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  • Measles outbreak: information for international students

    Measles pic 2

    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.

  • Ask New Anything: The campaign in China

    Ask New Anything, ENZ’s latest global, digital campaign, was launched worldwide in early October and a week later in China – after national holiday Golden Week. In China, the campaign leveraged ENZ’s strategic platforms with the help of our digital partner UMS. 

    So far, nearly 37 million Chinese have engaged with the campaign and ENZ’s following on WeChat has almost doubled as a result.

    To celebrate the success of Ask New Anything in China, we’ve broken down four of our key platforms and explained why they are important when it comes to having a presence in this part of the world.

    1. Zhihu

    ENZ is the first international education agency in the world to have an official account on Zhihu. This puts ENZ in the company of other well-known international brands such as Audi and Airbnb.

    Zhihu is the latest platform to be added to ENZ’s Chinese social portfolio. Like Quora and Reddit, Zhihu is known in China as a space for Q&As, making it a great fit for the Ask New Anything campaign.

    Visit our Zhihu account to watch a campaign video developed especially for this platform.

    2.WeChat

    It was a natural choice to promote Ask New Anything on WeChat.

    ENZ is one of the first education agencies in the world to utilise a premium format of WeChat Interactive Ads, and has engaged with 24 million users in our target groups since Ask New Anything began.

    WeChat is a mobile app that does almost everything in China. It currently has over one billion active monthly users worldwide and is growing. In China, our audiences use WeChat to connect with brands, with each other, to shop, to order taxis, the list goes on.

    ENZ has had an account on WeChat since 2014, and currently has more than 58,500 followers – including prospective Chinese students and their parents. Almost half of these began following the channel in 2019 as a result of a more targeted approach to our campaigns. Through this channel, users can explore what interests them most about studying in New Zealand.

    3. WeChat mini-programme: My StudyNZ

    ENZ added My StudyNZ to our WeChat portfolio in October 2018. This is a bespoke application developed for the platform.

    The mini-programme delivers the same course-matching experience as our global My StudyNZ platform to Chinese audiences, via WeChat.

    WeChat mini programme QR code new logo

    4. .cn website

    Earlier this year, ENZ launched a China version of the student-facing Study in New Zealand website with a China domain (.cn).

    This new website overcame issues with accessibility, performance and loading speed in China, and is optimised for Baidu (China’s largest search engine).

    cn website

    5. Weibo and YouKu

    The Ask New Anything campaign also has a presence on Weibo, which remains one of China’s largest social media platforms, and on YouKu, the China equivalent of YouTube.

  • Coronavirus update for ENZ stakeholders

    We’re writing today to provide you with a further update on the coronavirus and its impact on the education sector.

     National response

    Education New Zealand is taking its lead from the Ministry of Health, who is monitoring the situation closely and will advise if any public health measures become necessary.

    At this time, the Ministry of Health has publicly advised the likelihood of an imported case in New Zealand is high, but the likelihood of an ongoing outbreak remains low. However, we recommend that you follow the below advice to keep your students and staff safe and well.

    ENZ update

    ENZ is working closely with Government agencies to inform and share the advice being developed.

    Please find below two updates on ENZ-led programmes based in China.

    Prime Minister’s Scholarship (PMS) recipients in China

    • The safety and wellbeing of New Zealand students in China is paramount. ENZ is contacting PMS recipients in China to check whether they’d like to come home or are comfortable staying in the current environment. ENZ will support their early return.
    • We’re reminding students already in China to follow SafeTravel guidelines. We’re also providing individuals and groups of students scheduled to travel to China with the latest advice.
    • ENZ is offering Prime Minister’s scholars who were planning to travel to China in the next three months the opportunity to defer their travel at this time.
    • We have been working closely with tertiary education providers as we work through these options.

