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• 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. 

   

• Growing offshore interest in NZ through onshore ‘Famils’

  ‘Famil’, short for ‘Familiarisation’, are visits organised to literally familiarise invited groups of people with a product, or in our case, New Zealand as an international education destination. The intended purpose is that those who attend famils will become valuable advocates for a New Zealand education and therefore drive preference for New Zealand in market.  

  During Covid-19 these visits were stopped due to border closures. Now that borders have been fully open for some time and our international education sector is recovering, this summer provided the perfect opportunity to show off New Zealand, including our regions and unique culture, and the wide range of educational and experiential offerings to representatives from various international markets.  

  The summer of showcasing New Zealand started in November with two media famil groups from India and Viet Nam. This was followed by three groups of education agents from Brazil, Germany and South Korea visiting in March and most recently, a famil co-hosted by ENZ and Air NZ bringing Japanese school teachers to regions in the North Island. ENZ subsidises these programmes with other costs covered by participants, regional economic development agencies, and education providers.  

  

  The University of Otago provided a campus tour with a Korean student and didn't miss the opportunity for a classic picture with its famous Clock Tower.

  ENZ’s General Manager International, Lisa Futschek said that careful planning goes into facilitating these visits to ensure the famil groups are exposed to a range of subsectors that are relevant to the visiting country while also leveraging the visits to benefit as many providers as possible.    

  “While we’d love to showcase every New Zealand provider, this is obviously not possible. Much consideration is given to the source market and to the subsectors that we know are popular with that country.  

  “This ensures we are targeted in our approach and our visitors go back to their countries equipped with the most relevant information that helps build that pipeline of future students," said Lisa.  

  

  The Brazilian agents attended a networking event hosted by AIS for Auckland-based English Language providers.

  “We also look for opportunities in which we can make introductions to several providers in one go. For example, a networking function was held at Auckland Institute of Studies (AIS) with Auckland-based English Language Schools invited to meet the agents from Brazil, cultivating many new connections while strengthening existing ones,” added Lisa.  

  As well as showcasing the various subsectors, promoting the destination is also hugely important and famil itineraries also include time spent seeing what the regions have to offer international students. This is often organised with the help of the regional economic development agencies.  

  A perfect example of cross sector collaboration was seen in Ōtautahi Christchurch where Christchurch Educated, an international education organisation based in the region, hosted a networking dinner with the regional economic development agency, ChristchurchNZ. They hosted the Brazilian and German agent famil groups and education providers from various sectors in the Canterbury region.   

   

  

  The German agents are pictured here at the Christchurch Educated networking event with a group of Christchurch based education providers (mainly high schools). The event was hosted at Ara’s Visions on campus restaurant with the Brazilian agents in attendance too.

   

  Stefi Porter, International Education Partnership Manager for Christchurch Educated said that bringing everyone together to mutually share the benefits of studying in Ōtautahi Christchurch was a wonderful thing.  

  “There is certainly strength in numbers and a perfect example of where collaboration between providers and regional economic development agencies can really deliver greater bang.  

  “Instead of competing against one another, we are sharing resources, time and energy to show the best of our region and the breadth of study options we can offer international students.” 

  A key outcome of the various famil groups visiting New Zealand is that they become advocates for New Zealand as a place to study, ensuring a steady pipeline of students for years to come. In the post-famil survey, all attendees reported they were either much more likely (87.5%) or somewhat more likely (12.5%) to recommend New Zealand as a place to study for prospective students.  

  Other positive outcomes, include the positive media articles and social media posts produced by visiting journalists and individuals to their networks in their home countries. This positive coverage not only showcases the quality of New Zealand's education system but also shares the New Zealand education experience with prospective students in their home countries through stories featuring students and alumni.   

  The India media famil has achieved five in-depth stories to date in Education Times, India's largest newspaper supplement (circulation 500,000). The stories showcase the research prowess at New Zealand universities, including in biotechnology, managing climate change related disruptions, and feature the New Zealand education experiences of a range of students from India. 

