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PIF Recipient: Financial education platform for secondary schools
Founded in 2015, Banqer set out to tackle the global challenge of financial illiteracy. The team knew that school students were missing out on practical and engaging financial education, partly from a lack of curriculum-aligned resources, and partly from time-poor schools and teachers struggling to deliver financial education on top of everything else.
Research shows that 75% of us believe schools aren’t doing enough to combat financial illiteracy, and with financial education widely seen as a ‘circuit breaker’ for intergenerational inequality, something needed to change. That’s where Banqer’s award-winning platform came in. Through an online simulation, Banqer introduces students – from primary school through to secondary – to financial concepts like budgeting, savings, careers, insurance, renting, home ownership and investment.
"We've seen firsthand the engagement and impact that Banqer creates in New Zealand secondary school classes, and are excited to take this to the world with the support of Education New Zealand,' said Kendall Flutey, Co-Founder and CEO of Banqer
A step-change from textbooks or written resources of the past, Banqer helps students learn by doing. Learners explore their own simulative economy where they create fictitious bank accounts, earn income, pay expenses, invest, insure, budget and more.
Banqer is one of the recipients of the International Education Product Innovation Fund – an initiative funded by the New Zealand Government’s Covid Response and Recovery Fund and managed by ENZ, New Zealand’s dedicated agency for international education.
With Banqer’s platform already widely used by schools across New Zealand, the company is looking to scale up its impact and innovation to create financial empowerment for more learners around the world.
Support from the Product Innovation Fund will help the company scale Banqer High (its platform for secondary school learners) across Australia and validate new markets, including in North America. The funding will also help develop Banqer Beyond, a new product which aims to bring Banqer’s financial education to a broader audience beyond schools, which could include workplaces, community settings, or direct to consumers.
Banqer was a natural fit for the Product Innovation Fund, which is supporting seven pilot projects that deliver new, meaningful and unique learning experiences from New Zealand to the world. These pilots reimagine what a New Zealand education experience can look like and mean for global learners.
From New Zealand to the world, Banqer’s technology is setting learners on track for better financial futures. And thanks to the partnership between Banqer and ENZ, the stage is set for this New Zealand-built product to have an even greater impact around the world, delivering financial education and empowerment to learners wherever they are.
More information:
Learn more about Banqer.
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PIF Recipient: Mission New Zealand
With support from Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao, New Zealand’s government agency for international education, Mission New Zealand showcases courses from a number of New Zealand institutes, and is being developed by The Mind Lab.
Mission New Zealand offers a fully immersive and distinctly New Zealand experience. It focuses on the best of what New Zealand has to offer and the benefits of being part of a global movement for positive change.
From anywhere in the world, learners can choose from a mix of short courses and micro-credentials, grouped around four themes that reflect New Zealand’s progressiveness and values: culture, tech innovation, creativity and sustainability. Courses range from one to 15 weeks in length, with a mix of free and paid options available.
A selection of The Mind Lab’s own micro-credentials is available on Mission New Zealand, along with offerings from Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology - and some of New Zealand’s most innovative private training establishments.
Visitors to the site will be greeted by the world’s first 360° virtual pōwhiri, starting at the gates of Ngāti Whātua Orākei Marae in Auckland. They will experience being called onto the marae with a karanga and stepping onto the grounds to be welcomed by members of Ngāti Whātua.
Personalised learning, with optional content and stories, insights and other material will help learners experience what makes New Zealand unique.
Through an immersive experience, Mission New Zealand invites learners to take the first step in a lifelong connection with Aotearoa New Zealand.
The new platform is designed to address the increasing global demand for connections with purpose and cause, for online learning options, and for shorter and more flexible courses.
Mission New Zealand is among a range of pilot projects supported by Education New Zealand's Manapou ki te Ao Covid Response and Recovery Fund product and service diversification workstream. This New Zealand Government-funded initiative encourages the development of new products and services in the international education sector.
The Mind Lab was founded in 2013 and has a strong background in innovation, online education delivery that builds impactful futures and building community connections, including relationships with iwi and Māori-led organisations.
More information:
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ENZ Agent Seminars in China make a strong impact for rebuilding connections
China is the largest source of international students for New Zealand with agents being the leading channel for student recruitment in this market. Building strong connections between providers and agents in China is critical to recovering student mobility, improving awareness of New Zealand as a study destination and strengthening New Zealand's market position. ENZ's Agent Seminars in China are a well-recognised and impactful way of building relationships with a range of key agents.
