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Charles Finny's address to the India New Zealand Business Council
Charles Finny
India and New Zealand have been friends and trading partners for a long time, and thanks to our Commonwealth heritage, our democratic tradition, and our shared love of cricket, we have much to celebrate.
The Indian community here adds richness and vibrancy to New Zealand life, through great food, music, art and sport, diverse business ties, and annual festivals such as Diwali.
New Zealand’s economic future is very much tied to our key trading partners. India is currently our 10th largest trade partner, and the Government’s vision is for India to become a core trade, economic and political partner. The importance of the relationship is reflected in the visit in April of the President of the Republic of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee and, of course, our Prime Minister John Key will visit India later this month.
We have been negotiating a Free Trade Agreement bilaterally for several years and we are both part of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
One of the strongest parts of our relationship is in international education. Last year international education was probably the largest single item exported from New Zealand to India.
India is, and will continue to be, an important part of New Zealand’s international education strategy.
Every day, tens of thousands of Indian international students, alongside other international students, are helping New Zealand to build our research capability and global linkages, to fill skill shortages and enrich New Zealand culture.
The India New Zealand Business Council is a valued partner in our international education strategy. A number of education providers and immigration and education consultants are Council members, and all members play an important role in ensuring Indian international students have a positive experience in New Zealand. You do this not only through recruiting and employing them in your businesses, but also in providing leadership in upholding high standards when it comes to their treatment and welfare.
Many members of our Indian community have come to live in New Zealand after studying here. If we can continue to work together on skill development (and I’ll touch more on this later), then the transfer of knowledge, innovation and best practice will not only benefit the individuals involved but also our respective countries.
Countries that have innovative and skilled workforces prosper and it is the education system of a country that nurtures those skills.
The education experience that New Zealand offers is first rate. Our universities are world-class – all eight are rated in the top 3% globally, and we offer quality qualifications and hands-on vocational learning through our institutes of technology and private providers.
This quality has clearly been recognised by the Indian student audience, as we have experienced significant growth over the last three years – from 13,000 to 29,000 students between 2013 and 2015.
Such growth has demonstrated New Zealand’s strength as a world-class education destination, but it has also created some challenges as we adjust to manage this demand. I will spend some time outlining how the Government is ensuring a sustainable education sector – particularly for our Indian students and stakeholders.
Our education system has strong government oversight, a commitment to continuous improvement and we place student success and wellbeing front and centre.
We do this through a comprehensive framework of support, and many of us have a role to play here. These include the main government agencies, Education New Zealand, Ministry of Education, New Zealand Qualifications Authority, Tertiary Education Commission and Immigration New Zealand.
Other key players include education providers and the agents they use, employers and businesses, community and ethnic groups and other support services.
This extends also to our bilateral relationship – we have regular catch ups with the High Commissioner of India to New Zealand, Mr Sanjiv Kohil.
All of us have a collective responsibility to ensure the experience of our international students is a positive one and results in positive outcomes for them and ultimately for our businesses and New Zealand society and economy.
We welcome international students who come here with genuine intent and means. But New Zealand, like any sovereign country, will take steps to protect our borders and deal decisively with fraudulent or unlawful behaviour when we see it.
Immigration New Zealand has invested heavily in intelligence gathering and verification support resources for immigration officers in India. As a result they have become more aware of risk and fraud in the market.
The visa decline rates from India are evidence of a significant effort by Immigration NZ to manage students and agents who submit false and misleading information in visa applications.
Immigration New Zealand is doing a lot of work to educate providers about student selection, and the need to manage their agent networks.
Immigration New Zealand and the Immigration Advisers Authority also ran a campaign in India earlier this year encouraging people to use a New Zealand licensed immigration adviser if they are seeking assistance to come to New Zealand.
I think it’s important to acknowledge at this stage too that New Zealand is not alone in facing issues of student visa fraud and dishonest agent behaviour. The United States, Canada, Australia and other countries all face the same challenges.
New Zealand government agencies are committed to acting in a fair and reasonable manner when dealing with students affected by issues of provider quality, or when students’ personal circumstances are, for a variety of reasons, less than straight-forward. Each student is dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority, for example, is working with a group of former IANZ Level 6 students who were required to undertake reassessment to confirm their preparedness for study at another provider, EDENZ. More than 210 students will need extra support and assistance to get them to a standard where they can continue their studies. This is being provided to students at no additional cost so that they can move on from this period of change and continue their studies.
