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Education ties with China
People’s Republic of China Education Minister Huai Jinpeng and New Zealand’s Education Minister Chris Hipkins met virtually on 23 August 2022. This was their first meeting since Minister Huai took up his appointment in August last year.
During the meeting, ministers and officials signed the renewal of the Education Cooperation Arrangement between the two Ministries of Education. Co-operation in higher education, vocational education as well as early childhood education were among the topics discussed. Both ministers expressed the importance they place upon our mutually beneficial education relationship and our people-to-people ties.

Left to right: Lisa Futschek, GM International at ENZ, Grant McPherson, Chief Executive at ENZ, Education Minister Chris Hipkins, Andy Jackson, Deputy Secretary Policy at Ministry of Education, Shelley Robertson, GM International Education Policy at Ministry of Education, attending the meeting in Wellington.

This year New Zealand and China are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations, and people – Tangata – is one of the key themes for the celebrations.
ENZ’s Director for Greater China, Miranda Herbert, say that the Covid-19 restrictions currently in place in China continue to affect people’s ability to move around or meet in person.
“We are constantly looking for ways to continue engaging with key people in China,” she said.
“Holding this meeting virtually was a way for us to maintain and build our government-to-government relationships, even though there has been a pause in mobility.
“The discussion between ministers highlighted the strong foundation of the education relationship and the continued collaboration across initiatives such as the Tripartite Partnership Programme, the Early Childhood Education Symposium and forums on vocational education and training.
Looking ahead there will be further events and initiatives to continue to build people-to-people links in the education sector.
Building connnections with career counsellors in India
Seven of New Zealand’s universities took part in the conference, which attracted more than 1,400 delegates, representing 56 nationalities. The university delegates engaged in panel discussions on a range of topics, including ethical counselling and preparing for education abroad, which were well attended. Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) led the New Zealand delegation as a gold sponsor of the event.
Launched in 2016, IC3 is the largest platform for connecting high school career counsellors in India with tertiary education institutions. The conference brings together school leaders, teachers, counsellors, universities, education organisations, government bodies, industry leaders and others with an interest in sustainable and inclusive counselling, focused on student success.
Jugnu Roy, ENZ’s Director of Engagement based in India, says participation in the annual conference is valuable for ENZ as well as for the universities involved.
“High school careers and college counsellors are key influencers for students in India when it comes to making choices about tertiary study and future careers. This event has been a great help with building our connections with schools across southern India, so we can develop a pipeline of international students interested in undergraduate study in New Zealand.
“The timing of the conference worked well as an opportunity for branding, visibility, and reconnecting with Indian schools soon after the opening of New Zealand’s borders. This was the first time we had been able to attend in person for two years.

New Zealand universities interacting with schools at the networking session.

“Our participation in the event has already led to increased interest in a New Zealand education among high school counsellors, who are keen to invite New Zealand institutions to their schools for university fairs and to meet with students.
“In a country like India, where many countries are trying hard to attract international students, New Zealand’s presence sends a strong signal that we are committed and here to stay.”
The 2022 IC3 Institute Student Quest Survey Report was published during the conference. More than 10,000 students responded, naming the top three factors affecting their choice of university: programme details, financial aid/scholarship information, and potential job opportunities.
For more information about the conference, see the IC3 Conference website here.
For more information about the recent student survey, see the IC3 Institute website here
Showcasing New Zealand education at EAIE 2022
Held from 13-16 September in Barcelona, Spain, the 32nd Annual EAIE Conference and Exhibition attracted more than 200 exhibitors and 6,300 participants for a packed programme of sessions, networking events and plenaries. This was an ideal platform for New Zealand institutions and the ENZ team to meet with key stakeholders, including government and university partners, education agents, and study abroad and pathway providers.
New Zealand’s branded pavilion featured the kākahu (garment) created for German student Malina Grube from the I AM NEW campaign, and attracted attention from European and global education professionals.
Alongside their busy schedule of meetings and appointments, the New Zealand representatives also attended a networking event organised by ENZ, which brought together more than 100 key education partners.
Speaking at the event, ENZ Chief Executive Grant McPherson said the value of New Zealand's education relationships in Europe lies in student mobility, and in the quality of the academic relationships between New Zealand and European partners, the strong research and innovation links between us, and the ties these build beyond the education sector.
“I am proud of the many educational partnerships and connections New Zealand’s institutions have with European counterparts and globally,” he said.