Education Counsellor and ENZ’s Regional Director Greater China, Michael Zhang, (far left) at the Beijing Agent Seminar with representatives from New Oriental Education Agency and H.E. Grahame Morton, New Zealand Ambassador to People’s Republic of China.
In addition, Agent Seminars also help to keep agents informed with the latest official information and is an important tool that Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) and other NZ Inc agencies use to share such information. According to recent Immigration New Zealand (INZ) data, agents in China have a high approval rate for student visa processing.
Currently, ENZ runs its Agent Seminar series twice a year in this region and this latest series of events held in Chengdu, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing were supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and INZ. INZ’s China-based representatives gave in-person presentations, an initiative which was well received with 88% of agents reporting its inclusion as “very or extremely important to their attendance” in a post-event survey.
Participants at the Hong Kong Agent Seminar discuss New Zealand education offerings.
Kevin Wang from the International College of Auckland presenting at the Shanghai Agent Seminar.
To leverage the visibility of New Zealand education providers in the China market, ENZ facilitated media interviews and social media recordings for participants at the Shanghai and Chendgu Seminars. New Zealand providers and ENZ representatives in Chengdu conducted interviews with 13 journalists, the highest response rate for media attending Agent Seminars to date. As a result, three million views were achieved from 58 stories published by 27 local media outlets, with New Zealand university representatives quoted in a media story and an exclusive interview and story for Te Pūkenga on the uniqueness of New Zealand's vocational education in a separate article.
Joyce Zhang, University of Otago, is interviewed by a journalist from local media in Chengdu at the ENZ Agent Seminar.
In Shanghai, the ENZ Shanghai team delivered a China marketing insights session for sector representatives. The presentation titled “Unlocking China’s Education Market: Insights and tools for success” covered:
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The key drivers of the consumer
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China’s media/digital/social media landscape
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The big four – WeChat, Little Red Book, Douyin and Bilibili (case studies included)
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ENZ’s China local marketing plan.
Anyone interested in receiving a copy of the Marketing Presentation can access this here on ENZ’s Intellilab.
ENZ collaborated with Shinyway, the largest agent in the eastern region of China to produce short videos for the agency to promote online. The online promotion aimed to leverage brand awareness of a New Zealand education showcasing New Zealand providers attending the Shanghai event. A big kudos goes to the 18 brave New Zealand representatives who accepted the invitation to participate in the filming. Education Counsellor and Regional Director Greater China, Michael Zhang, was also interviewed to present the advantages of a New Zealand education and our institutions across all sectors.
Shinyway has published all the videos on their consumer-facing social media platforms, including WeChat, Little Red Book, and Weibo. The collaboration enhances New Zealand providers’ market exposure by leveraging Shinyway's influence across their digital platforms and reaching prospective audiences in China elevating our brand profile within a highly targeted audience group.
Mary Nixon, Principal of Takapuna Grammar School participating in the recording for sharing on social media. The first trial video published on Shinyway's WeChat received over 300 engagements including likes, shares, favorites and comments.
87.5% of New Zealand education providers also said that “attendance at the seminars was either “very valuable” or “valuable” for their organisation.”
The dates and locations for the next round of Agent Seminars in China will be announced soon. These details will be posted on the ENZ Events page along with the link for registering.
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50 Malaysian educators experience New Zealand’s interactive early childhood education
On 9-10 May 2024, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), the Ministry of Education Malaysia, and the University of Auckland co-hosted a two-day workshop for Malaysian educators. The theme of the workshop was "Engage, Explore, Excel: Interactive Play Strategies for Effective Preschool Education".
The workshop gave approximately 50 Malaysian preschool educators the opportunity to see and experience for themselves some of New Zealand’s innovative and interactive approaches to education that start in early childhood education facilities. The workshop was also an opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties between our two countries.
Workshop participants discussing learning techniques used in New Zealand early childhood institutions.
Professor Marek Tesar, a distinguished early childhood education expert from the University of Auckland led the workshop and shared his expertise with the group. He highlighted innovative approaches to implementing interactive outdoor play and used practical insights with theoretical foundations to enhance the educators' skills and knowledge. This included leading the group through experiential activities and thought-provoking discussions, including how outdoor play can instil a sense of environmental stewardship among teachers and children.
