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• From the CE: 2023 is off to a flying start

  Following the appointment of Chris Hipkins to Prime Minister, last week we welcomed our new Minister of Education, Jan Tinetti. Minister Tinetti knows education well. She has over 20 years as a primary school principal, in four schools across Southland and Tauranga. She also holds a Diploma in Teaching (Primary), a Bachelor of Education and Master’s in Education with First Class Honours, from the University of Canterbury.  

  Both appointments are good news for international education. We have both a Prime Minister with rich knowledge and appreciation for the many benefits that international education brings working alongside a Minister of Education who has significant education experience. 

  The first month of the year saw significant announcements in China, an important partner country. The first was the change to the Zero-COVID policy, followed shortly after with the decision by the Chinese qualification recognition agency to revert to pre-COVID settings for online qualifications. Chinese students were already returning to study in New Zealand and these announcements will encourage this further.   

  In response to these changes in China our team collaborated with Tourism New Zealand to drive awareness of New Zealand as a short-term study destination. Late last year we put the New Zealand education brand back on the map in Colombia with an important event in Bogota. I am also excited to see the relaunch of the New Zealand Schools Scholarships – our flagship initiative for Viet Nam.  

  The first month of the year also saw our first iwi-led Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia recipients (Te Piriru Marae, Ngāti Maniapoto) travelling to Hokkaido for six weeks, forging connections with the indigenous Ainu people of Japan. There will be more on this in next month’s ENews.  

  While I’m on the subject of the Prime Minister’s Scholarships the most recent round of applications saw a significant and very pleasing increase in Māori participation to 22 percent up from five percent from 2016 to 2019. We are eager to continue this increase and will be partnering with iwi to raise it further in the March group application round. 

  After the challenges of the past couple of years, a flying start was exactly what we needed and I am very pleased that is what we have.  

  Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa  

  Let us keep close together, not wide apart. 

  Ngā mihi nui, 

  Grant McPherson  

• International study experience in Brazil excites scholarship recipients

  A group of 15 students from the universities of Auckland and Waikato have recently returned to New Zealand after a month’s study in Brazil focusing on history and rights of indigenous people.  

  The students are group recipients of the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Latin America, which promotes international study opportunities for New Zealanders. 

  The group’s itinerary included lectures and field trips around Brazil, including Brasília, São Paulo, the largest city in the southern hemisphere; and Ubatuba, a beautiful, coastal city that joins the Atlantic Forest to the ocean. 

  Students had the opportunity to meet local indigenous communities such as the Guarani and share their experiences and stories of Aotearoa New Zealand. They discovered the challenges and difficulties faced by indigenous people in Brazil, as well as the richness of their ways of life, music and handicrafts, as well as their connection to their spiritual world. 

  One of the highlights for the students was their visit to the recently opened Museum of Indigenous Cultures in São Paulo, which offered them a glimpse of the contemporary expression of Brazilian indigenous art, with diverse manifestations such as photography, hip-hop and art installations with social protest. 

  

  Members of the Museum of Indigenous Cultures perform a traditional song for visiting students from New Zealand. 

  The ENZ team in Brazil closely followed the journey of the scholarship recipients across the country.

  ENZ’s Senior Market Development Manager – Brazil, Bruna de Natale said the students’ visit was a wonderful opportunity that has further grown the rich, cultural, and academic connections between Brazil and New Zealand.  

  “We were pleased to see how deeply the students immersed themselves in learning about history and indigenous rights in Brazil and make connections with indigenous communities in the country. It’s amazing to see the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Latin America enable this rich exchange of ideas and knowledge between New Zealand and Brazil,” de Natale said. 

  The four-week visit ended in Brasília, where the students synthesised their learning in Brazil by presenting original projects that promote the connection between the indigenous cultures of Brazil and Aotearoa New Zealand.  

  The students’ insights are also captured on video that can be viewed here on LinkedIn. 

• Rebuilding New Zealand education’s visibility in China

  Last month, Lillian spent three weeks in New Zealand in what was her first visit to the country as part of her role at Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao.

  The two-pronged purpose of her trip was to provide refreshed marketing insights to education providers in New Zealand and hear from providers on their expectations and the challenges they face when marketing their offering in China.