    ENZ events in Asia

    • ENZ is reviewing the agent seminars scheduled to go ahead in China this March. We expect to be able to share our decision with the sector shortly.
    • Finally ENZ has set up an email address to receive sector feedback, questions and concerns – please email response@enz.govt.nz.

    Advice from the Ministry of Education

    • The Ministry of Education has released advice for principals, early learning services, tertiary and parents on keeping staff and students safe.
    • The Ministry is advising providers to err on the side of caution. Staff and students who are arriving from China, have recently travelled there, or feel they may have been exposed to coronavirus are to take the voluntary precaution of staying at home for up to 14 days. This would take effect from their last date of exposure or from the time they arrived in the country if they are unsure.
    • It is important to remember the safety and wellbeing of all students is of paramount importance during this period of uncertainty. As international education providers are aware, they have an important responsibility to ensure that students are well-informed, safe and properly cared for. For further information, see the Ministry of Health’s advice to principals or NZQA information.
    • For further guidance, including for homestay, hostel and other accommodation providers, see the Ministry of Education's information for the education sector, caregivers and whānau of learners.

    Health and travel advice

    • Keep yourself safe by following the World Health Organisation’s standard recommendations to prevent infections:
    • Wash your hands regularly
    • Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
    • Thoroughly cook meat and eggs
    • Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness.

    Key sources of information are:

    •  MFAT’s Safetravel website As of yesterday, it advises New Zealanders do not travel to Hubei province due to the coronavirus and the associated travel restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities.
    • Ministry of Health’s webpage on the Coronavirus. In addition:
      • The Ministry has released information for travellers arriving to New Zealand in English, traditional Chinese and simplified Chinese.
      • The Ministry encourages travellers who become sick within a month of their arrival to seek medical advice and contact Healthline (0800 611 116) or a doctor. It is important to mention recent travel to Wuhan and any known contact with someone with severe acute respiratory illness who has been in Wuhan.
      • The Ministry is also publishing border advisories on this page which it shares with border stakeholders.
    • The World Health Organisation (WHO) is providing situation reports, travel advice and advises on measures to protect yourself.

     Please contact us if you have any issues or concerns - response@enz.govt.nz.

  • Advertising opportunity in Japan

    The publication is the only of its kind supported by the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo and Education New Zealand. It distributes 20,000 copies to Japanese schools, universities and education organisations as well as education fairs and seminars.  

     

    “After the Rugby World Cup in 2019, New Zealand has had an increased presence and visibility in Japan. This is a great opportunity to leverage off the New Zealand country profile to promote your institution and region,” says ENZ Senior Market Development Manager – Japan, Misa Kitaoka. 

     

    “This guidebook is a great opportunity for regional bodies and individual providers to promote their offering. Furthermore, because destination marketing is a key part of education promotion in Japan, Kbunsha is offering a separate advertising rate for regional groups.” 

     

    To advertise, bookings must be made by 13 March 2020.  

     

    For further details on the guidebook and pricing for regional groups, download the proposal here. 

     

    Individual providers can download the proposal here. 

  • Education New Zealand welcomes new Board member

    Daniel was appointed to the Board on 13 December 2019 by Minister of Education Chris Hipkins.

    ENZ Board Chair Steve Maharey says the Board is delighted to welcome him to Education New Zealand.

    “Daniel comes to us from the school sector with a wide knowledge of education, experience in governance and a passion for international education. We are looking forward to his contribution at what is a challenging and exciting time,” Steve says.

    Daniel began his career as a music teacher in Auckland. He has been the principal at Nayland College since 2015, where he has overseen a transformational shift in the school’s pedagogy and learning environment. His work was recognised at the 2019 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards, when the school was selected as one of four national finalists in the ‘Excellence in Leading’ category. The awards panel credited the school for initiating a “values-based learning revolution”.

    Under Daniel’s leadership at Nayland College, international student enrolment has increased by 40 percent. In 2020, the school will host 80 students from around the globe.