And, throughout this process, advice, support and counselling is being made freely available to all of the affected students.
Some of the issues that international students are experiencing are an important reminder that the majority of our international students are young adults, not only crossing geographical divides, many for the first time, but more often than not, cultural divides, away from the familiarity and care of family and friends.
The New Zealand government agencies I mentioned earlier are working closely together on these issues, to ensure all international students are treated fairly and are well cared for – that they feel welcome, are safe and well, enjoy a high-quality education and are valued for their contribution to New Zealand.
This joint-agency work on international student wellbeing has focused in recent months on Auckland where the majority of international students are located. It has involved a wide range of community meetings and student focus groups to ensure student needs and concerns are being heard and addressed.
We must maintain high standards across our international education industry. Equally, we are determined not to let the actions of a small number of individuals damage the reputation of an entire community, nor devalue the contribution that students from India and elsewhere, and our education providers, make to New Zealand.
Most providers are doing a very good job for their students. Satisfaction rates among students surveyed by the International Student Barometer in 2014 and 2015 ranged from 88% to 94% as being satisfied or very satisfied with their overall experience at their New Zealand institution.
Government agencies are working with providers to address any issues with quality, including insisting they work with reliable education agents in India.
Agents play a key role at the beginning of a student’s international education journey in ensuring that the students are informed and make the right choices, and know what to expect as a student in New Zealand.
The reality is, the seeds of what will be a positive or negative international student experience are often sown before the student has even left India.
Education agents are central to the Indian market, with more than 90% of Indian students using agents when applying to study in New Zealand. There are thousands of agents in India, and the Government is promoting the use of high-performing agents through:
- Education providers having a responsibility for agent performance and advice under the revised Code of Pastoral Care, which I’ll talk more about shortly
- Education New Zealand and Immigration New Zealand providing more information on agent performance to education providers and students, including through the Immigration New Zealand website
- Education New Zealand revising the ENZ Recognised Agencies programme, to ensure we better support and promote the use of high-quality agents in markets such as India.
I’m interested too in your thoughts as to what we can do together – at both a government and business level – to ensure that Indian students are working with genuine agents? Perhaps that’s something we can discuss at the end of this address.
The onus is also on students to ensure they have the financial means to support themselves in their study, and to take responsibility for understanding the requirements to study in New Zealand, including the immigration requirements. When students apply for a visa, they must sign their application as a true and accurate record and have the documents to support their application.
The cross-agency wellbeing work I mentioned earlier complements the pastoral care Code of Practice which New Zealand was the first country to introduce and which was recently strengthened with effect from 1 July.
Only education providers who are approved signatories to the Code are allowed to enrol international students. To maintain this privilege, they are expected to meet high standards of service delivery, in accordance with the Code.
The strengthened Code now means that providers are directly accountable for the behaviour of their agents. Expectations include carrying out reference checks of agents, having a written contract with agents, actively monitoring agents and terminating contracts where there is evidence of misleading, deceptive or illegal behaviour, or where an agent is breaching the Code. The focus is on creating sustainable growth by prioritising higher value, higher quality students.
Tough sanctions are now available to deal with providers who fail to manage their agents, including the removal of the right to enrol international students. Enforcing the Code is the responsibility of NZQA who are working closely with Immigration New Zealand to ensure providers proactively comply with the Code.
At the same time, as I mentioned earlier, international students also have an obligation to come here with genuine intent – that their primary purpose is to study, and they have the means to do so.
Working in New Zealand while studying is a way to complement the classroom skills they learn and to really engage with New Zealand’s everyday life. It is not intended as a lifeline to cover living costs.
Not having enough money to support themselves creates vulnerable students who are easy to exploit. This is the reason why Immigration New Zealand has a minimum level of fund requirement for international students to cover their time here.
And of course when students do get jobs, New Zealand employers have a legal and moral responsibility to uphold New Zealand employment law, to pay for hours worked and to honour the minimum wage. Everyone in New Zealand has the right to protection through minimum work rights.
I urge Council members to show leadership in modelling and upholding these rights in the Indian community, in your businesses and through your wider networks.
We continue to encourage individuals to come forward if they have specific examples of exploitation. This is the only way we can address these issues.
The support and input of the New Zealand communities of our international students is also vital to good outcomes.