LtoR: Richard Witts, Regional Manager – Africa, Middle East & Europe, Sharon Calvert, Director, International, and Alister Jones, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the University of Waikato

Ainslie Moore, Interim Director International, the University of Auckland, meets with key contacts

The New Zealand pavilion, with Brett Armstrong, Study Abroad Manager, Auckland University of Technology, in the foreground and the kākahu on display beside the welcome desk.
Study abroad promo in US
Study Abroad Month, led by our Washington DC-based team, targeted the study advisors at United States universities, who support students with their study abroad plans. A series of videos were published each week and sent to key contacts, including a closing video from Education Minister Chris Hipkins.
Lewis Gibson, Field Director North America at Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao, says study abroad students are our main source of international students from the US.
“Pre-Covid-19, around 350,000 tertiary students each year spent a semester overseas as part of their degree. We’re looking to increase our share of this group.
“In normal times, US institutions and study abroad advisors rely on the voices of New Zealand alumni, who can share their experiences with other people on campus and build interest in a New Zealand study experience,” he says.
“We needed to do something different this year, because our borders had been closed so there weren’t the alumni students available on campus. We also needed a good way to remind study advisors about New Zealand’s unique education offering.”
Lewis says feedback from institutions in the US has been very positive, and they are looking forward to seeing students travel again to New Zealand. Some of the comments received included the following:
- “Thank you so much for letting us know about this exciting project! I just shared the New Zealand Study Abroad Month YouTube channel with our spring 2023 applicants... We are thrilled to nominate over 15 students to our outstanding partner universities in New Zealand ...for the first time in over two years!”
- “Thank you for sharing this information. I watched Fiona’s video for VUW and I am sharing it with several students who are deciding which NZ institution to attend for Term 1 via TEAN. I’ll be certain to watch future videos and do the same with those.”
- “We are so grateful of the opportunities you provide our students, and our tight partnership together.”
“In case anyone is wondering, we initially intended to run the promotion for four weeks, hence the name, ‘Study Abroad Month’. But with the participation of so many universities, and the inclusion of additional videos reflecting the voices of students, it made more sense to expand the promotion to six weeks.”
Before our borders closed, the US was our sixth largest source of international students, with most students seeking to enrol in university-level study here. Study Abroad Month aimed to attract students to New Zealand from the US spring semester 2023 onwards.
High level of interest in vocational education forum
Organised by Skills Consulting Group and Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), together with Te Pūkenga, the forum provided an opportunity to share knowledge and insights on best practice in technical and vocational education and training, in an accessible format.
A key theme was the importance of close relationships with industry, particularly in terms of apprenticeships. For some participants, a longstanding perception that higher education is more important than vocational education remains a challenge. Student panel participants also talked about the confidence and support that their parents provided when they were making decisions about whether to enter vocational education programmes, and having no regrets about the career paths followed.
Topics covered included solving skills shortages, apprenticeships, youth employment, lifelong learning, digital transformation, sustainability, and promoting diversity. Senior government officials, major companies, international organisations, sector leaders and students from around the world spoke at the forum, which was opened with a speech from Education Minister Chris Hipkins.
Text-based chat and discussion tools in the virtual environment were multilingual, providing instant translation to enable communication and networking across 28 different languages.
The China – New Zealand Higher Vocational Education Summit was also part of the APAC TVET Forum and featured a dedicated virtual room for Chinese presenters and audience members. The Summit provided a platform to:
- discuss New Zealand’s recent experience of vocational education reform
- further develop cooperation in vocational education between New Zealand and China, building on the existing joint programmes between Te Pūkenga subsidiaries and vocational institutions in China.
Keynote speakers from China included Chen Dali, Deputy Director, General Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges from the China Ministry of Education, and presenters from industry including Wang Jinsheng from Qingdao Technical College.
ENZ Business Development Manager Richard Kyle says APAC TVET is the only forum of its type in the region.
“It was particularly encouraging to see double the number of registrations this year, building on the success of the first forum in 2021. There’s clearly a high level of interest in this event, and it’s a great opportunity to showcase New Zealand’s strengths in vocational and technical education.”
Positive comments were received from many attendees.
“Brilliant tech. Excellent management…and good content.”
“Amazing numbers... Very informative sessions and I’ve got people more interested in our upcoming activities.”
“It was well organised from the invitation to the closure of the forum – well done job!”
Reconnecting with stakeholders in Japan
Across the two days, 68 representatives from education and travel agencies, schools, universities and ENZ’s education partners in Japan networked with 19 New Zealand education providers, regional representatives and edtech company, Chasing Time English, and heard updates from ENZ. Networking opportunities included one-on-one meetings, and a reception at iki, a newly opened New Zealand-themed roastery and eatery in Tokyo. Key Japanese partners including ENZRA agents, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and ENZ’s Education Cooperation Partners: Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education, Japan Women’s University and Waseda University attended the event.


