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  • New Zealand experience grows global indigenous network

    A special bond forged through a Study Abroad programme, involving Vermont’s Champlain College and Auckland University of Technology (AUT), was marked by the gifting of a unique pare whakairo (carved doorway mantel) to the US College in September.

    Called Te Hononga (The Convergence), the pare whakairo was created by kaiwhakairo (Māori carver) Pahi O’Carroll over four weeks in residence on the Champlain campus. 

    The pare is unlike any other. It is carved from a wood native to the area – black walnut – and evokes values, beliefs and traditions common to both Māori and the indigenous people of Vermont, the Abenaki.

    The relationship between Champlain and AUT dates back five years, when New Zealand Honorary Consul and trustee of Champlain College, Dr George Burrill, first established a study abroad exchange programme between the two institutions. To date, over 100 students have participated.

    One of the highlights of American students’ time at AUT is the Noho Marae programme.

    “Every year students tell us how the Noho Marae programme has profoundly impacted them,” ENZ General Manager – International, Lisa Futschek, says. “It turns them into lifelong advocates for New Zealand, its education system and Māori culture.”

    Run by AUT Senior Lecturer in Māori and Indigenous Development, Jason King, the mini-course includes basic Te Reo Māori, Māori mythology, waiata (songs) and cultural customs. It includes with a noho marae (weekend-long marae experience). 

    King describes the course as “the base of a tree, from which branches and leaves grow”. 

    “The course puts indigenous goggles on students,” he says. “It opens them up to areas of discussion with their own indigenous people.

    “My ultimate aim is to connect us not only globally, but indigenously.”

    Thanks to their connection to Māori via AUT and the Noho Marae programme, Champlain College made a formal connection to their own indigenous people, the Abenaki tribe. A representative from the Abenaki was present at the unveiling of Te Hononga. 

    Many US students choose to keep in touch after they return home through the student-led Whānau Councils. These were first established in 2010 after students from Europe were so moved by their AUT marae experience that they set up their own group to maintain their connection to New Zealand and each other. There are now three Whānau Councils across Europe and the US actively supported by AUT.

    For the European council’s 10-year anniversary, members of group are planning to return to New Zealand – this time with their partners and children.

    “We tell them during the Noho Marae, after studying in New Zealand you are whānau for life,” King says.

  • Around the world in five

    VIET NAM

    Hanoi boosts educational cooperation with New Zealand

    A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between Education New Zealand and the Department of Education and Training of Hanoi was signed in the Vietnamese capital city on October 29.

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    NEW ZEALAND

    Otago Polytechnic hosts leading Chinese educators

    Otago Polytechnic is this week hosting senior leaders from 10 leading Chinese vocational education institutions, illustrating the range of innovative and inspirational ways teaching and learning is delivered.

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    AUSTRALIA

    Australia is attracting more students from Latin America than ever before

    Latin America is emerging as the fastest-growing region for international enrolments, but while Australian private training providers are leading the way, those in the sector say universities have more work to do.

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    CHINA

    China unveils new push for excellence in undergraduate programmes

    The Chinese government has outlined a plan to reform the quality of undergraduate teaching, courses, and evaluation procedures at its universities in order to improve the employment prospects of students coming into the labour force.

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    INDIA

    More than 750,000 Indian students abroad in 2018

    Over the past five years India has become not only the world’s second-largest source market – after China – but also one of the fastest-growing sources of outbound students.

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  • Coronavirus update for ENZ stakeholders

    National response

    The New Zealand Government says it is alert to the issue but not alarmed. The Ministry of Health advises the risk of an outbreak in New Zealand is low, but it is monitoring the situation closely. It will advise if any public health measures become necessary.

    As a precautionary measure, the Government is taking an all-of-Government approach with meetings starting today. ENZ is participating in these meetings, which are led by the Ministry of Health.

    International education sector

    We are working closely with the Ministry of Education to share information and communicate with the international education sector.