INZBC has a crucial role to play in helping to bridge the gap that may exist through differing cultural contexts, where, for example, some international students aren’t aware that their rights in New Zealand are protected.
I’d like to applaud the contribution of INZBC members who acknowledge the opportunities that a New Zealand education can offer Indian students in terms of skills and knowledge transfer.
To be truly successful we need to attract students who have the best potential for positive outcomes to New Zealand. These are the students coming to New Zealand to study high-value programmes that can put them on the path to further study, or to work in high-demand areas in New Zealand, India or across the world.
Our ‘target South’ India strategy focuses on attracting genuine students interested in pursuing high-level qualifications in our education market.
As part of this strategy we established a presence in Mumbai in early 2015 and have since focused our promotional activities in the south and west of India where students have higher levels of visa approval rates and student mobility.
This strategy involves promotion across a variety of channels, including digital, social and traditional media, promotional events and scholarship initiatives, academic exchanges, and education fairs.
Education fairs continue to be a strong recruitment channel for us in India, providing outreach to students and families so they can discuss the benefits of New Zealand as a study destination. These fairs are well supported by industry, with more than 30 New Zealand providers attending each of our fairs this year.
We will continue to adjust the locations and formats of fairs to anticipate local market conditions, and they remain an important part of ENZ’s India promotional strategy.
We are trialling new initiatives in-market too. In August, ENZ partnered with New Zealand universities and Indian institutions to host a series of guest lectures by eminent New Zealand academics in cities in South India.
The lecture series was extremely successful in raising awareness of New Zealand’s technical expertise in the areas of engineering, science and business, and building institutional partnerships between our countries.
We have also boosted the numbers of scholarships aimed at Indian graduates interested in pursuing post-graduate study here. The New Zealand Excellence Awards, announced mid-year, offer scholarships to 35 Indian scholars at all eight of our universities. There is also the Christchurch Educated Skills Scholarship for India which targets post-graduate students studying courses in skill shortage areas that are directly related to the Canterbury earthquake rebuild.
In closing, I’d like to repeat how much the social, cultural and economic contribution of Indian students to New Zealand is valued. I want to acknowledge again the Council’s part in that, as well as its important role in demonstrating leadership to the Indian business community when it comes to recruiting, employing and supporting Indian international students.
While we all play a role in the welfare and outcomes of our international students, we also have a collective responsibility to share and promote the positive contribution that international education makes to our communities.
As a result of the policy changes that we have already introduced you will notice that the number of Indian students coming to New Zealand will have reduced to levels similar to that we achieved in 2013. As we solve some of the problems I have discussed today that number may slow further before starting to grow again.
Can I end by emphasising that over the longer term we look forward to welcoming as many high quality Indian students who want to come to New Zealand to study higher end qualifications who meet our entry criteria. We look forward to working in India and here with stakeholders such as the INZBC to ensure that we have a sustainable level of Indian students in New Zealand and that this vital part of the bilateral relationship is not put further at risk by the actions of a few.
Thank you.
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Letter from the CE on India student market
India is and will continue to be a large part of the international education industry. The vast majority of Indian students who study in New Zealand make a very valuable contribution to our campuses, our workplaces and our society. Every day Indian students, alongside other international students, are helping New Zealand to build its research capability and global linkages, to fill skill shortages and to enrich New Zealand culture.
However, we do currently have a small number of students from India facing potential deportation because of issues with their visa, or with illegal behaviour while they have been in New Zealand. Separately, students affected by the recent sale of an Auckland private training provider are being supported to transfer to a new provider to continue and complete their studies.
There have also been disturbing stories about some cases of the exploitation of international students from employers and others.
New Zealand government agencies are working closely together on these issues, to ensure all students are treated fairly and are well cared for, and to protect New Zealand’s educational reputation. This joint-agency work on international student wellbeing has focused in recent months on Auckland where the majority of international students are located, and involved a range of community meetings and student focus groups to ensure student needs and concerns are being heard and addressed.
It is vital that New Zealand maintains high standards across the international education industry.
It is also important that these events do not tarnish the reputation of an entire community nor devalue the significant contribution that international students from India and elsewhere, and our education providers, make to New Zealand.
To all of us involved in international education, it is a timely reminder to honour our obligations and responsibilities to students. We all – providers, agents, employers, community and ethnic groups, government agencies and other support services – have a role to play in a successful international student experience.