  Here are Lillian’s takeaways from her visits and interactions in New Zealand –

  Need for storytelling that better highlights New Zealand education’s points of difference

  1. Engaging with education providers and visiting campuses highlighted to me several points of difference for New Zealand education, particularly how it is innovative, how it develops work-ready graduates, as well as how international students are welcomed and valued in New Zealand. Seeing these points of difference in real time made me realise how underrated the New Zealand education story is overseas, and the need to tell that story better. We need to focus on telling a New Zealand education story that is authentic and has concrete examples. A more visual storytelling format would be ideal to deliver the story.
     • Tip: Demonstrate the teaching and student engagement practices your institution delivers using visuals (images or videos).
     • Example: Take photos/videos in the lab, with robotics machines, with the 3D printer, the hands-on experience and student engagement (student hub), self-learning and learning from their peers.
  

  Visit to Middleton Grange Intermediate School to understand the differences between New Zealand and Chinese classrooms

  Demonstrate outcomes of education programmes via successful alumni stories to promote offering

  1. Chinese parents and students are very outcome driven. Institution or programme rankings remain the key consideration, but other indicators and outcomes are becoming increasingly important, including employability, international recognition, and a life-changing experience.

  Demonstrating the outcome of an education programme by leveraging successful student or alumni stories and testimonials can be a critical in activating ‘word-of-mouth’ promotion that influences the decision-making of prospective students and parents.

  • Tip: Highlight successes or outcomes for students through stories. Degree + good experience = happy alumni story. Parents and students want to know if a qualification from a New Zealand institution will be recognised in China, the world or if it could be a pathway to further study.
  • Example: A Chinese student studied a business degree with a New Zealand tertiary provider and then landed a job at a Fortune 500 company or became an industry leader. Or if a Chinese student studied virtual art in a New Zealand PTE, got a job in Weta Digital, which has worked on recent Chinese blockbuster films. We have seen Chinese media are very interested in interviewing and profiling such students in their publications.

  Consider digital content in local language for marketing impact

  1. Research indicates that more Chinese students do their own research online and make their own decisions when choosing an overseas study destination and institution. So having a digital presence on China’s digital platforms is critical. Digital content in local languages also goes a long way in building brand awareness. If resources allow, exploring multiple channels and interacting with your audience in local languages will help you to gain a major advantage in optimising brand awareness and driving results in student recruitment.
     • Tip: Host Chinese language and China specific channels such as an official WeChat account. We understand it isn’t easy to set one up. If you are unable to set up a WeChat account for any reason or don’t have Chinese-speaking staff, having a Chinese language website is the next best option. Having crucial information online in Chinese helps promote the institution as trustworthy. Parents and students will use the Chinese language website to confirm information, even if they rely heavily on agents or school counsellors.
     • Example: ENZ has been working to optimise our digital presence in China, including with our Chinese language website: studywithnewzealand.cn. We recently revamped the storefront of SWNZ.cn to bolster its localisation, ensuring that from a Chinese user point of view, we can keep them interested and engaged in considering a New Zealand education provider. To ensure our digital presence continues to be fit for purpose, we undertake regular work to update and troubleshoot our platform and content.

   

  

  ENZ’s Lillian Zhang presents China Marketing Insights and Strategies session to members of Study Dunedin on 24 February

  With China fully re-opening to the world in January, the tempo of in-person events in the country is at pace already.

  ENZ’s Greater China team is looking forward to supporting New Zealand providers visiting the country for agent seminars in Guangzhou and Beijing in May and other events later in the year.

  If you have any enquiries related to marketing in China, please contact: china@enz.govt.nz 

• Re-building connections across the globe at APAIE

  Moving forward into the post-COVID era, the theme was appropriately ‘Towards a sustainable future for international education in the Asia Pacific’.

  New Zealand’s presence at the conference was strong with all eight New Zealand universities and Whitecliffe School of Fashion and Sustainability attending, along with representatives from Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) and Immigration New Zealand (INZ).

  ENZ’s Chief Executive Grant McPherson travelled to the event.