In terms of market trends, Misa Kitaoka, ENZ’s Director of Education in Japan, noted the increasing demand for “one term school study” in New Zealand, which can be attributed to changes made in admission requirements by the Japanese universities.
“With the Japanese government’s internationalisation efforts, more and more universities in Japan are now adopting a holistic assessment of applicants, based on their high school grades, English language skills, extracurricular activities, and essays, in addition to the traditional written exams,” Ms Kitaoka says.
“Students who study abroad have a competitive advantage in these assessments – their English and communication skills improve, and they gain a wide range of life experiences overseas. With this new trend, we are expecting to see more secondary schools sending their students for one term or longer to New Zealand, to help them prepare for admission to university.”

Japanese agents and educators are also interested in New Zealand’s full Bachelor’s degree programmes, given the increasing number of bilingual Japanese/English students in Japan. With more International Baccalaureate (IB) schools (the Japanese government’s current target is 200 IB schools) and the improvement of English language education in Japan, more students in Japan are prepared to apply directly to New Zealand tertiary institutions after finishing high school.
“We are excited to work with ENZ to start an annual, outbound group study programme for our affiliated schools,” Ryohei Matsuoka from the International Office at Waseda University said. “We are planning to send more than 70 Waseda high school students to Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay in March 2023. With Waseda’s increasing interest in New Zealand’s tertiary education, the programme will incorporate visits to tertiary institutions in addition to study at secondary schools.”
ENZ and Air New Zealand are co-hosting and co-funding a “famil” for the executive members of Waseda University and its affiliated schools in late November, visiting schools and tertiary institutions in the two regions mentioned above.
Due to Japan’s border restrictions which were in place until October, and the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, ENZ did not undertake a student-facing event this year, and is planning to restart student fairs in 2023.

Social media coverage of the stakeholder events was well received and generated a high level of engagement.
Manaaki Scholarships operations transferred to ENZ
Operational responsibility for the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships programme was formally transferred to Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) on 1 November 2022, the result of almost two years of sustained effort from both sides.
The team transferring from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), along with other new staff working on the scholarships programme, were welcomed to ENZ with a mihi whakatau by a group that included ENZ Board Chair Steve Maharey and Chief Executive Grant McPherson.
Manaaki Scholarships represent the government’s single largest investment in international scholarships and have been awarded for more than 70 years. ENZ is taking over operational management from MFAT, which will remain responsible for setting the strategic direction, alumni relationships and funding the programme.

On the symbolic handing over of MFAT's ‘living taonga’ to ENZ, Divisional Manager Joanna Kempkers noted, “if our Policy Team are the head, giving strategic direction, and the Alumni Team is the arms, reaching out to embrace scholars on completion, then the Operations Team is the beating heart of the Manaaki Scholarships Programme. We are confident that ENZ will take good care of our team, of the Manaaki Scholarships Programme, and deliver enhanced ‘mana through manaaki’ to our individual scholars.”
ENZ and MFAT have worked together on an improvement programme that will get underway early in 2023. This will include a technology upgrade as well as operational policy shifts to strengthen student experience.
“This partnership is one of those rare events where logic and virtue combine to provide a stronger and better outcome,” said ENZ Chief Executive Grant McPherson. “It is not just a good idea for our two agencies, but it’s a great idea for NZ Inc and will bring broader benefits beyond our immediate goals.”
“We know our own in-country teams already work closely with MFAT on matters concerning the Manaaki Scholars,” says GM Sector Services Sahinde Pala.
“This is an exciting opportunity for us to become more closely involved in the scholarships programme and the work on continuous improvements. Our aim is to ensure scholars have an excellent experience and become lifelong ambassadors for Aotearoa New Zealand.”
Manaaki Scholarships are a key pillar of Aotearoa New Zealand’s International Development Co-operation, offering more than 1,100 scholarships annually to students from 112 eligible countries to study in Aotearoa New Zealand, in the Pacific, or online.
For information on opening dates to apply for Manaaki Scholarships, go to: Application opening and closing dates for your country | MANAAKI | Education New Zealand (nzscholarships.govt.nz)
Programmes of study can be found here: Types of Manaaki Scholarships | MANAAKI | Education New Zealand (nzscholarships.govt.nz)
Eligible countries can be found here: 1.Check eligible countries | MANAAKI | Education New Zealand (nzscholarships.govt.nz)
To contact ENZ’s Manaaki Scholarship team, please email manaaki@enz.govt.nz
Launching Te Pūkenga internationally
The series began in late May 2022 with the launch of its strategy by Education Minister Chris Hipkins at NAFSA. Since then, Te Pūkenga has continued working with Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), to introduce Te Pūkenga to offshore education agents and other key international stakeholders, building on existing events whenever possible.
The establishment of Te Pūkenga, and the opportunities presented by its size and scale have been a key focus at these events. Te Pūkenga is now the largest tertiary provider in New Zealand, and the 35th largest in the world. The events have also been a great way to bring partners together, to reconnect and to acknowledge the tough years that all have recently endured.
Te Pūkenga emphasised that its size and scale together with having a single national brand enable it to act as one, to invest strategically, and to communicate effectively and deliberately the quality of its applied education delivery on the global stage – something all partners were clearly excited about hearing. It is striving to achieve a balanced portfolio of inbound, outbound, online, offshore and work-based education delivery.
A special shout out to ENZ’s international teams that assisted Te Pūkenga on the events and worked with other NZ Inc agencies, particularly where ENZ events weren’t planned. These included hosting events at the New Zealand High Commission in India and the New Zealand Embassies in the Philippines and Japan.
To sum up with a quote from the Philippines’ launch event ‘Ko te pae tawhiti whāia kia tata, ko te pae tata whakamaua kia tina / Seek out distant horizons and celebrate those you have attained’.
Scholarships awarded to international students from Germany
Over the three-month campaign we received hundreds of applications, of which Ronja Härdtner’s was the strongest. A Master’s student in International Nature Conservation at Georg-August-University in Göttingen, Ronja will complete her degree at Lincoln University in New Zealand.
Thanks to everyone who helped ENZ representative Marina Wilmerstadt to surprise Ronja at her university. You can see her reaction to the big news here.