When I talk about shared responsibilities, I am talking about government agencies which set the regulatory frameworks (including setting rules around proof of financial means), and agencies like Education New Zealand which promote New Zealand’s education opportunity offshore. I am also talking about providers which offer students – domestic and international – a wide variety of education programmes. These programmes can act as a stepping stone to further study in New Zealand or overseas. They can also provide a pathway to residence if a student gains the skills that are in demand in New Zealand. At other times, they are very much about the overseas experience.
Education agents and students also have a responsibility for great student experiences. There has been a lot of communication about the obligation on New Zealand providers to manage their agent relationships. Information sharing on agent performance is a key part of Immigration New Zealand’s strategy to support providers’ decisions on the agents they work with. Providers can expect to see greater government engagement on this area of compliance with the new Code of Pastoral Care.
We also have a collective responsibility to share and promote the positive contribution that international education makes to our communities.
We believe that students too have an obligation to come here with genuine intent – that their primary purpose is to study and that they have the means to do so. Working in New Zealand while studying is a way to complement the classroom skills they learn and to really engage with everyday life. It is not intended as a lifeline to cover living costs which can expose vulnerable students to the risk of exploitation.
Of course, New Zealand employers are important contributors to the education experience as well. Everyone in New Zealand has the right to protection through minimum work rights, and we expect employers to uphold New Zealand employment law. We continue to encourage individuals to come forward if they have specific examples of workplace mistreatment. This is the only way we can address these issues.
We are also working alongside the New Zealand communities of international students because we see this as crucial to good outcomes. It helps to bridge the gap that may exist through the different cultural contexts which operate and where, for example, some international students aren’t aware of their rights and protections under New Zealand law.
Of the students and former students facing deportation, some are in New Zealand unlawfully, some have been found to have submitted fraudulent visa applications, and some have committed crimes here. It’s critical that only those who have the right to be in New Zealand remain. This helps to support a quality system for the majority of international students who have, and continue to come here with, genuine means and intent.
Lastly, we acknowledge the role of education providers in this process – we do not accept poor performance. For the hundreds delivering high-quality education programmes in New Zealand, the outcomes for international students are obvious. Education New Zealand has numerous student stories of success. For the small number of providers not performing, agencies are taking appropriate action, not all of which makes it into the public arena, and for good reason. But I can say that agencies are working together more closely than before, sharing information to support change where it’s needed and to continuously improve the New Zealand education experience.
International education is one of the most powerful ways to connect us across the world. Let’s all continue to take responsibility for our part in it.
Grant McPherson
Chief Executive, Education New Zealand
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Reconnecting New Zealanders to the world
Where does international education fit in?
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a plan to reconnect New Zealanders to the world in 2022.
This framework is based on being able to maintain the elimination strategy, alongside a high coverage of vaccination, strong confidence in our system and a phased approach to opening the border.
Read the Prime Minister’s announcement in full | Reconnecting New Zealand to the world on Unite Against COVID-19 site
The key points of this plan are:
- To continue to speed up New Zealand’s vaccination rollout, and move to six weeks between doses so that more New Zealanders have immunity sooner.
- Phased approach to reopening border in the second half of 2021, and set up of new testing and vaccine checking systems at the border.
- Move to new, risk-based border settings that will establish low, medium and high-risk pathways into the country.
New Zealand’s ability to reconnect with the world depends on these factors being successful.
At this early stage, we can’t provide detail or any degree of certainty for students looking to apply for study in or book travel to New Zealand.
Many New Zealand institutions are now offering new ways to study. If you’re wondering which study option might be right for you, visit Study With New Zealand New Ways of Learning.
We suggest that agents, students and their families wait until policy announcements are made before booking any travel to study in New Zealand. We could expect to see more clarity on this later in the year.
FAQs
When will New Zealand open up to the world?
Work continues on developing the requirements for a phased approach to Reconnecting New Zealanders to the rest of the world in 2022. We could expect to see more clarity on this later in 2021.
Read more about the next steps to reconnecting New Zealanders to the world.
What do we know about timeframes for international students returning to New Zealand?
While we are pleased to note that a number of international students have been able to return to New Zealand under the current class exceptions, we aren’t able to provide exact timeframes for a large-scale return for international students and providers.