  “It is exciting to see the commitment of New Zealand institutions to attend these key regional events,” he said. “The APAIE conference is one of ENZ’s flagship events and supporting these events is a critical component of our broader strategy to rebuild connections across the globe while also rebuilding a more resilient and sustainable sector.”

  Ben Burrowes, ENZ's Regional Director Asia said, "the New Zealand Pavilion was extremely busy across the three days of the conference. The event proved a great opportunity to meet kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) to re-build our brand awareness as well as raising our profile with our key bilateral partners and potential new partners."

  During the conference, ENZ's Director of Scholarships, Carla Rey Vasquez, and the Centres of Asia Pacific Excellence (CAPEs) Education Director, Libby Giles, delivered a presentation showcasing New Zealand's Global Citizenship journey. The session explored examples of how Global Citizenship Education (GCED) has been embedded across New Zealand schools, universities, and government entities as a way to innovate and transform education practices, including through the integration of Te Ao Māori views around this topic.

  Carla said, "It was great to demonstrate to audiences how local and international students can come together as global citizens through a focus on intercultural exchange, as well as through understanding local culture and knowledge.”

  Outside the conference, ENZ's Thailand team organised a series of meetings with key Thai government ministries and agencies including the Ministry of Education, Thailand's National Innovation Agency, the Office of Civil Service Commission, and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation.

  Next year’s APAIE conference will take place in Perth, Western Australia in March.

   

  

  Meetings at the New Zealand Pavilion

• NauMai NZ and the NauMai NZ WeChat mini programme

  ‘Nau mai’ is a te reo Māori phrase of invitation and welcome and NauMai NZ is the NZ government's official student experience platform, designed to support international students living and studying in Aotearoa New Zealand 

  NauMai NZ is written in plain English and provides practical, trusted, peer-reviewed content, designed to support and improve students’ living and study experiences. This includes information and resources to support students before arriving in Aotearoa (including useful tips on moving to New Zealand and what they need to bring), though to information to help them navigate daily life once here, including on:    

  • Making friends and building social connections  
  • Exploring and experiencing Aotearoa – the culture and the country 
  • Getting advice to improve wellbeing, study and living experiences
  • Managing money, finding accommodation, and understanding healthcare in New Zealand 
  • Balancing work and study and understanding workplace culture, and much more. 

  You can explore more via this link. 

  ENZ has also developed the NauMai NZ WeChat Mini Programme. This is a companion platform to the English platform, to better support Chinese students who prefer the WeChat ecosystem. Information from the English platform is available in Chinese on the mini programme, as well as specific features that provide peer-to-peer support, such as video sharing, livestreams, forum functionality and student stories.  

  The following QR codes can be shared with your international students. Printed flyers are also available and so if you would like these sent to you, or have any questions for our Student Experience team, please do not hesitate to contact Faymie Li, faymie.li@enz.govt.nz, and Ross Crosson, ross.crosson@enz.govt.nz. 

   

  Manaakitanga is at the heart of what we all do, and ENZ aims to support you and your mahi. He waka eke noa. We are all in this together.  

• Student welcomes continue throughout the country

  Timaru 

  In the Timaru District, a total of 83 students from America, China, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Hong Kong and Laos were officially welcomed by the Mayor at a function at the Caroline Bay Hall on March 20. It was the first time a mayoral welcome of students has been held in Timaru since Feb 2020. 

  The welcome featured performances from the Roncalli College kapa haka group and Mountainview high School’s jazz band. Guest speakers included district Mayor, Nigel Bowen and MP for Rangitata Jo Luxton. 

  Whanganui

  Earlier this month 27 students from Japan, India, Germany, China, Thailand, and Scotland were treated to a rousing (and musical) welcome from the Cullinane College kapa haka group at the Cooks Gardens event centre in Whanganui. 

  Whanganui Deputy Mayor Helen Craig welcomed the students to “New Zealand’s only UNESCO City of Design” highlighting the importance of cultural interaction between international students and their New Zealand counterparts. 

  Cullinane College kapa haka group welcoming Whanganui’s international students. Click on the image to view the video.