    Alongside his role at Nayland College, Daniel is also the lead principal and governance chairperson for the Top of the South Trades Academy. In his spare time, he is an accomplished brass musician, playing trombone in a variety of musical groups around Nelson and serving as president of Nelson City Brass.

  • Spotlight on the US

    At certain times of year, you can stand in a certain apple orchard in the American state of Vermont and hear strands of a Māori waiata.

    The East and West Coast Whānau Councils were set up by former students of the Auckland University of Technology’s Noho Marae programme. They were so moved by their experience in Aotearoa that they set up these groups so that they can meet regularly to eat kai, do haka and poi, and keep the whānau spirit alive.

    These students are but a handful of the North American students that choose to study in New Zealand every year. In 2018, 3,028 students from the US travelled here for education, a number that has risen steadily – by nearly 23 percent – since 2014.

    “More than 300,000 American students study outside the US every year,” ENZ Regional Director – Americas & Europe, Amy Rutherford says. “By educating over one percent of those students year upon year, New Zealand is punching well above its weight.”

    Diversity and inclusion

    There is a common misperception amongst students in North America that New Zealand is an ‘easy’ destination. Students are drawn here for the tourist opportunities and laidback lifestyle just as much as a quality education.

    In an effort to promote New Zealand as a world-leading education destination, ENZ’s team based in North America have focused on diversity and inclusion.  

    The remit of diversity and inclusion in the US is much broader than it is in Aotearoa. It encompasses not only racial and ethnic minorities, but single parents, first-generation university students, military veterans, and those with disabilities.

    Within this space, ENZ has been promoting New Zealand as a welcoming, progressive place to study. As Māori are world leaders in indigenous leadership, New Zealand is particularly well-positioned to support Native American and indigenous students.

    New Zealand alumni like Brook Thompson and Hailey Suina have reported that connecting with te ao Māori has strengthened their understanding of their own cultures, boosting their confidence to act as leaders at home.

    As part of this work, ENZ recently renewed its commitment to a partnership with the US regarding its Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship, a prestigious prize aimed at students from disadvantaged backgrounds. ENZ has pledged NZ $250,000 over five years for Gilman scholars who choose to come to New Zealand.

    Beyond study abroad

    The majority of US students come here at university level, often for one semester only as part of the US university and study abroad provider study abroad programmes.

    Rather than come here for a complete qualification, US students travel short-term during their third or fourth years of university. Their work here is then cross-credited to their home institution.

    Amy says that study abroad is very popular. For those students interested in travel, adventure, and discovering themselves, it is largely self-sustaining. New opportunities in study abroad lie in expanding this base to those students who have been traditionally underrepresented in study abroad, or regions of the country where not much is know about New Zealand.

    Amy’s team is now increasingly focused on a new opportunity emerging for New Zealand institutions: attracting tertiary students to study here for their whole qualification.

    For American students, committing to leave their home country for at least three years is a big ask. Attending college is a massive social milestone in the US, and one that alumni pin their identities on for the rest of their lives.

    However, increasing numbers of students are looking for study opportunities offshore as the cost of studying in the US continues to rise.

    US students are drawn to New Zealand’s highly ranked, innovative programmes in niche areas. An example of this is Massey University’s Bachelor of Veterinary Science. This course can be completed in five years (as opposed to eight in the US), costs a fraction of an equivalent US degree, and is approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), allowing graduates to return home and begin working immediately in the field.

    Identifying and promoting these academic strengths among New Zealand institutions and explaining how they can propel students towards the career path of their choice is key to positioning a New Zealand education as a desirable alternative to the classic American college life. 

    Want to find out how your institution can get involved with ENZ’s work in the US?

    Contact northamerica@enz.govt.nz.

  • International Student Hardship Fund

    Thank you for all the applications we have received.

    The Fund has now been allocated and we are no longer able to accept applications. 

     

    The Government has established a $1M hardship fund for international students to address urgent, temporary needs, for example temporary inability to access cash or because of reduced part-time employment.