Managing our border doesn’t mean conditions will stay exactly as they are now, but it does mean that there are likely to be restrictions and requirements in place until at least December 2022.
Can students apply for semester 1 2022 study?
We would currently advise students not to plan for study in New Zealand for semester 1, 2022.
Please note offshore temporary visa application lodgements are currently suspended till February 2022 and this may be extended.
International student class exceptions are a key priority for the Government, but we can’t predict timing on when a further cohort might be announced, or what MIQ capacity may look like at the time.
Will the phased border approach outlined in the Reconnecting New Zealanders to the World announcements affect the temporary suspension of offshore visa application lodgements?
The Government continues work on developing the requirements for a phased approach to Reconnecting New Zealanders to the rest of the world in 2022. As such, no decisions have been made yet on how the border plan might affect offshore visa application lodgements.
What is the Government’s position generally regarding international education?
Despite the severity and complexity of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our ongoing commitment to its elimination strategy, the New Zealand Government remains committed to a thriving international education sector.
In a recent meeting with the international education sector, the Minister of Education highlighted the New Zealand Government’s support for the continued safe return of international students to New Zealand, when the time is right.
How does the border approach affect the students coming into New Zealand under the border exception classes?
It doesn’t. Existing processes for students to enter the country under existing border exception classes (the 250 PhD and postgraduate cohort and the 1000 bachelor's degree and above cohort) will remain in place.
How will New Zealand determine which countries are low, medium or high-risk?
The government is currently working through how it will determine this.
How will the phased border approach affect Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ)?
Vaccinated travellers from low-risk countries will not be required to go through managed isolation facilities.
Vaccinated travellers from medium-risk countries will have modified isolation requirements, the details of which are still to be worked through.
Unvaccinated travellers and all travellers from high-risk countries will need to undergo 14 days in MIQ.
Read more on the next steps of reconnecting New Zealanders to the world
Would lockdowns in New Zealand affect the timing of the phased border approach?
The New Zealand Government is committed to the elimination strategy and the successful rollout of vaccines. New Zealand’s border approach depends on our ability to stamp out clusters of COVID-19 as they arise, so there is some possibility that further lockdowns may delay the border approach.
Will international students in New Zealand continue to receive free COVID-19 healthcare?
Yes. Vaccines are available to everyone in New Zealand (12 years and over) free of charge. This includes international students.
Read more about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout on the Ministry of Health website.
All publicly funded COVID-19 related care – including testing, treatment and vaccinations – is provided to anyone who needs it, free of charge.
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Executive team
David Downs | Chief Executive
David Downs is the Chief Executive of Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao. David leads the organisation’s work to grow the value and impact of international education for Aotearoa New Zealand. He brings extensive international and marketing leadership experience, most recently as Chief Executive of the New Zealand Story Group.
Prior to this, David held a range of general management roles at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, supporting New Zealand businesses to grow internationally, particularly in the technology sector. Earlier in his career, David held senior leadership roles with Microsoft across New Zealand and Asia Pacific. He is known for his strong understanding of New Zealand’s global reputation and competitive advantage, and for his passion for storytelling and connecting New Zealand to the world.
Sahinde Pala l Group General Manager, International & Sector Engagement
Sahinde joined ENZ in 2016 after 18 years working for a multinational group of English language schools. With a career dedicated to international education, she brought extensive private sector experience in international marketing, stakeholder engagement and student experience delivery to the organisation.Sahinde has held a number of roles at ENZ working with education providers, government stakeholders, regional groups, peak bodies, students’ associations and community groups. She was heavily involved in developing the International Student Wellbeing Strategy.
Sahinde is based in our Auckland office and spends her time outside of work standing on the sidelines of sports fields supporting her young boys.
Anna Gestro | Group General Manager, International Marketing, Brand & Scholarships
Anna leads the strategy, delivery, and teams behind ENZ's global marketing, brand, and scholarships — focused on connecting students with opportunity and Aotearoa with the world. Her focus is on elevating Aotearoa's global brand, deepening student connection, and driving growth through impactful storytelling and strategic partnerships.Her career spans over 20 years across marketing, strategy, and executive leadership in both public and private sectors. She has worked across global brand and commercial programmes for organisations such as Lion, Fonterra, and New Zealand Cricket — blending deep consumer insight with strategic delivery.