  In Viet Nam 10 articles and four social media posts have been published so far, reaching an audience of 557,000, with more coverage expected in the coming months. Of note is HHT, the top teen magazine in Viet Nam has created a column “letters to New Zealand”, which shares weekly articles about New Zealand written about alumni.   

  

  An example of some of the coverage these visits receive. Featured is a compilation of posts that Brazilian agent, Juliana Viana Silveira, owner of CI Intercambio in Juiz de Fora, made on Instagram to her followers during March while in New Zealand. The role of agents in Brazil in international student recruitment is becoming increasingly more important as reported by StudyTravelNetwork here -https://studytravel.network/magazine/news/0/30492

  ENZ would like to extend a huge thanks to the education providers and regional representatives for hosting our international visitors and leaving them with a strong sense of New Zealand’s education offerings. The way in which ENZ is able to work collectively with providers and the regional economic development agencies to collaboratively plan the famil is ideal to ensure a good mix of experiences and a balance of activities.  This approach helps regions feature strongly in any future famil plans and also helps develop the regional international education ecosystem.  

  We look forward to hearing about more connections with education representatives at the ICEF ANZA conference in Christchurch. 

  Check out our image gallery of the famils which shares further details of each of the groups including who attended, where they went and who they met with.

  

  The Japanese All Girls School Teachers participated in a kapa haka class at New Plymouth Girls High School in New Plymouth. Here they are pictured playing the Tītī tōrea Māori Stick game, a traditional New Zealand game which has been played for generations.

   

    

• Mayoral events provide vibrant welcomes to students in their regions

  Last month we shared some of the wonderful images that New Zealand schools, universities, PTEs, Te Pūkenga and English Language Schools shared with ENZ as they welcomed their new students for 2024. This month we are sharing details and images from the Mayoral welcomes that some of our regions have held for their visiting international students. 

  Thank you for adding to our diversity and vibrancy! 

  More than 40 international students were greeted by Whanganui District Council Mayor, Andrew Tripe, at a special Mayoral welcome to the community on Monday 8 April. 

  Speaking to the students from countries including Brazil, South Korea, Japan, Germany, China, India Indonesia, Thailand, and Viet Nam, the Mayor thanked them for choosing Whanganui and adding to the “diversity and vibrancy of our community”. 

  The students attending had enrolled in both secondary schools and tertiary institutions in the district such as Whanganui High School, UCOL Whanganui and the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy. 

  Formal greeting over, the Mayor was rushed by students seeking a special ‘selfie moment’ to share with families and social media. 

  

  A group of Brazilian international students attending Whanganui High School take up the opportunity of a photo with the Whanganui District Council Mayor, Andrew Tripe.

  Similar levels of excitement were seen in Hamilton where the Mayor of Hamilton, Paula Southgate and local performance groups welcomed approximately 250 new international students to the Waikato region. The welcome event was held at the Pā, University of Waikato and is the first welcome since the Covid-19 pandemic put these events on hold.  

  

  Mayor Paula Southgate providing the official welcome to the Waikato’s approximately 250 international students.

  Faymie Li, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao’s Senior Advisor Student Experience said, “I was deeply honoured to witness this significant event and see how we demonstrate manaakitanga to our international students.  

  “The diverse cultures we embrace in Aotearoa is truly something to cherish and celebrate. It was wonderful to see so many school students attending the ceremony, offering them a unique student experience they don't typically encounter.” 

  Jiabao Zhao (Boa), a former international student who completed a Bachelor of Management Studies with First Class Honours at the University of Waikato, shared a message of encouragement with the students. Boa’s advice for new students was: to study hard but also “talk to and meet students from outside your country. It’s easy to remain in your comfort zone but that is not the point of studying abroad. Network and build your presence”. 

  

  Former University of Waikato International Student sharing a message of encouragement to the new international students.