    Criteria

    We welcome applications from education providers and organisations to apply for grants of up to $20,000 (GST not to be included) to enable you to provide eligible international students with direct financial relief or other support, including food parcels and support towards living costs.

    Organisations can apply for grants up to $20,000.

    Applications can be made from 21 May until funding has been allocated.

    Which organisations are eligible to apply to ENZ for grants?

    • Education providers who are signatories to the Code of Practice
    • Community groups
    • Peak bodies, or
    • Other organisations who currently work with international students and have the mechanisms and experience to support international students with hardship requests.

    Individual students and education agents may not apply to ENZ to access the fund.

    What grants are available?

    • Eligible organisations may apply for grants of up to $20,000 (GST not to be included) per request to the fund.
    • Grants are one-off; however, the same organisation may make additional requests after using their initial funding (subject to the availability of funding).

    What can grants be used for?

    The grants may be used to:

    • scale up existing student hardship initiatives
    • support eligible students through:
      • Direct cash grants
      • The purchase of resources on behalf of international students, such as food parcels, where this is appropriate.
    • The maximum amount that can be applied for is up to $1,000 per international student your organisation is supporting.
    • Funds may not be used for:
      • Salaries or staff administration costs
      • Funding for flights home
      • Tuition fees
      • Granting individual students support of more than $1,000 in cash or kind.

     Which students are eligible for support?

    • Grants can only be used to provide support to eligible students.
    • An eligible student is:
      • A current fee-paying international student, or enrolled as a fee-paying international student as at 23 March
      • Currently in New Zealand
      • In genuine, temporary hardship[1]
      • Not eligible for other government financial support.
    • International PhD students paying domestic fees are eligible for the government’s domestic student hardship fund and should be encouraged to seek help from that scheme in the first instance.

     Table: Summary of eligible and ineligible students

               Eligible students

               Ineligible students
    • A current fee-paying international student, or enrolled as an international student as at 23 March.
    • In genuine, temporary hardship. 
    • International PhD students paying domestic fees.
    • International students who are not currently enrolled or who were not enrolled as an international student as at 23 March.
    • International students who are eligible for other government support.

     

    How do organisations apply?

    • To apply for grant funding, organisations must complete and submit an online application form to ENZ.
    • Organisations will need to provide the following information:
      • Their strategy and approach to identifying students in need, including outreach efforts and ensuring eligibility criteria are met
      • Estimated number of international students and basic demographics (e.g. age range, sector, nationalities, region)
      • Total amount requested, what it will be used for, and how it has been calculated
      • The organisation’s resources to ensure appropriate distribution
      • Agreement to meet reporting requirements (including publication) and to repay any underspend within 12 weeks of having been granted the funds
      • Invoice and bank details for payment.
    • Process –  Applications are now closed.
    • Assessment of applications will be completed within five working days. Approval will be notified by email, as will confirmation of distribution of funds.
    • Any queries about the International Student Hardship Fund can be sent to response@enz.govt.nz or raised with Sahinde Pala, Director of Student Experience & Global Citizens at Education New Zealand.

     Reporting requirements:

    • Organisations will need to report to ENZ on:
      • The number of students assisted, and basic demographics (e.g. age range, sector, nationalities, region of New Zealand)
      • The type of assistance provided
      • How much was provided.
    • To demonstrate programme outcomes, and as part of its commitment to ensuring value for money from expenditure, ENZ will publish reports from participating organisations in whole or part.

    Closing date

    Applications can be made from 21 May, until funding has been allocated.

    Further information

    Frequently asked questions are available here.

    Any queries or concerns about the International Student Hardship Fund can be sent to response@enz.govt.nz or raised with Sahinde Pala, Director of Student Experience & Global Citizens at Education New Zealand.

    Thank you for your assistance in helping to support international students currently studying here during these unprecedented times.

    [1] Organisations will have the discretion to determine what constitutes significant, temporary hardship in accordance with their existing policies and practices.