Anna’s experience also includes international roles in Singapore and New York, where she’s helped promote New Zealand’s innovation, values, and capability globally.
Anna is also a board member of Basketball New Zealand, where she brings her commercial and strategic expertise to the development of sport. Across both sport and education, she sees a common thread: the power to unlock opportunity, level the playing field, and connect people across borders and backgrounds.
Ed Tuari l Chief Advisor Māori
Ed is of Ngāti Porou and Te Whanau-ā-Apanui descent, and joined Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao in 2017. He previously worked in Dubai, United Arab Emirates for 18 years.As Manukura, Ed develops and leads the Rautaki Māori (ENZ’s Māori Strategy), provides advice regarding cultural capability, and brings a Māori perspective to policy and project development.
A former primary school teacher for 10 years, Ed has experience in providing Māori bi-lingual and immersion learning within the New Zealand primary school sector. He also co-wrote and co-presented the first Māori language television programme for preschoolers for mainstream New Zealand television.
In 2012, Ed was named New Zealander of the Year in the United Arab Emirates by AIG, for his cultural and professional contribution to the New Zealand community in Dubai and throughout the Middle East. Recently Ed was the Kaipupuri-Cultural Advisor of the Aotearoa New Zealand Pavilion, entrusted with Kaitiaki o te mouri for Expo 2020 Dubai.
A graduate of Auckland University of Technology, Ed holds a degree in Māori Development, Language and Culture and a Diploma in Teaching.
Ed enjoys engaging in indigenous development initiatives, working towards the preservation and maintenance of tribal culture and heritage, and indigenous networking.
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International Student Research Community
Share your experience. Help shape the future of studying in New Zealand.
The International Student Research Community is a group of prospective, current, and former international students who share their views and experiences of studying with New Zealand education providers. It is run by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), the New Zealand government agency responsible for promoting international education and supporting student experiences.
Your feedback helps shape decisions, services and experiences for future students.
About the community
Members are invited to share insights across the student journey – from choosing where to study through to life after study. These insights help shape policies, services, and initiatives across the sector.
Why join
- Have your voice heard and help improve the international student experience
- Influence decisions that affect future students
- Take part in research in a flexible way that suits you
- Receive incentives as a thank you for your time
How it works
- Sign up to join the community
- Get invited to participate in surveys, interviews or focus groups
- Take part in research in a flexible way that suits you
- Receive incentives as a thank you for your time
What to expect
Frequency
This varies depending on what’s happening in the sector. Typically, you can expect to participate in a few short surveys each year, with occasional opportunities to join discussions or share feedback on specific topics. Participation is always voluntary and you can choose which invitations to accept.
Time commitment
Most surveys take 5 to 15 minutes to complete. Some activities, such as focus groups or interviews may take longer – but we’ll always let you know what’s involved up front.
Benefits of taking part
There may be prize draws or gift vouchers, depending on the activity. Details of any incentive will be included in your invitation to participate.
You’ll also have the opportunity to make a real difference by helping shape important decisions around international education for New Zealand.
Privacy and confidentiality
Your responses will be combined with others and analysed to identify overall trends and insights. Results are reported in a way that does not identify individuals.
All personal information is kept secure and confidential, in line with privacy requirements.
Join the Community
We’re not accepting new sign-ups just yet. Check back soon for details on how to join the Community.
Leaving the Community
You can leave by using the unsubscribe link in any of our emails, or by emailing us at researchcommunity@enz.govt.nz.
About ENZ
ENZ is a New Zealand government agency. We promote New Zealand as a study destination and work to ensure international students have a high-quality education and experience.
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Pakistani student leverages language skills to connect communities
Fluent in Punjabi, Urdu, and English, and passionate about community service, Usma soon became a key player working to support and connect ethnic communities in Christchurch.
So extensive have her achievements been, that she has been honoured by the university with a coveted Blues Award for community engagement, and by the Christchurch City Council with a Civic Award.
Usma arrived in New Zealand in late 2016 and gave birth to her third child shortly after arriving. “It gave me the time I needed to assess society here, and I realised the value that was placed on volunteer work.”
New Zealand values transferable skills
“My background was in teaching and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) instruction. I did teach here when I first arrived, but it was not fulfilling enough,” she says. “I needed to think what other skills I had to offer in an area of work I was passionate about. New Zealand is not a destination of degrees, it is a destination of skills, where whatever transferable skills you have to offer, are valued.”
