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• Prime Minister’s Scholarships extended to Latin America

  The scholarships will mean more young Kiwis are exposed to Latin American countries and cultures, and this will strengthen New Zealand’s ability to engage with key Latin American trading partners in the future.

  The Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Latin America (PMSLA) will complement the successful Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia initiative. Under that programme 751 scholarships for Kiwi students to study in Asia have been awarded since it was implemented in 2013.

  The expanded scholarships programme will strengthen international linkages with an area of the world which is becoming increasingly important for New Zealand trade and business. Latin American and Asian destinations are all just one direct flight away, making them more accessible and easier to work with.

  The scholarships are part of the $761.4 million ‘Innovative New Zealand’ budget package, $43.5 million of that is to develop stronger international connections for tertiary students. This includes the introduction of the PMSLA, the expansion of the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia and the introduction of three Centres of Asia Pacific Excellence at universities.

  Nominations for the first round of the PMSLA will open on 1 September 2016 and will be awarded in November 2016. The scholarships will be administered by Education New Zealand. More information about the scholarships can be found here.  

• Koreans land safely into New Zealand schools

  They are in New Zealand for an eight-week programme that includes English language provision. The programme is a direct result of the Free Trade Agreement signed in December 2015 between New Zealand and South Korea.

  Peter Bull, ENZ General Manager International, said the Korean students are the children of farming or fishing families, and are all high performing students.

  “The opportunity to study in New Zealand and to represent their family, school and Korea in this inaugural year of the scholarship scheme saw students go through a selection criteria that whittled down over 2,000 applications to the 150 selected.”

  ENZ partnered closely with the Schools International Education Business Association (SIEBA) to implement the scholarship scheme in New Zealand through its member schools, and to help manage the logistics involved in coordinating such a large group of students at once.

  Peter paid tribute to SIEBA for also delivering orientations in the three regions to ensure that the transition into New Zealand life was as seamless as possible for the Korean visitors.

  A highlight of the orientation programme occurred at Canterbury’s Pudding Hill Lodge, near Methven. The students were welcomed with a waiata from some talented Mount Hutt College students. This was followed by a very warm welcome from Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce that was then reciprocated by the Korean students.

  The other welcome ceremonies were held at St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton, which was attended by the Korean Ambassador, and President of EPIS, the Korean agency responsible for the implementation of the programme, and at Garin College in Nelson.

  As agreed under the KNZFTA, 450 students will be granted scholarships to study in New Zealand over three years.

  The arrival of the students has made the headlines in the local press. Here are just some of the stories which have been published so far. 

  • The Timaru Herald, Korean students to stay and study in South Canterbury
  • Stuff, Korean students keen to explore South Canterbury
  • The Marlborough Express, Korean students arrive in Malborough 

• NZ education features in Malaysia newspaper

  “New Zealand offers one of the top-ranked education systems in the world,” said Jane Goh, Education New Zealand (ENZ) Marketing and Strategic Relations Manager in Kuala Lumpur.

  “Unfortunately, the strengths of the New Zealand education system go relatively unrecognised or have low awareness in Malaysia, especially compared with its growing popularity in China and India.”

  Jane said this represents a significant opportunity in Malaysia for institutions prepared to invest time and effort into student recruitment and partnership development. She called Malaysia “a promising but largely untapped” market.

  “Malaysia is not only a vibrant market for recruiting international students but it is a popular international studying destination for Asian students and students from Islamic countries.”

  Jane said there needed to be a consistent, industry-wide strategic approach taken to the Malaysia market to highlight New Zealand education quality.

  “We decided to invest in a promotional project that included a series of key messages about New Zealand education, current students and alumni stories, as well as an overall picture of studying and living experience in New Zealand.”

  ENZ played a major role in this project and worked closely with The Star, the largest local English newspaper in circulation.

  “We wrote the content and edited several interviews into stories. The key intent was to position New Zealand as a world-class education destination.

  “We wanted the market to know about our internationally renowned universities, our learning experience and to hear from Malaysian students who have studied in New Zealand.”

  Jane said she was pleased to get support from the University of Auckland, Canterbury University, Lincoln University, University of Otago and Southern Institute of Technology. These universities contributed their angle of story and paid for advertising.

  The feature was published in late July, just before the series of NZ Education Fair and roadshows in Malaysia.

  “We then continued this effort with a media roundtable on the 2 August, to discuss the importance of holistic education in today’s employment market.”

  You can read the whole feature here. 

• Wellington's international students raise funds for local charity

  Local Wellington businesses donated items to the auction, including Vodafone, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Embassy cinema, Flight Coffee and Havana Coffee Works. In a true spirit of generosity, many students also pitched in to donate what they could, giving both financial contributions and items to be auctioned.         