  She also reminded students to take care of both their physical and mental health. There will be challenges but also great opportunities, and her own study and career journey is testament to that. She now works as an International Sales Operation Executive at Prolife Foods Ltd in Hamilton. 

  

  A handful of the 250 students who travelled to the Pā at the University of Waikato, for the international student welcome.

  Also in March, nearly 100 international students received a fine welcome centered on the theme of connection, by Timaru District Mayor, Nigel Bowen. The Timaru District will be home to students from Japan, China, Germany, Thailand, South Korean, Hong Kong, Macau, Fiji, Philippines, Brazil and Poland, and more over the course of this year. You can read about this welcome in the Stuff article here - Nearly 100 international students welcomed to Timaru | Stuff.  

• International education front and centre during Prime Minister’s trade mission to SEA

  From 14 to 20 April, New Zealand Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon led a delegation of New Zealand business and government leaders to Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines. Included in the delegation was Tracey Bridges, Board Chair of Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), who joined a small group of education sector representatives, as well as other New Zealand Inc partners, including New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and New Zealand Story.  

  ENZ’s offshore teams based in Singapore and Thailand played a pivotal role in organising and supporting the international education events, ensuring international education was front and centre throughout the visit.  

  Tracey said that it was pleasing to see that our sector received significant attention throughout the visit and that it played an important part in the New Zealand export story.  

  “Being part of this delegation gave ENZ the opportunity to reinforce the significant economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic value that international education brings to New Zealand. 

  “It was also a wonderful opportunity to underscore the importance of people-to-people links in strengthening bilateral relations. The delegation particularly enjoyed meeting so many New Zealand alumni and hearing how their New Zealand education has had a profound impact on their personal and professional success,” added Tracey.  

  Positive attention on our sector was achieved from the start when Massey University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas signed an Enhanced Collaboration Agreement with Singapore’s PSB Academy’s Executive Chairman Viva Sinniah. This collaboration is a first for a New Zealand university and marks a significant expansion beyond traditional offshore teaching partnerships.  

  From Singapore, the delegation moved on to Thailand, where ENZ facilitated further international education events. Massey University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) under the Thai Ministry of Education. Under the MoU, Massey University in collaboration with ENZ will host in-market English training workshops for more than 100 Thai teachers under the supervision of OBEC in June 2023. This took place during a joint press conference at the Thai Government House, witnessed by the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon and Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. 

  ENZ Thailand, in partnership with Rajamagala University of Technology Phra Nakhon (RMUTP), then hosted New Zealand Member of Parliament Mr. Paulo Garcia, along with 27 delegates at the RMUTP campus for several cultural performances and tours. Later that afternoon, the ENZ Thailand team hosted a New Zealand Alumni Network event inviting the education representatives on the delegation, media representatives and 25 alumni who have all made substantial contributions to the bilateral relationship between New Zealand and Thailand. 

  ENZ’s Regional Director Asia (excluding China), Ben Burrowes said that Prime Minister Luxon engaged enthusiastically with the alumni and was able to see first-hand the role that international education plays in strengthening people-to-people connections around the world.  

  “During this event Prime Minister Luxon presented the Distinguished Service Awards to acknowledge the New Zealand Alumni Association in Thailand and the invaluable support it gives to international education.  

  “In addition to this Award, the Prime Minister presented an Eminent Alumni Award to a graduate who has made outstanding contributions to furthering bilateral ties between our two countries,” said Ben. 

  The Thai leg of the itinerary finished with a cocktail reception commemorating the Prime Minister’s visit. Over 400 guests representing various New Zealand Inc agencies, key local stakeholders from government agencies, educational institutions, private corporations, and education agents attended the event, reinforcing the close education ties between New Zealand and Thailand.  

  Lastly, the delegation travelled to the Philippines which for many members was their first visit. The time was effectively used here to engage with a number of ENZ’s key stakeholders invited to New Zealand Inc engagements across the programme.  