• ITENZ International Education Forum 18 May

  As part of Education New Zealand’s Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) objective to give attendees a better understanding of ENZ’s direction of travel for the coming year, Geoff Bilbrough, General Manager Marketing and Communications presented at the forum. He gave a high-level view of ENZ’s marketing plans for the coming year including marketing and branding insights from recent research. ENZ’s Global Citizens Manager, Tyler Te Kiri, delivered a presentation on the Prime Minister’s Scholarship to Asia and Latin America scheme, what opportunities are available to the PTE sector and how PTE students can take part. The forum also included a speed meeting session with Auckland based ENZRA agents.  

  ENZ’s General Manager of Sector Engagement, Wendy Kerr said that it was important that we support the sector in a way that grows inbound students’ mobility for Aotearoa New Zealand in the next 12 months. 

  “Initiatives like the ITENZ International Forum encourage a collective approach to promote New Zealand education internationally. Since borders reopened in August 2022, all sub sectors have experienced a return of student visa holders. We look forward to working closely with the sub sectors to continue this upward trajectory,” added Wendy.  

   

• From the CE: Building the momentum at NAFSA 2023

  Kia ora koutou, 

  I’m writing this in an airport lounge in Vancouver, Canada as I wait for my flight back to New Zealand. I’ve spent the past two weeks in North America with several of our tertiary education providers at NAFSA, the world’s biggest international conference and exhibition, and here in Canada. In last month’s column I reflected on the delegation I led to India.

  These trips involve lots of hard work from many people – time, effort, money and being away from whānau. They are always valuable and this one was no different.

  Two things stood out from me on this journey.

  We must continue all our efforts to ensure people know we are open, and we are welcoming of students into New Zealand. A lot of good work is occurring across the sector and ENZ but we need to keep going.

  The last time I looked Immigration had received close to 50,000 student visa applications since August from both outside and within New Zealand. It’s a good start considering our borders have not been open for a year yet and it’s wonderful to have international students back at our education providers and in our communities. But we need to keep telling New Zealand’s education story and reestablish our partnerships and relationships.

  I was again reminded how intense the competition is to attract students to New Zealand as we all continue to rebuild. There were nearly 10,000 attendees, 400 exhibitors and over 50 countries represented at NAFSA. New Zealand has a very good story to tell based on the quality of our education, the experience the students have when they study here, and the excellent people that work in this sector. 

  Rebuilding is not an easy task. I don’t think any of us thought it was going to be. There are plenty of articles and news stories identifying challenges being faced by other countries. New Zealand is in an excellent position to attract great students who receive a leading education and have a life changing experience. 

  India. The United States. Canada. No matter the geography. The message is the same. Ten months in we’ve made a good start, but we have work to do.

  Whāia te iti kahurangi; ki te tuohu koe, me he maunga teitei

  Aim for the highest cloud, so that if you miss it, you will hit a lofty mountain.

  Ngā mihi nui,

  Grant McPherson

• Celebrating the 28 Pasifika graduates of the He Manawa Tītī Programme

  He Manawa Tītī was a 13-week bespoke training course for emerging Pacific leaders delivered between February and May 2023 under the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Programme (MNZSP). The name He Manawa Tītī stems from a Māori Whakataukī (proverb) meaning ‘stout of heart’ and the course formed part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) contribution to the suite of reparations for Pacific peoples announced in 2021 by the New Zealand Government. The press release announcing these scholarships is available here). 

  Emerging leaders (aged 25 – 35) from public, private, and voluntary sectors took part in the course combining academic and experiential training.  Scholars participated in several weeks of online learning from their home countries and spent nine weeks of the programme based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. He Manawa Tītī included modules on good governance and public sector leadership, trade policy in the context of the Pacific, and explored Pasifika values as key tenets of modern leadership.    

  Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) was involved in this kaupapa (programme of work) through its partnership with MFAT on the operational management of the MNZSP.   

  “It was fantastic to be able to celebrate these 28 inspiring young leaders as they completed this programme in Wellington last month. In true Pacific style, there was plenty of laughter, fun and colour, and it was a fitting celebration for all that these graduates have already achieved throughout their education and early careers,” said ENZ’s General Manager International, Lisa Futschek.   