  Together with a little help from its Auckland campus, The Campbell Institute raised over $2,000 for DCM.

  “It’s a great chance for international students to contribute something extra to the community that is hosting them,” says Tim Mahren Brown, CEO of The Campbell Institute.

  “It’s also a valuable language learning exercise in itself as students need to listen very carefully to follow the bidding!”

  The Campbell Institute charity auction is an annual event and, in 2015, also raised funds for Sir Edmund Hillary’s Himalayan Trust to help rebuild Nepal after the earthquakes.

• Kiwi academics wow Indian students and faculty

  The ALS showcased the quality of education and research excellence at New Zealand’s universities, and provided a unique engagement platform for Indian students and faculty.

  Jugnu Roy, ENZ’s Country Manager for India, says events like these are important to building relationships between Indian and New Zealand education institutions.

  “The lecture series offered real-life examples of New Zealand’s academic and specialist research strengths. One-on-one engagement with experts inspires students to follow in their footsteps – and creates avenues to seek higher education in New Zealand,” she said.

  The academics were Professor David Wareham from University of Canterbury, who presented ‘Effects of the Canterbury Earthquakes on the Wastewater Treatment Plant and Sewage Disposal System’; Dr Gourab Sen Gupta from Massey University, who presented ‘Importance of sensing and measurement in the world of robotics’; Professor Ravi Gooneratne from Lincoln University, who presented ‘Impact of Climate Change on Food Safety & Security’; Professor Elizabeth Rose from University of Otago, who discussed international business in “International new ventures: where do we go from here?”; and Professor David Hutchinson from University of Otago, whose lecture centered on the work of the Dodd-Wall Centre for Photonic & Quantum Technologies.

  The ALS visited institutions in five cities, including the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, and the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

  The ALS generated significant media coverage in The Hindu, The Statesman, the Deccan Chronicle and other leading media outlets.

  Click here to read the Academic Lecture Series programme.

• Making New Zealand’s roads safer for students

  The Visiting Drivers Project is aiming to do just that. The project is a collaboration between the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and its road safety partners, including the Automobile Association (AA), and rental vehicle operators and tourism operators across the country.

  The focus for the project is the Otago, Southland and West Coast regions where visiting drivers make up a large proportion of traffic. On roads in these regions, safety improvements such as centre-line rumble strips, “keep left” arrows, “no-passing” markings and new signage have been installed. Road safety information has also been made more accessible and user-friendly, with resources available in different languages and formats, including interactive videos and apps.

  Over summer, during the regions’ peak visitor season, an education campaign will be run to help visiting drivers understand and prepare for driving in New Zealand.

  Jim Harland, NZTA’s Regional Director, Southern, says the strength of the project has been in the shared objective of ‘host responsibility’ and a partnership approach that ensures visitors are helped at every stage of their journey.

  While the project is largely aimed at tourists, it will benefit all newcomers to New Zealand, including international students.

  “We want all visitors who are driving on our roads, including students, to make good decisions based on correct information about travel times, speeds and conditions,” he said.

  “It’s our responsibility as New Zealanders to help our visitors have a safe and enjoyable time.”

  The Visiting Drivers Project initiatives also include the following, many of which are available in different languages.

  • AA’s online Visiting Driver Training Programme, which includes video footage of New Zealand driving scenarios.
  • Apps with road safety messaging such as CamperMate.
  • Air New Zealand’s 'Driving in New Zealand' in-flight app (available on long-haul flights) and videos on all international flights about driving in New Zealand.
  • A 'Driving in New Zealand' leaflet available from rental vehicle and other tourism operators, and can be downloaded here.
  • Providing road safety information to successful applicants for student visas.
  • Guidelines for accommodation providers to provide practical driving advice to their guests.
  • A Rental Vehicle Operators’ Code of Practice.

• University of Waikato announces pioneering international partnership

  In September 2017, the University of Waikato will launch a joint Institute with Zheijiang University City College [ZUCC], offering Chinese students the opportunity to enrol in one of three undergraduate degrees in China with the University of Waikato providing the degrees and teaching staff.

  On completion, the Chinese students will receive a degree from both universities.

  University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor, Professor Neil Quigley, says the initiative complements other joint programmes the University has been running in China over the past 20 years.

  "The University is committed to growing its off-shore delivery, and transnational education plays an important role in the University’s internationalisation strategy," said Professor Quigley.

  Education New Zealand [ENZ] supported the preparation of the bid for initial submission to the Chinese Ministry of Education and the redevelopment of the Academic English part of the programme.

  Grant McPherson, ENZ Chief Executive, says that in a global context transnational education is not only a growth area, but an important contributor to supporting the international reputation and brand of the provider, and New Zealand.