  At the close of the trip, Prime Minister Luxon said "the commercial announcements and deals between the delegation on the trip and counterparts in Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines represent the growth of long-term, strategic partnerships. 

  "These relationships bind our countries closer together and deliver increased prosperity for all those involved."

• International Student Barometer results

  What can we do differently to meet and exceed students’ expectations?

  The 2014 English Language Sector (ELS) and Private Training Establishment (PTE) International Student Barometer (ISB) surveys were commissioned by Education New Zealand to investigate the decision-making, expectations, perceptions and experiences of over 2,000 international students enrolled with New Zealand providers. 

  The ISB surveys also incorporate a global benchmark to provide an indication of how New Zealand compares to other countries offering English language learning and niche education such as that offered by PTEs.

  Overall, students rate their study experience in New Zealand highly – above the global benchmark for both sectors. Students’ inclination to recommend their institution is above the global average 2012 for the ELS, but slightly below the global average for the PTE sector.

  Interactive seminars for PTE and ELS providers were held last week as an opportunity for providers to delve a little deeper into the findings and examine best practice activity.

  Participants in both seminars were in agreement that the setting and meeting of expectations, and opportunities to meet and interact with New Zealanders were priorities going forward.  

  Other areas identified by participants for consideration included:

  • The need to address the sense of isolation from school and community that some students feel by facilitating involvement in community, cultural and groups and sports clubs.

  • Providing timely and accurate information to the student before they arrive in New Zealand, on the programme of study and on the New Zealand lifestyle and Kiwi culture.

  • With social networking sites ranking low in importance as an influencer for choice of institution should organisations rethink their marketing activities?

  • The provision of tailored pathways advice for students progressing to further study or into employment.

• NZ admissions staff key to sustainable industry

  There are relatively small numbers of people working in the area of international qualifications in New Zealand, so training and the sharing of knowledge is vital.

  To support this need for professional development, AUT and ENZ jointly hosted UK NARIC to run training sessions on 17 and 18 September for New Zealand admissions staff. The workshop also provided a valuable opportunity for admissions staff from around the country to share their knowledge and expertise.   

  UK NARIC is the designated United Kingdom national agency responsible for providing information, advice and expert opinion on vocational, academic and professional skills and qualifications from over 180 countries worldwide.

  The sessions were well attended and well received. Here’s some of the feedback, grouped under each of the four training session topics.  

  Evaluating International Qualifications.

  This session provided some guidance in the all-important area of qualification evaluation.

  • This session helped me to understand different models of education and evaluation process of international qualifications. Among the four traditional education models of: Anglo- Scottish, American, Humboldt and Napoleonic. The first two models are quite straight forward, unlike the last two!

  • Exercises in identifying which model to apply where, gave us better understanding of the entry requirements, duration, progression route and qualification comparison the various qualifications.

  • I now have a greater understanding on what to request and look for while checking and accepting documents.

  Degrees of Deception.

  This session looked at the worldwide problem of applicants presenting fraudulent documents to ensure a place in a learning institute.

  • The overview, general and brief as it was, gave me a starting point as to the kinds of alterations to look for when presented with a document for assessing.

  • A major part of an admissions staffer’s daily workload includes deciphering international documents and recognising the difference between acceptable and fraudulent qualifications. The NARIC training course has made me think twice and question things I may have otherwise not thought about.

  Education in China.

  This session gave an overview of the structure of the education systems in China.

  • As well as gaining a general understanding of the Chinese education system in different provinces, I found the session on numbers and dates in Chinese characters particularly helpful, as it helped me get a precise understanding of the course duration, start date and completion date in order to verify authenticity of the translation. Also, the exercise we did identifying Chinese characters to confirm the school and entry to higher education will help me to understand Chinese certificates more easily.

  • The other interesting exercise was identifying the authenticity of the certificate by looking at its serial number. After this session I am clear about how to read the transcript and the completion certificate.

  Education in North America.