Malaysian early childhood educators at the workshop on "Engage, Explore, Excel: Interactive Play Strategies for Effective Preschool Education".
Ben Burrowes, ENZ’s Regional Director Asia (excluding China) and Acting General Manager International, and Emma Verry from the New Zealand High Commission in Kuala Lumpur attended the session and extended warm welcome remarks, underscoring the importance of international collaboration in advancing early childhood education in both countries.
From left to right: ENZ’s Ben Burrowes, Juraida Binti Umat Bidin, Deputy Director of Preschool Sector Curriculum Development Division and Nooraini Binti Kamaruddin, Senior Deputy Director Curriculum Development Division from the Ministry of Education Malaysia, Emma Verry from the New Zealand High Commission, ENZ’s Market Manager for Indonesia and Malaysia Naluri Bella, and University of Auckland’s Professor Marek Tesar. They are pictured here after the exchange of commemorative gifts in recognition of the occasion.
Ben said that the workshop gave a wonderful opportunity for educators from Malaysia to come together to hear from Professor Tesar and explore the multifaceted benefits of interactive play.
“Our two countries recognise the critical importance of the formative years in a child’s development and the profound impact that quality early childhood education can have on their future success and well-being.
“Participants were all very enthusiastic about discovering new ways to engage and empower their students. We hope this will lead to more collaboration and sharing of ideas between our two countries that educators and students alike can benefit from,” said Ben.
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Raising the profile of NZ’s PTEs with China education agents
In China, large education agencies play an important role in raising the awareness of a New Zealand education to prospective students and their families. For this reason, 10 director-level representatives from the largest Chinese agencies were invited to join a Famil tour by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) to demonstrate in person how New Zealand offers a modern, high quality and sophisticated learning environment for Chinese students.
In early May, the group visited education providers in Dunedin, Invercargill, and Auckland with a full and varied programme including visits to high schools, a primary school, universities, institutes of skills and technology, and private training establishments. There were also several cultural and tourism activities planned as well as networking events with economic development agencies, private training establishments and English language schools.
A key part of the Famil was the networking function held at the end of the week of activities at Media Design School in Auckland, providing a platform for New Zealand’s Private Training Establishments (PTEs) and English Language Schools (ELS) to engage directly with the visiting agents. Representatives from 24 providers from Auckland, Christchurch and New Plymouth attended the event.
ENZ’s General Manager Māori, Ed Tuari, welcomes the guests to Media Design School with a mihi and welcome.
The event included opening remarks by ENZ’s General Manager Sector Engagement and Innovation, Wendy Kerr, who reiterated to the education agents that New Zealand’s PTEs and ELS play a vital role in New Zealand’s international education ecosystem.
“Our PTEs and ELS are renowned for their innovative programs, real world and practical approach and strong commitment to student success and employability.
These institutions equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive as global citizens in today’s interconnected world.”
ENZ’S General Manager Sector Engagement and Innovation.
On behalf of ENZ, Wendy also expressed her appreciation to the agents for their ongoing collaboration and support, saying that the agents’ promotion of New Zealand PTEs and ELS opens doors for Chinese students to access world-class education and invaluable international experiences.
A panel discussion took place, focusing on the opportunities and challenges in the China market, featuring three directors moderated by Ruth Cooper, Country Director New Zealand of Media Design School and QTI co-Chair.
During the panel discussion, the agents suggested that providers could enhance their promotion efforts in China by highlighting employment opportunities and utilising Chinese social media to share the most up-to-date information.
Ruth Cooper, Country Director New Zealand of Media Design School and QTI co-Chair (left) facilitates a panel discussion on the opportunities and challenges in the China education market.
With the formalities out of the way, our education providers had the opportunity to mix and mingle with the education agents.
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Amanda Malu appointed as Chief Executive of Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao
Ms Malu is currently Deputy Chief Executive Service Delivery at ACC, and formerly Chief Executive at Whānau Āwhina Plunket, leading that organisation through extensive change over five years in the role. She previously held senior marketing and communication roles including at the Tertiary Education Commission and in the polytechnic sector.
Announcing the appointment, ENZ Board Chair Tracey Bridges said Ms Malu had demonstrated strong leadership, having built united teams in pursuit of positive outcomes across the education and health sectors.
“She brings with her a deep experience in the public sector, education, and marketing, as well as experience across borders and with international education through her past roles,” Ms Bridges said.
