a separate article.    

    Joyce Zhang, University of Otago, is interviewed by a journalist from local media in Chengdu at the ENZ Agent Seminar.

    In Shanghai, the ENZ Shanghai team delivered a China marketing insights session for sector representatives. The presentation titled “Unlocking China’s Education Market: Insights and tools for success” covered:  

    • The key drivers of the consumer 

    • China’s media/digital/social media landscape​ 

    • The big four – WeChat, Little Red Book, Douyin and Bilibili (case studies included) 

    • ENZ’s China local marketing plan​. 

    Anyone interested in receiving a copy of the Marketing Presentation can access this here on ENZ’s Intellilab. 

    ENZ collaborated with Shinyway, the largest agent in the eastern region of China to produce short videos for the agency to promote online. The online promotion aimed to leverage brand awareness of a New Zealand education showcasing New Zealand providers attending the Shanghai event.  A big kudos goes to the 18 brave New Zealand representatives who accepted the invitation to participate in the filming. Education Counsellor and Regional Director Greater China, Michael Zhang, was also interviewed to present the advantages of a New Zealand education and our institutions across all sectors. 

    Shinyway has published all the videos on their consumer-facing social media platforms, including WeChat, Little Red Book, and Weibo. The collaboration enhances New Zealand providers’ market exposure by leveraging Shinyway's influence across their digital platforms and reaching prospective audiences in China elevating our brand profile within a highly targeted audience group.  

    Mary Nixon, Principal of Takapuna Grammar School participating in the recording for sharing on social media. The first trial video published on Shinyway's WeChat received over 300 engagements including likes, shares, favorites and comments.

    87.5% of New Zealand education providers also said that “attendance at the seminars was either “very valuable” or “valuable” for their organisation.” 

    The dates and locations for the next round of Agent Seminars in China will be announced soon. These details will be posted on the ENZ Events page along with the link for registering. 

     

What's in it for me?