    To date, we have responded to some questions from education providers about the situation. We are monitoring issues, and developing responses and information for providers.

    We will provide further updates as needed next week.

    Key sources of information and advice are:

    Please contact us if you have any issues or concerns.

  • Cancellation of NZIEC 2020

    The decision was made following discussion and consultation with sector representatives in relation to COVID-19.

    Although we are disappointed to have to make this decision, the health and safety of international education sector representatives is of paramount importance.

    While August may seem some time away, the nature of conference planning timeframes mean that a decision was required now. This decision provides certainty for all involved and also allows us to focus on other priorities during this unprecedented time.

    We will continue to look for ways to keep international education professionals informed and connected in the coming times. Keep an eye on E-News for the latest information.

    We look forward to being in touch later in the year as we start preparing for NZIEC 2021. 

  • Massey University’s virtual exchange programme a first for New Zealand

    The first virtual exchange with the University of North Georgia (UNG) began in the first semester of 2020. It focuses on Defence and Security Studies courses at both institutions. 

    “Students benefit by being able to take unique courses for no additional fees from an overseas partner while continuing their studies at their home institution,” Massey University’s Manager of Student Mobility, Greg Huff, says. “The universities benefit by being able to expand their offering of courses and subject areas, while also building linkages with other international partners.”

    Massey University worked with the Ministry of Education to create New Zealand’s first virtual exchange scheme in 2019, before the effects of COVID-19 began to be felt in the international education sector.

    Huff says the exchange began as a way to expand and enhance its students’ academic experiences. Massey expects the demand for virtual exchange opportunities to grow as tertiary providers around the globe continue responding to changes brought on by the pandemic.

    “As the demand for virtual learning opportunities increases due to COVID-19, this is a great opportunity for an institution with a proven track record in the virtual learning space to show institutions around the world what Massey and other New Zealand providers have to offer.” ENZ’s Director of Engagement in the US, DuBois Jennings.

    Other New Zealand institutions can also benefit by using the structure approved by the Ministry of Education to set up their own virtual exchanges.

  • Meet the Team: Matt Penney

    Could you please outline your own role and the role of the Corporate Services team?

    I head up our Finance and IT teams and sit on the leadership team. I am a member of the Audit & Risk committee and chair the Digital Steering group.

    Finance is responsible for paying our invoices, keeping accounting records, business partnering, helping to set budgets and reforecasting those as things change. We do a lot of reporting and work with tax people, auditors and do other forms of compliance. Audit NZ has awarded us their highest rating for the past three years.

    IT provides many of the essential tools, technology, and training for us to be able to do our job. ENZ is putting in place one of the most, if not the most, advanced IT-managed cloud computing solution within the public sector. 

    We operate in many different jurisdictions around the world, so we face many different challenges at a local level. We are also part of the NZ Inc government sector and there is a lot of knowledge and services that we can and do share with each other.

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

    In the current environment, we have helped to reconfigure ENZ’s work programme. We have supported the identification of new activities that support the international education sector, connect with the international students in New Zealand, and gather intelligence about the markets for New Zealand providers. I think we have all gone through a reboot the last few months and as is often said, “we should never let a good crisis go to waste” and miss the chance to make positive change.

    In terms of my team’s work programme, that’s actually full steam ahead. We have nearly completed our IT-managed cloud computing solution, desk phones have been replaced with soft phone telephony, we are trialling updated Zoom hardware, and putting in new, improved global managed internet connections. We are also go-live shortly with a new finance system to ensure ENZ staff can spend less time on administration and more time on value-add activities.

    Can you tell me a bit about your professional background?

    I belong to the New Zealand professional bodies for Directors and Chartered Accountants. and have 25 years of business experience in a mixture of private and public sector roles. Six years of that experience was gained in the UK and Ireland. I really enjoyed my time working overseas.

    I joined ENZ in 2014; this is my first government agency role.