Ms Malu will take up the role in September. Until then, the Board is delighted that Dr Linda Sissons will continue as Acting Chief Executive, as she has since November 2023.
For further information
Justin Barnett
Director of Communications
+6421875132
Notes to Editors:
About Education New Zealand (ENZ) https://www.enz.govt.nz/
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is the government agency dedicated to helping Aotearoa New Zealand realise the social, cultural, and economic benefits of international education. Our role is to promote New Zealand as a high-quality education destination offering excellent education and students experiences and to encourage New Zealand students to study overseas.
With approximately 110 staff in 16 locations around the world, ENZ works closely with New Zealand’s diverse education sector which includes schools, English language providers, Private Training Establishments, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (Te Pūkenga), and universities. Internationally, we work with a range of education stakeholders, including government agencies and education providers to identify and encourage sustainable growth opportunities for New Zealand’s education sector.
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From the CE: Board announces new ENZ CE
Tēnā koutou katoa
Our Board yesterday announced the appointment of Amanda Malu (Ngāi Tahu) as our new Chief Executive. Amanda is currently Deputy Chief Executive Service Delivery at ACC, and formerly Chief Executive at Whānau Āwhina Plunket, leading that organisation through extensive change over six years in the role. She previously held senior marketing and communication roles including at the Tertiary Education Commission, and earlier in her career worked in marketing and international student recruitment in the polytechnic sector. Amanda will take up the role in September. Until then, I will continue as Acting Chief Executive.
This is excellent news. I am sure you will all join me in giving Amanda a very warm welcome to Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao and our international education community.
Amanda Malu has been appointed ENZ's new Chief Executive by ENZ's Board.
To the visit of Premier Li. Last Friday I had the privilege of attending three events held as part of Premier Li’s visit to New Zealand. Significantly, Premier Li was accompanied by Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng who led a delegation of Chinese university senior leaders and senior education officials. This is Minister Huai’s second visit to New Zealand within 12 months following his engaging contribution to NZIEC Ki Tua 2023. This is a very special recognition of the close education ties between New Zealand and China.
ENZ's Acting Chief Executive Dr Linda Sissons greets Minister Huai with Minister Penny Simmonds and ENZ Regional Director & Counsellor, Greater China (Education), Michael Zhang, prior to the Education Forum (held at the Pullman Hotel, Auckland)
Our Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills, Penny Simmonds and Minister Huai co-chaired a “Looking into the Future: High Level Education Forum”. The Forum was attended by 11 University Presidents from some of the most prestigious universities in China, and all eight of our university Vice-Chancellors. The Forum discussed themes spanning student and academic mobility, research partnerships, innovation and productivity and digital education. A compelling discussion topped off with the signing of twenty institution-level MOUs.
Minister Huai and Minister Simmonds open 'Looking into the Future: New Zealand - China High Level Education Forum
And towards the end of the Forum, Premier Li, our Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, as well as the Minister of Education, Erica Stanford, joined the closing ceremony and took an active part in proceedings. This included the Prime Minister presenting the latest Prime Minister’s Scholarships to a group from Canterbury University heading to China and announcing the 2024 recipients of the New Zealand-China Tripartite Research Partnership Fund. Premier Li also announced allocations of scholarships for New Zealand Chinese Language teachers, summer camp places for New Zealand students and donations of Chinese language textbooks.
Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon with Maia Hosking of the University of Auckland who will begin her programme in China under the Prime Minister's Scholarship for Asia.
Premier Li (centre left) presents list of announcements to Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon (centre right) on stage with six New Zealand students who received Chinese Language books
To close the day, we accompanied our Minister, our Chinese and New Zealand university colleagues, and NZ Inc representatives to the Gala dinner where Prime Minister Luxon called out education among the other vital ties between China and New Zealand.
These special events proved a unique opportunity to showcase our high-quality education offering to China while demonstrating our commitment to enhancing student mobility and future education and research collaboration. It was fantastic. We can all be very proud of education’s contribution to this important relationship.
Ngā mihi nui,
Dr Linda Sissons
Acting Chief Executive
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao
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NZ Schools Scholarship Programme offers exciting study path for Vietnamese students
The New Zealand Schools Scholarships (NZSS) is a scholarship programme offered exclusively for Vietnamese students in grades 8 – 10. Since it was first launched in 2019, many young Vietnamese students have studied at New Zealand schools across the country thanks to the support of this Programme. Many of these students have gone on to secure scholarships at prestigious universities in New Zealand and other countries, achieving notable success on their academic paths.