She initially got involved in UC’s Pakistani Student Association, planning events which quickly extended beyond the student community. “I got great feedback from the wider community and different ethnic groups started coming along. People from these communities were looking for connectivity and involvement and it ended up being a multi-cultural hub.”
She admits it was not without challenges, but she was determined. “I was an international student, a woman, a mother of a special needs child, and I was working. But I managed my time. I enjoy doing volunteer work and it comes naturally.”
In her second year at Uni, she secured a role as a Diversity and Engagement Officer with the Ministry of Ethnic Communities and juggled both study and work. It was in this role that she became involved in the Government response following the Christchurch mosque attack in 2019.
Frontline worker following mosque attack
“I was one of the frontline workers dealing with victims and those left behind. Some of my colleagues were victims,” she says. “It was a difficult time. I had never had any exposure to such an event, or what the aftermath might be like. Hearing the stories, and being part of it, are totally different things.”
“I’m very proud of my work and found it very rewarding. I discovered my strengths and weaknesses and learned how much I had to offer. I could speak with many of the widows in the Muslim community in their own language, understand their needs, and advocate on their behalf. I learned how to deliver the key messages to the government agencies involved in the response and formed a link between the two groups.”
“The migrant communities have so much resilience and I believe that every disaster brings opportunity to come together, to heal, and to grow.”
Usma went on to become involved in Widows of Shuhada – an eight-part Plains FM/RNZ podcast documentary series which followed the journey of four widows following the attack.
Soon after, Covid-19 arrived in New Zealand and Usma worked on engagement with local ethnic communities, translating the Government’s messages and communicating them through a range of digital channels.
Tapping into the skills of international students
But she didn’t stop there. Usma was also influential in Christchurch’s Ethnic Communities Skills Build Programme, a project designed to smooth the pathway of migrants and international students into employment in New Zealand.
International students could join in workshops, meet career counsellors and job brokers from the Ministry of Social Development, reshape their CVs, and attend job fairs.
“I believe we need to tap into the high-level skills of post-graduate international students. We need to progress them in the right direction, utilising their skills in science, technology, and innovation.”
As for her own career, Usma could not be happier. She has secured a full-time role as a policy analyst at the Ministry of Primary Industries in Wellington and has taken a step back from her volunteer work to focus on completing her PhD this year.
She is grateful for the opportunity to study in New Zealand and to bring her family with her. Her husband is working, her children are happy, and her special needs daughter has opportunities she wouldn’t have had in Pakistan.
Usma still acts as a mentor for international students and tells them if they are to make the most of their time in New Zealand, they should “think outside the box”.
“They should think about the skills they have to offer in the community, and they will be rewarded with a transformative experience. Leaving behind the social constraints of your home country can be liberating. It’s all about following your dream.”
Usma says she’s already landed her dream job, but she plans to continue her community work once she has completed her PhD.“I believe it is my contribution to this country and I love doing it. I’m not likely to stop. I’m just settling in, finishing my PhD, and getting ready for something big. I have ambitious plans.”
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Putting New Zealand in agents’ hearts and on their maps
Education New Zealand (ENZ) recently organised a series of agent familiarisation tours.
Four groups were immersed in New Zealand’s learning, living and working opportunities for international students.
Agents from Brazil, Colombia, South Korea and Saudi Arabia were treated to tours of New Zealand’s special places – from regional centres to our bigger cities.
ENZ’s regional and international teams organised the programmes and toured with the agents over May and June. They were shown the full spectrum of the sector, and were also given updates and presentations from government agencies like Immigration New Zealand and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA.
“The agents enjoyed and appreciated the chance to learn about education in New Zealand, meet current international students and understand the distinctive offerings for students across all of New Zealand,” said Greg Scott, ENZ Regional Programme Manager.
The tour included interactive activities, including an emphasis on education pathways, applied learning and creative technologies, and special open-invitation networking opportunities, like the Networking Starts at Home event
The agents visited Taranaki, Nelson, Canterbury, Waiuku, Hamilton, Dunedin, Queenstown and Napier.
COLOMBIAN AGENTS SARA GAMEZ AND ANA KARINA FAJARDIO ENJOY TIME AT AUT BY THE NGA WAI O HOROTIU MARAE
“As our regional centres become better known international education destinations, the agent familiarisation tours demonstrated how each regional centre has a unique story and value proposition that can appeal to different student interests,” says Greg Scott.