    Accounting is a transferable skill, so I have had an interesting journey across many different sectors. I have toured around power stations, air traffic control towers, coal mines – who says accounting is boring!

     Matt (about to receive a hand up) competing in an adventure race in China. 

    What do you like to do in your spare time?

    My interests are built around my family; I am married with 11 and 8-year-old boys. I like my travel – one of the benefits of COVID is that my leave balance is now positive again!

    Once upon a time we backpacked our way around Asia and Europe and did a truck tour across southern Africa. I have been to something like 60 countries, but these days we do more family-friendly things like go to Ohope, Rarotonga and the South Island ski fields.

    I have done the annual Coast to Coast race across the South Island four times and Ironman NZ once. In the past couple of years I’ve tried adventure racing in China where we’ve won enough prize money to cover the costs of getting there. We raced in Wulong and I could not go all that way without popping in to see Felix in our nearest ENZ office in Guangzhou.

  • Future Focus Programme seeds innovation

    The Future Focus Programme is a new initiative which will provide $200,000 per sector in funding to help peak bodies seed innovation projects.

    The school, university, private training establishment (PTE), polytechnic (ITP), English language, and education products and services sectors are all being supported through this programme.

    The funding is to be used by peak bodies to develop an innovation plan for their sector, and to initiate innovation projects. Innovation projects are to focus in the areas of product development, online delivery, new business models and the development of innovation capability.

    Through this support, ENZ wishes to encourage sectors to adopt new ways of working to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 or similarly unprecedented events.

    “The Future Focus Programme is a tangible way in which ENZ can help support sectors to shape their future in the ‘new normal’ post COVID-19,” ENZ General Manager – Partnerships & Marketing, Paul Irwin, says.

    “The programme is additional to our normal activities and is designed with a clear focus on innovation – part of Goal 2 of the New Zealand International Education Strategy. With all the uncertainty we are currently facing, this programme is an opportunity to take stock of what COVID-19 means for how international education can operate in the future and develop new products, services, behaviours and models to help us be more resilient to change.” 

    “We’re pleased to be working alongside peak bodies to help shape their future focus plans and we look forward to seeing the launch of a number of innovative projects.”

    ENZ is working alongside peak bodies as they develop their innovation plans and identify prospective innovation projects. These plans and projects will be agreed over the coming weeks. ​

    Delivery timeframes will vary according to the peak body and the scale and nature of the projects they initiate, but projects are expected to be implemented over the coming 12 to 18 months. ​

  • English New Zealand announces new chair

    Darren, who is the managing director and co-owner of Languages International, previously served as English New Zealand’s chair from June 2012 to 2015.

    English New Zealand chair Darren Conway.

    “I was planning for something much more relaxing than stepping back into the chair’s role at English New Zealand,” he said.

    “But these are unprecedented times and I’m happy to take up the challenge. I hope that my experience and advocacy can help English New Zealand lead the sector out of the current crisis. We can make a useful contribution to the recovery of the New Zealand economy, but we need both judicious and timely support and clear communication from the government, and that’s where our initial focus will be.”

    English New Zealand say they greatly appreciate the contributions that Wayne, also the group principal for ICL Education, has made during his tenure.

    “It has been a privilege to represent the 22 members schools and I have appreciated the opportunity to engage with government and non-government stakeholders, raising the awareness of what we do and advocating on members’ behalf,” Wayne said.

    “We have long argued that our quality and experience be recognised by government agencies in a meaningful way - in the way the export education levy is determined, in the way our sector is quality assured, and in the way our English language courses are categorised.

    “To that end, I was very pleased by the recent cabinet paper proposing legislative changes allowing for recognition of ELT as a separate sub-sector and opening the door to achieving these goals.”

  • Getting started with chatbots

    ENZ is the only country in the world that uses a chatbot to market to prospective international students.

    Tohu is a helpful little bot that sits on Study in New Zealand, NauMai NZ, and the Study in New Zealand Facebook page.