Applications for NZSS 2024 were accepted between 22 January to 17 March 2024 and after several screening rounds, 14 NZSS winners were selected. Each scholarship provides a 50% subsidy on the full-year school tuition fees of the first year of study at a New Zealand secondary school.
A standout aspect of this year’s programme was the dual-opportunity scheme in which aspiring candidates who did not receive the NZSS were able to be considered for other scholarships offered by New Zealand schools. This saw an additional four students awarded other school scholarships bringing the total number of school scholarship awardees to 18.
The group of scholarship winners on the stage at the Awards ceremony.
On 9 June, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) organised the Awards Ceremony and Pre-Departure Briefing to recognise the scholarship winners as well as provide information in preparation for their journey ahead. Mr. Scott James, New Zealand Consul General in Viet Nam, attended and delivered a welcome remark, in which he emphasised the mutual respect and understanding that New Zealand and Viet Nam’s relationship is built upon.
Mr James added that “this scholarship programme signals the New Zealand Government’s continuing commitment to growing the relationship between our two countries.”
From left to right, Mr Ben Burrowes. ENZ’s Acting General Manager - International, NZSS Scholarship winner, Ngoc Han, and Mr. Scott James, New Zealand Consul General in Viet Nam.
Mr. Ben Burrowes, ENZ’s Acting General Manager – International, was also present at the event and awarded the winners a scholarship certificate and offered his congratulations. In his speech he reflected that the first eight months of 2023 saw school enrolments of Vietnamese students increase over that of 2022 to a total of 286.
“Given the care that every parent takes when deciding where their children should continue their education, the rebound for school students following the pandemic naturally took a little longer.
“We know that this number will continue to increase as life resumes its normal pattern, especially as parents look to the future, and what is best for their child’s development and education,” said Mr Burrowes.
For the pre-departure briefing, ENZ provided a brief presentation, followed by former NZSS winners, Thuy Truc (2023), Thao Nguyen (2023) and Tuan Minh (2019) sharing their study experiences with the audience. Representatives from the Vietnamese Students Association in New Zealand, Ms. Trang from HHT magazine who joined the New Zealand familiarisation trip in 2023, and Mr. Phu & Ms. Ngoc – parents of students who are currently studying in New Zealand also spoke.
Feedback from parents and students received by ENZ after the event was positive, with many commenting on how welcome and proud they felt as scholarship winners. We look forward to welcoming these students to New Zealand very soon!
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Neuseeland still a popular destination for German High School students
Germany takes the number one spot in all of Europe for the number of international students it sends to New Zealand and the fourth largest in the world for sending high school students after China, Japan, and South Korea. In 2023, 1,417 German students were enrolled at high schools across New Zealand which represented 10% of the total number of school students in the country.
There are positive signs that this number will continue to increase in 2024. 82 high school students were recently farewelled by the New Zealand Ambassador to Germany, Craig Hawke, and Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ’s) Associate Director of Engagement in Germany, Olga Elli at an event at Frankfurt Main Airport on Sunday 14 July.
The event was organised by Study Nelson, a Nelson-based education agency, that supports German students to find a high school in New Zealand, mainly in the Nelson-Marlborough area. The event was an opportunity for the students, aged between 14 and 19, to meet and engage with each other before they embark on their international study adventure. The students will spend between three and 18 months in New Zealand, depending on their programme and some plan to complete their NCEA Level 3 university entrance here.
One particularly excited member of the group included Emely Soffel, the I AM NEW scholarship winner from 2019, who due to the pandemic, had to wait five years to make her New Zealand study abroad dream come true.
Ambassador Hawke with high school student Emely Soffel, the 2019 I AM NEW scholarship winner who was not able to travel during Covid. They are pictured here with ENZ’s Associate Director of Engagement in Germany, Olga Elli.
Olga said that Germany’s strong recovery in the high school subsector can be attributed to the experienced German agent network who have had long-standing and enduring relationships with high schools back in New Zealand.
“These agents have been building strong bridges between Germany and New Zealand for several years now, some for decades, and have made positive impacts for thousands of young people.
“They have such a deep understanding of the unique offerings that our high schools in New Zealand provide and are an invaluable service to students when trying to decide where to study,” said Olga
She added “German students love coming to New Zealand especially for the opportunity to try out subjects that aren’t typically offered at German high schools. Subjects like outdoor education, fashion design, marine biology, and food technology for example, are always really popular choices.