Congratulations to Ronja for winning the Welcome to New Zealand scholarship, and to the other award winners who will be confirmed shortly. We can’t wait to welcome you all to Aotearoa New Zealand.
Japanese teachers experience New Zealand’s regional schools
“Waseda University and its affiliated schools are longstanding and valued partners for us,” says Misa Kitaoka, Director of Education in Japan for Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ).
“It’s exciting to see the strong regional focus they have chosen for their students’ study in New Zealand in 2023 and hear about the planned growth of the programme.”
Waseda University schools will be sending up to 60 students on a group programme to schools in Manawatū and Hawke’s Bay for two weeks in March 2023. The two regions were selected to receive students after taking part in an Expression of Interest process. Close to 80 students have already applied to take part, and Waseda plans to increase the number of participants to 100 from 2024, and to increase the length of their visit in future years. 
ENZ hosted the familiarisation tour (famil) to Manawatū and Hawke’s Bay from 21- 25 November 2022. Four Tokyo schools took part alongside Waseda University: Waseda University Senior High School, Waseda University Honjo Senior High School, Waseda Jitsugyo High School and Waseda Saga Junior and Senior High School. The famil was co-funded by ENZ and Air New Zealand, and Palmerston North City Council and Learning Hawkes Bay played a major role in helping to organise visits to 14 different education providers.
“Through the five-day famil, our regional and institutional partners demonstrated their strengths and uniqueness,” says ENZ’s Director Marketing and Strategies, Patrick Holden, who travelled with the delegation.
“Delegates commented on how welcome they felt and how impressed they were to see indigenous Māori language and customs being incorporated into the school curriculum.   The manaakitanga shown by the different institutions was well received, especially the pōwhiri.”  

The delegation is welcomed with a powhiri at Napier Girls High School

Misa Kitaoka stressed the importance of destination marketing with support from regional partners.
“While decision-making tends to be institution-led in the tertiary sector, decisions for the school sector are often led by the region or city. This famil was a great opportunity for us to showcase the regions first, followed by the education offerings available in the regions.
“Japanese school students, parents and educators are also interested in cultural experiences in New Zealand beyond education, including the opportunities to interact with local students and host families, and to embrace New Zealand’s cultural values of diversity and inclusion.
“While video-calling offers many benefits and has been vital across the pandemic, bringing famils back into the country means our offshore stakeholders can experience first-hand what New Zealand has to offer. Regional involvement will play a key role in building long-term reciprocal relationships for Aotearoa.” 
For more on ENZ’s education partnership with Waseda University and its affiliated schools, please click here.  
For more on the value of short-term programmes for international students in New Zealand and the potential benefits to New Zealand and the educator sector, check out this recent Spinoff article: How educational exchange fosters more than just learning | The Spinoff 

Hamish Cooper, NZ Ambassador to Japan, and ENZ staff Misa Kitaoka, Patrick Holden and Ben Burrowes called on the President of Waseda University, Dr Aiji Tanaka and Prof. Kate Elwood, Dean of Centre for International Education recently to congratulate Dr Tanaka on his reelection as the 18th President of Waseda University

 The delegation was welcomed on to the Central Hawkes Bay College Marae where they were given background about the history of the marae and given a quick fire class in flax weaving

Waseda delegation outside Awatapu College