    It answers questions on everything from applying for a visa to what you can do for fun in New Zealand. It gives prospective students an answer to most of their questions immediately, freeing up ENZ’s social media team so they can focus on other projects.

    ENZ’s Director of Planning, Jamie Crump, has developed a whitepaper with ENZ’s chatbot agency partner, Theta, which lays out a framework for developing a chatbot.

    The five-step framework draws on Jamie’s Master of Technological Futures report, and is based on ENZ’s development of Tohu.

    Because ENZ staff can train Tohu on new information at any time, the bot is a versatile tool in our social engagement team’s toolbox. So far, Tohu has been utilised in the Ask New Anything campaign, and has most recently learnt new answers on the COVID-19 situation in New Zealand.

    “Prior to Tohu, with a social media team of two, it could take up to 24 hours for someone to get a response to their question. Now they can get an immediate response, and we know that Tohu can answer more than 80 percent of the most common questions,” ENZ International Social Media Manager, Nicole Baird, says.

    “So the team can spend time answering the specific questions, and doing more of the strategic things for our Facebook channel, rather than answering the same straightforward questions repeatedly.”

    Jamie’s initial research revealed that many people already like engaging with a chatbot, and that more and more consumers are using chatbots as a way of finding out information. For example, 48 percent of people would rather connect with a company via live chat than any other means of contact.

    Tohu is integrated with ENZ’s marketing database and automation software, Marketo. Instead of completing a form, students can sign up to the receive updates from Study In New Zealand or NauMai NZ. This feature also opens up possibilities for Tohu to become a more targeted, useful channel for prospective students.

    “The logical next step is personalisation of the chat experience, and that’s something we’re looking forward to exploring with Theta,” Jamie says.

    Read Get started with chatbots: A proven framework for chatbot implementation

  • LINK Symposium connects academics

    The second iteration of the LINK Symposium was held on 27 and 28 November. It was originally slated to take place in São Paulo, but was moved online in response to COVID-19.

    LINK invited art and design practitioners to be inspired by research methodologies that centre their practice. Presenters demonstrated the potential of their practical frameworks in a range of design topics, including emergent design, design education, and Pacific-Atlantic design.

    AUT Programme Leader for Communication Design, Prof Marcos Mortensen Steagall, said “the LINK symposium promotes opportunities for academics from Brazil and New Zealand not only to expand their knowledge about state-of-the-art practice-oriented methodologies in design research, but also to establish networks of collaboration and partnerships. For instance, Brazil can benefit from the way New Zealand incorporates Māori knowledge in their research practices, acknowledging their native traditions.

    “New Zealand can learn and benefit from top-level production practices and Brazil's over 150 million users in the gaming market. It starts with academic interests that can potentially be expanded into business opportunities.”

    University Anhembi Morumbi Prof Sergio Nesteriuk, who specialises in game design with interests in animation, film and transmedia, said: “The event exceeded all our expectations both for the quantity, quality and diversity of works presented, as well as for the exchange and engagement of all participants.

    “We were also honoured to have Education New Zealand's support on this issue. This allows us to project new growth for the event next year, consolidating it as one of the main ones in this area worldwide.”

    ENZ Director of Education - Brazil, Ana Azevedo, spoke at the opening.

    “This is a significant development for the academic relations between Brazil and New Zealand and it is very positive to see it happening in areas that are so valuable to our cultures like Art and Design.

    “New Zealand and Brazil have many shared research interests, including an affinity for practice-based modes of enquiry and pedagogy. I am very pleased that the LINK Symposiums have carved out a niche for Brazilian and New Zealand academics to connect,” she said. 

    International academic cooperation is aligned with the goals of the IES and can bring mutual benefits to New Zealand and partners around the world, developing better solutions for common challenges. Education New Zealand has supported other international cooperation activities as the Tripartite Partnership Fund with China and the joint call for research mobility with the São Paulo Research Foundation in Brazil (FAPESP).

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