Ambassador Hawke mingled with the students and enjoyed hearing about their chosen schools in New Zealand. In his farewell speech to the group, he wished them a warm ‘Haere rā/farewell and said, “I invite you all to make the most of the excellent educational experience on offer in our country and also the opportunity to immerse yourself in our diverse culture. I hope you all become lifelong ambassadors for New Zealand.”
Ambassador Hawke farewells the students at Frankfurt Main Airport.
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Māori and First Nations people connect during University of Toronto visit
18 indigenous students and two indigenous staff from the University of Toronto’s ‘First Nations House’ were invited to Aotearoa New Zealand for a week-long visit at Tirorangi Marae at the base of Mount Ruapehu in July.
The purpose of the visit was to enhance cross-cultural understanding between Māori and First Nations and Métis peoples and is significant as empowering iwi and hapū in the international education space is an important Te Tiriti obligation for ENZ, as an Aotearoa New Zealand government agency.
The visit took place during the time of ‘Puanga’ which is when the single star rises higher in the sky than the Matariki star cluster and is recognised by iwi and hapū that can’t see the Matariki cluster from their location.
Māori and First Nations and Métis people have ’sharing circles’ as a common way to teach and learn.
The group participated in a wide range of activities in the area while staying at the marae. They were then welcomed to Te Whanganui-a-Tara by the ENZ Wellington office, visiting Te Tiriti o Waitangi at Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga and and Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, before finishing their trip in Whakatū (Nelson) with some adventure tourism activities.
Indigenous students Kieren and Bailey from the University of Toronto sampling Wellington’s outdoors with ENZ's Craig Rofe.
The First Nations and Métis members of the group experienced what living on a marae was like and were also immersed in how a tribe engages with the environment, and how iwi businesses, local council and government agencies such as the Department of Conservation (DOC) operate in the field with iwi partnership.
Iwi people sharing lake Rotokura’s healing power, a wāhi tapu (sacred place) for the local tribe.
Dr Craig Rofe, ENZ’s Kaitohutohu Matua Māori – Senior Advisor Māori, said that during the visit, Māori and First Nations and Métis people were able to compare the similarities and differences of their contexts to grow understand of their respective challenges and successes.
“The First Nations people’s struggles to overcome racism and prejudice resonated with tangata whenua, in particular the intentional elimination of language and the current mechanisms of revitalisation.
“Many stories shared with together showed the everyday trauma that resides in each of us and how, as indigenous people, we try to navigate these obstacles to make a better world for the next generation”, said Dr Rofe.
The trip motivated the students to connect more with their languages and culture upon their return.
Kenzie, from the Mohawk tribe said “when we meet again, I’ll be able to talk to you in my language, I’m declaring it!”.
Katherine from the Eskasoni First Nation tribe said “My experience connecting with the Ngāti Rangi revealed the transformative power of global Indigenous connections. Participating in ceremonies such as Hautapu and visiting Mount Ruapehu was particularly moving. Listening to their stories of ancestral ties to the land and taking part in traditional ceremonies that emphasized community and connection to the environment deepened my own personal understanding. This experience inspired me to initiate conversations with elders in my own community about our traditional land management practices.”
This experience also highlights the important offerings that Māori, and indeed indigenous knowledge, has to offer to international education. In particular, and not exclusively, the deep connection that indigenous peoples have with the environment and therefore natural obligation of care.
First Nation student, Alexis, discovers the origins, medicinal, spiritual and mechanical properties of harakeke (flax).
Sustainable practices and programmes can benefit from indigenous inclusion and perspectives, especially with the large-scale impacts of global warming and general pollution in many countries. The co-governance structure that Ngāti Rangi iwi and DOC work with as part of post Te Tiriti Settlement was used as an example of decolonised solutions within our New Zealand context.
There have been discussions between ENZ, Ngāti Rangi iwi, and the University of Toronto about an ongoing relationship and considering what a reciprocal engagement might look like moving forward.
Nāku te ika i hī, nāku anō i whakatau
Ki te haere, whāia i te Pare-i-te-taitonga, tērā taku ika.
This is a Ngāti Rangi iwi reference to the Ruapehu mountain being the ‘pillar post’ of the ‘Fish’ (North Island).