The potential benefit to increasing the profile of New Zealand education amongst all these markets is immense.
“The feedback from the participating agents was extremely positive and heartfelt,” says Sarah Gauthier, ENZ Regional Project Manager.
“We ensured the agents enjoyed themselves and their time in New Zealand. They enjoyed tourist activities, speaking to international students and their homestay families and gaining a deeper understanding overall of the value of a New Zealand education.”
“We are seeing lots of photos of New Zealand on the agents’ social media feeds and their agencies’ websites,” says Jo Keane, ENZ Regional Project Manager.
“We’d like to thank all the people, organisations and regional groups that supported these familiarisations,” says Sarah Gauthier.
“It was a true Team New Zealand effort. We appreciated the time everyone took to host us, meet the agents, organise tours and ensure that the students were available to speak to the agents in their own language.
“There’s nothing like hearing why New Zealand is such a great place to be a student than from real international students. By speaking about their study, lifestyle and work opportunities, the tours were really brought to life,” she says.
KOREAN AGENTS ENJOY THE NELSON SUNSHINE
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Two new sector-facing leadership roles at ENZ
GM Sector Engagement
We look forward to welcoming Wendy Kerr to Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) on 3 October 2022. Ms Kerr will take up the newly-created role of General Manager, Sector Engagement. Joining us from fintech Valocity where she was Global Chief Operations Officer, Ms Kerr has rich experience in both education and commercial businesses globally.
Prior to Valocity, she was Director of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Auckland. She led the team there to transform the Centre and enabled the University to be recognised as Entrepreneurial University of the Year in the Asia-Pacific.
Ms Kerr is also Board Director for The Icehouse and sits on the Board of Epsom Girls Grammar. Previous roles include General Manager for Pearson PLC London, and Asia-Pacific Marketing Manager for Apple. She has been a TEDx speaker and has published a number one bestseller on Amazon - ‘Corporate Crossovers’. Ms Kerr has a Ngāti Mutunga and Moriori heritage and will be based in our Auckland office.
The Sector Engagement group delivers strategic initiatives in partnership with sector partners and stakeholders, undertakes business development, and designs and delivers new products and services.
GM Sector Services
Sahinde Pala was recently appointed to the newly-created role of General Manager, Sector Services.Ms Pala joined ENZ in 2016 after 18 years working for a multinational group of English language schools. With a career dedicated to international education, she brought extensive private sector experience in international marketing, stakeholder engagement and student experience delivery to the organisation.
Ms Pala has held a number of roles at ENZ working with education providers, government stakeholders, regional groups, peak bodies, students’ associations and community groups. She was heavily involved in developing the International Student Wellbeing Strategy.
With a passion for delivering an excellent customer experience, Ms Pala will be leading the newly formed Sector Services team to deliver a suite of products and services that support the sector to rebuild and thrive. This includes student experience, global citizenship, global events, and agent engagement, as well as scholarships to support domestic students to have an international education experience, and international students to study in New Zealand.
Sahinde is based in our Auckland office and spends her time outside of work standing on the sidelines of sports fields supporting her young boys.
View all senior leadership team members here.
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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.
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Japanese students join Kiwi flight school
The students came from Kinjo Gakuin University in Nagoya, Japan and studied a short course specially designed for them. In addition to New Zealand School of Tourism’s flight attending course, they also had a session from Cut Above Academy about hair and makeup training, as immaculate grooming is an essential part of the job.
Shizuko Ozaki, a teacher from Kinjo Gakuin University, said the girls loved their time at the airport campus, and were impressed with the school’s facilities – including offering training onboard a real plane.
“They enjoyed the hands-on learning and the practical aspect of the training on the 737 aircraft. The trainer was fantastic with our students, she made the learning easy for them to understand and follow. They also enjoyed interacting with the other classes and they felt very comfortable and welcomed on campus.”
New Zealand School of Tourism frequently creates bespoke programmes for international groups.
New Zealand student Armani Young said having international groups at the college was a bonus for everyone involved. She said it gave the trainers the opportunity to learn about other cultures, and the international students the chance to experience life in New Zealand.
“Our class also loved interacting with the Japanese group. They were quiet and shy at first, but soon became comfortable and had fun interacting with us. It was great to share our culture with them.”