  “We are delighted to see the University of Waikato expand offshore, with an approach that builds on an existing relationship and seamlessly aligns with the University’s offering,” said Mr McPherson. 

  The application process for approval of the institute was rigorous, including examination by the Provincial Ministry of Education and the Chinese Ministry of Education in Beijing.

  The first intake of students will be able to study for degrees in finance, media and creative technologies, and computer graphic design.

  The programmes included in the partnership were selected based on demand. The finance degree has been available to ZUCC students since 2008 but the students were required to complete the qualification in New Zealand. The partnership with the University of Waikato was established in 2002.

  "The finance degree was a popular choice with students when we began our partnership with ZUCC,” said Professor Quigley. 

  “The addition of media and creative technologies and computer graphic design relates well to the location of ZUCC in Hangzhou, which is a hub for technology and creative practices." 

• New Zealand students among the world’s smartest

  The OECD’s Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) assesses literacy and numeracy skills, as well as the ability to solve problems in technology-rich environments across 40 countries.

  In news coverage of the report, the BBC’s Sean Coughlan noted that while international university rankings typically measured reputation, staff ratios and research output, PIACC was the first to compare the capability of students who have been taught in those universities.

  “None of the countries in the top places make much of an appearance in conventional university rankings,” Sean said.

  “In the QS World University Rankings, there were 32 US universities in the top 100, but only one from New Zealand, but graduates from New Zealand are higher achieving than their US counterparts.”

  Andreas Schleicher, the OECD's education director said the results prove that ability levels vary hugely among people, even when they have similar qualifications, due to "major differences in the quality of higher education".

  Key points:

  • Adults in New Zealand scored above the OECD average in literacy, numeracy and problem solving in technology-rich environments.
  • New Zealand’s immigrant population is one of the most skilled, highly proficient immigrant populations across OECD countries. English-speaking, foreign-born immigrants in New Zealand scored higher in literacy and numeracy than English-speaking, native-born New Zealanders. In all countries and economies, foreign-language immigrants tended to have lower literacy skills, but in New Zealand only 8.5% of English-speaking immigrants had low proficiency in literacy, compared to the OECD average of 22.3%.
  • The differences in skills proficiency related to age, gender, education and social background were less pronounced in New Zealand than in other countries.
  • In New Zealand, even more so than in other OECD countries, higher proficiency in literacy and numeracy had a positive impact on labour force participation and wages.

  The full report on New Zealand’s scores can be found here.

  The BBC news report can be found here.

• International students learn how to crack job interviews

  The ISA members have attended monthly meetings with the police throughout 2016, as part of an Ambassador programme designed to build awareness of crime prevention methods for students.

  Jessica Phuang, Auckland City District NZ Police Asian Liaison Coordinator, said the mock job interviews were set up to show appreciation for the students’ involvement in the programme, as many of them will soon be graduating and searching for jobs.

  “Some students were taken aback, especially with problem-solving questions which are not common practice in their own countries,” said Phuang.

  The mock interviews were set up in the style of speed-dating, with Auckland Presbyterian Church generously lending its hall for the event.

  Interviewers included school providers, church members, community volunteers, and police Inspectors.

  Each ISA member was interviewed for eight minutes, followed by two minutes of feedback on their answers, their CV and body language – before moving on to the next interviewer. 

  Common feedback from interviewers was that students had a tendency to expose their weaknesses, a cultural practice to demonstrate modesty, Phuang said. 

  “The interviewers encouraged the students to share their strengths, and demonstrated how to do this without being seen as ‘blowing their own trumpet’.” 

  The ISA programme is an Auckland-based police initiative that raises issues connected with safety for international students. The initiative was also launched in Wellington in September.

  

• Earthquake update - 2

  ENZ’s Auckland and Christchurch offices were open as usual on Monday. ENZ’s Wellington office has been assessed as structurally sound, and will reopen on Tuesday, 15 November (NZT) from 10am. It will be business as usual on Wednesday.

  While some schools in affected areas were closed today as a safety precaution, we have received no indications of injury (including to any international student).

  Fortunately, the earthquake was not centred near areas of high population density, mainly focused on a small area in the north of the South Island around Kaikoura. Reports confirm that most damage has been relatively isolated rather than widespread.

  All schools and education providers in affected areas have checked or are checking their buildings as a safety precaution. For international students about to travel to New Zealand, we encourage you to make direct contact with your education provider for an update on its circumstances. You might also monitor the Ministry of Education's website for updates.

  The New Zealand Qualifications Authority has confirmed that NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams will proceed tomorrow (Tuesday 15 November 2016) as planned.

  Please note in particular that all functions and services in Christchurch and Canterbury, and Auckland, are unaffected and operating as normal, and overseas visitors shouldn't have to change any plans to travel there.