  • International Student Hardship Fund now fully allocated

    The fund first opened for applications on 21 May. It was met with immediate interest by a wide variety of education institutions and community groups.

    A cross-ENZ team named Kāhui Oranga was charged with the fund’s administration. They met twice weekly to go through applications and ensure a balanced allocation of funds between regions, sectors and institutions.

    Education providers and community organisations are disseminating grants from the fund to international students in the form of cash grants, food parcels and accommodation support.

    ENZ Director of Student Experience and Global Citizens, Sahinde Pala, led Kāhui Oranga. She says the government was glad to be able to offer international students tangible support in such an uncertain time.

    “At ENZ we talk a lot about manaakitanga – the offering of hospitality and respect to guests. We really want every student that comes to New Zealand to feel valued,” she says.

    “It was obvious once the impacts of COVID-19 began to be felt here that we needed to offer our international students most in need extra support during these difficult times.”

    Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Poto Williams, announced the Assistance for Foreign Nationals impacted by COVID-19 Programme.

    This $37.6 million fund will open on 1 July and be administered by the Department of Internal Affairs. International students experiencing serious hardship will be able to apply to this programme to receive support with basic needs such as food and accommodation.

    Read the announcement here.

  • Meet the team: John Goulter

    Could you please outline your own role and the role of the Stakeholders and Communications team?

    The Stakeholders and Communications team looks after the part of ENZ’s work that intersects with key external groups – such as other government departments, Ministers, Parliament and, through our various channels, the people of New Zealand.

    We try to get all those influences lined up in support of international education. Right now, thanks to COVID-19, there is more external focus on international education than there has been for years. We try to ensure it’s well-informed.

    How has COVID-19 impacted your team’s work, and what work do you have ahead of you with the recovery?

    Sometimes it seems like we have done nothing else since COVID-19 appeared on the horizon way back in January.

    It has brought to the surface some long-running issues about international education. It’s an opportunity for us to show leadership in outlining the future role of the sector, and developing interesting new approaches.

    John with ENZ Field Director - North America Lewis Gibson in Washington DC.

    Can you tell me a bit about your professional background?

    I was a journalist for a long time, mainly reporting politics from the Press Gallery in Parliament.

    I loved that at the time but I moved into public affairs roles because after a while in journalism I wanted to be influencing the way things happen, rather than just writing about them. 

    Journalism is now changing totally, like many sectors are. Some new models are emerging, but it’s a struggle in a country the size of New Zealand.

    What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

    I like running and travelling and live music. So I’m not having a great year. Most running events have been cancelled or postponed, and so have all the concerts I had booked for.

    I listen to some podcasts, mainly about running and politics in the United States. It is hard for us to fathom the depth of the COVID-19 crisis they are going through.

    I actually liked a lot about our lockdown. It was good being a little family unit at home. I loved running on nearly empty roads. I took up Zoom yoga classes with my daughter in Christchurch. I wonder about what the new reality is going to look like for us all.

  • Registrations open: NZ Vocational Education and Training Research Forum

    The NZ Vocational Education and Training Research Forum (NZVETRF) is a multi-sector opportunity for discussing ‘what works’ in vocational education. In 2020, the forum will be delivered fully online, including international keynotes, and a curated programme of breakout sessions, along with interest based ‘hangouts’ and expert sessions.

    The new partnership with Skills International extends the reach of the forum to an international network, to learn from and contribute to global developments in VET to support the COVID-19 recovery efforts.

    CEO of The Skills Organisation, Garry Fissenden, says vocational education and training will be a critical component of the response to the employment, economic, and social shocks caused by COVID-19 around the world. He says:

    “With New Zealand’s vocational education sector embarking on a major reform, now more than ever is a time to come together to share evidence and capability of how vocational education and training can support skills and productivity, and wider wellbeing.”

    For more details, head to the NZVETRF website.

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