  This session gave an overview of the structure of the education systems in North America.

  My top three takeaways from this session were:

  • There is no national qualifications framework in Canada, thus there is a lot of variation in education between the provinces.

  • There is also no national accrediting body in Canada to evaluate the quality of all degree programmes, although a number of regulatory authorities perform this function for programmes in professional subjects at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

  • Many countries in the Caribbean have very few nationally accredited higher education institutions, so links with international universities to offer recognised qualifications are common

  Ways in which the training will change or improve the way I work:

  • More knowledge of the education systems in North America will make it easier and more efficient to assess applicants from this area, as less time will be spent looking up information.

  A particular challenge in my job that is now made easier since having the training:

  • The training provided specific information on the difference between vocational and academic Associate Degrees from the United States. This was useful as we only accept Academic Associate Degrees for University Entrance and it was previously not always easy to identify if the qualification was academic or vocational.

• BPO Intelligence joins NZIEC 2017 as lead partner

  “We are delighted to be a part of NZIEC for a fourth consecutive year, and excited to be doing so as lead partner,” says BPO Intelligence CEO, Naresh Gulati.

  “NZIEC is quickly growing into one of the most popular conferences on the global international education circuit, and we look forward to sharing our expertise in leadership and innovation, and helping to explore strategies for growth and development in international education,” says Naresh.

  The innovative marketing and communications company works closely with many providers across the country, and 85 percent of universities in Australia and New Zealand, to aid them in their international marketing endeavours.

  “We appreciate BPO’s commitment to supporting the development of New Zealand’s international education industry through its backing of NZIEC,” says ENZ chief executive Grant McPherson.

  “BPO has been a strong supporter of NZIEC for the past three years, so we’re thrilled to have them involved for the next phase of the conference’s development.”

  “I encourage all conference delegates to head along and touch base with Paree Brar and the BPO team at the Expo Hall,” says Grant.

  NZIEC 2016 attracted a record 682 delegates over two days. NZIEC 2017 will be held at SkyCity Convention Centre in Auckland on 22 and 23 August, with pre-conference workshops held on the afternoon of Monday 21 August.

  Registrations will open on Wednesday 17 May and places are expected to fill quickly. Find out more at www.nziec.co.nz

• Japan events bring growth and connections

  Although this was the third year the fair has run, ENZ’s Senior Market Development Manager – Japan, Misa Kitaoka, noted a prevalence of tertiary students this year, often seeking degree programmes.

  "While Japan hasn’t traditionally been a study-to-work market, concerns over employment outlook as well as anxieties over life in retirement with the declining population could be encouraging the Japanese to pursue new options to secure their future,” she said.

  The fair attracted a record 550 visitors, including 340 students, and 37 New Zealand providers.

  As destination marketing plays a key role in student attraction to New Zealand, ENZ received support from Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand for the fair, and also welcomed Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Study Abroad, led by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT), as the official supporter for the fair.                '

  “MEXT’s support is an endorsement of ENZ’s 3-year operation in Japan, and a testament to our 10% market growth in 2016,” said Misa.   

  

   

  ENZ’s Sam Heeney, Tomoko Nishikawa from Tobitate Office and Misa Kitaoka.   

   

  A representative from the Tobitate Office gave a presentation during the fair, explaining the application procedures and encouraging students to apply for the scholarship to study in New Zealand. 

  The presentation was followed by a panel of three Tobitate alumni who shared why they chose to study in New Zealand.

  In conjunction with the fair, ENZ hosted two education seminars in Osaka and Tokyo, with a record 164 education agents and institutions attending. For those that sought to expand their existing network, SIEBA’s presence was much appreciated as it introduced standardised contracts, as well as services including primary and secondary student placements.

  Education seminars have been increasingly popular amongst school teachers looking to send students and student groups to New Zealand secondary schools. This initiative is driven by the Japanese government’s push for internationalisation ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

  Julie Haskell, Director of International at the University of Auckland English Language Academy (ELA) has attended ENZ events over the last three years.