  “The programme was designed by MFAT in collaboration with key Pasifika stakeholders and community members, highlighting Pasifika ways of learning and recognising the knowledge that is already held by Pasifika peoples. This collaboration also ensured opportunities for the scholars to build networks with Pasifika communities here in Aotearoa New Zealand, which connects them to our country now that they have returned home,” Lisa added. 

  The Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Programme is part of the International Development Cooperation support that MFAT provides for developing partner countries across the globe. Manaaki alumni are well-known to be integral contributors to the development of their home countries.  

  “These Pacific emerging leaders are enthusiastic about returning home and putting into practice the leadership skills they have gained in Aotearoa,” said MFAT Lead Adviser, Alexandra Grace.  

  “While they have successfully completed this bespoke cohort course, real success will be demonstrated over coming years through what they achieve for their communities and countries. Scholars told me they won’t miss the weather (!) but will take with them enduring memories of the manaakitanga they experienced in our country.” 

• ENZ leads NZ university delegation to the Middle East

  From 29 April to 8 May, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) led an education delegation, involving four New Zealand universities, to Oman, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia. 

  Across the region, the delegation visit focused on engaging with government agencies to promote New Zealand as a study destination for scholarship students, as well as meeting with agents and presenting to self-funded students looking for opportunities to study abroad. In Dubai, New Zealand universities visited international schools that offer strong student recruitment opportunities with expatriate students. 

  In Oman, the focus was on promoting the New Zealand education offering at the Global Higher Education Exhibition (GHEDEX) in Muscat. ENZ’s pavilion with the University of Otago, the University of Waikato, the University of Auckland, and Massey University attracted strong interest from well-qualified students and their parents, and government and institution representatives.  

  In Riyadh, the delegation visited Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (PNU) with representatives from the University of Waikato and Massey University to explore institution partnerships. PNU is a women’s university with 50,000 students (57 percent studying STEM subjects) and its own metro system. The university is interested in broad cooperation agreements covering study abroad, joint programmes, exchange, and PhD, particularly in the areas of renewable energy, computer science, digital media, and sports.  

  

  The New Zealand delegation with the Director of International Cooperation and Director of Strategic Partnerships at Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh

  Saudia Arabia has a new Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques scholarship programme that aims to send 70,000 students to top-ranked universities by 2030. In the UAE, ENZ met with the Scholarships Office of the Presidential Court in Abu Dhabi to discuss New Zealand as a destination for this prestigious programme. Approval of New Zealand universities by government agencies in Saudia Arabia and the UAE would have a positive impact on New Zealand’s engagement with other government ministries and funding bodies in both these countries as well.  

  ENZ’s Regional Director Americas, Middle East & Europe, Amy Rutherford, said this delegation visit was a valuable opportunity to engage with senior education officials in Riyadh on this new scholarship programme as well as exploring institution-to-institution partnerships. 

  “We have emphasised to Saudi officials New Zealand universities’ areas of expertise that align with the subjects set out under the programme. However, getting New Zealand onto the Saudi Arabian government’s list for scholarships will take regular and persistent engagement from NZ Inc partners and education institutions,” Amy said.  

  “The approval of New Zealand education providers [on the list] would be an important signal of the high quality of New Zealand education and potentially support our involvement in other areas of government funding, such with the National Institute for Education and Professional Development, the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC), or the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Tourism.” 

  ENZ’s Senior Advisor, Middle East and Europe, Bronwyn Shanks, said the delegation visit was a good opportunity to grow vocational education links and reengage with New Zealand alumni in the region. 

  “As Saudi Arabia works to diversify its economy and upskill its population in line with Vision 2030, there are clear opportunities for Te Pūkenga. There is a cooperation agreement on the table with TVTC, and the new Wa’ed scholarships pathway is focused on vocational education and training. 

  “We engaged with many New Zealand alumni who were very positive about their experiences in New Zealand and the opportunities a New Zealand education has created for them. The real excitement recently has been around Rayannah Barnawi, the first Arab woman to go into space, who is a University of Otago graduate,” Bronwyn said.  

  Read more about University of Otago graduate Rayannah Barnawi 

  

  The New Zealand delegation with Ambassador Richard Kay and Second Secretary Jess Minehan-Fitzgerald from the New Zealand Embassy in Abu Dhabi, with officials from the Scholarships Office at the UAE’s Presidential Court