  “Attending these events has helped ELA to identify new business opportunities as well as developing existing partnerships,” she said.

  “We look forward to attending future events in Japan.”

           

• Fun and games at Christchurch student welcome

  The event was held at the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, and offered free food, games – including jenga, table tennis, and a Rugby 101 workshop led by the BNZ Crusaders – as well as a number of live music and cultural performances such as kapa haka, Indian Bangara dancing and a traditional Chinese lion dance. 

  Canterbury’s community groups and tourism operators were also on hand to greet new students, alongside Christchurch Deputy mayor Andrew Turner, who gave a welcome speech.

  ChristchurchNZ International Education Programme Manager Bree Loverich was pleased to see such a strong turnout.

  “This event was a fantastic opportunity to bring together new students, international education staff, homestay families and volunteers to celebrate our different cultures and showcase all there is to see and do in Christchurch and Canterbury,” said Bree.

  

  

  

• Measles outbreak: information for international students

  

  There is currently an outbreak of measles in New Zealand.

  We encourage you to stay up-to-date with the latest advice and information on the measles outbreak by visiting the Ministry of Health’s website here.

  Measles is a highly infectious airborne virus and one of the world’s most infectious diseases. It is important that international students get vaccinated at least two weeks before travelling to New Zealand. This allows time for the vaccine to build immunity.

  For international students who are currently in New Zealand, it is important to know your vaccination status to know if you are immune. If you do not know your vaccination status, you may wish to ask someone at home to check with your healthcare provider. 

  It is extremely important to be up-to-date with measles immunisations. This protects the student, their community and anyone they may come into contact with – particularly small babies, pregnant women and others who cannot be vaccinated

  One dose of MMR vaccine protects about 95 percent of people, and two doses protects about 99 percent of people. Two doses are necessary to prevent outbreaks.

  It is important to note that the Ministry of Health is working closely with District Health Boards in New Zealand to manage the distribution of vaccine stock to ensure they are available to those who need them most. This means that first priority for MMR vaccinations is currently:

  Auckland

  • Ensuring all children receive their MMR vaccinations on time at 12 months and 4 years to maintain the national Childhood Immunisation Schedule
  • Targeted community outreach managed by the three Auckland DHBs, namely groups who are most affected by the outbreak including 15-29 year olds and Pacific peoples within those groups.

  Rest of New Zealand

  • Ensure all children receive their vaccinations on time at 15 months and 4 years to maintain the national Childhood Immunisation Schedule
  • Susceptible close contacts within 72 hours of first exposure to measles when possible.

  Symptoms

  Symptoms of measles include: a fever; cough; runny nose; sore and watery ‘pink’ eyes and a rash. People are contagious five days before and five days after the appearance of the rash, counting the day of rash onset as day one. 

  Advice if someone thinks they have measles: 

  • Stay away from work, school or public places
  • Call Healthline on 0800 611 116, to inform them that you are experiencing symptoms of measles and that you may have come into contact with a measles case
  • Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing and wash your hands frequently
  • Minimise your contact with others to prevent infecting them
  • Students should also make sure other people e.g. flatmates, friends, homestay families or hostel staff are aware they are unwell, so they can assist if needed.

  Who shouldn’t get the vaccine?

  You shouldn’t get immunised against measles if you:

  • Are pregnant
  • Have had an anaphylaxis reaction to MMR or are immunocompromised.

  If a student thinks they have been exposed to measles and is unable to have the vaccine, they need to ask a doctor for advice. 

  Pregnant women who think they have measles, or have come in contact with someone with measles, must call their general practice or lead maternity carer as soon as possible. Pregnant women who were immunised against measles prior to becoming pregnant, are almost certainly protected. 

  More information

  All international students must have medical insurance while they are in New Zealand. To find out more about healthcare in New Zealand for international students, go to NauMai NZ.