Search

Showing 10 of 1786 results for how to register international groups

• A new group of US Kiwi Ambassadors

  Welcome Kiwi Ambassadors!

  It was so difficult that ENZ decided the group of runners-up would be offered the chance to be ‘Honorary’ Kiwi Ambassadors. This meant they could still share their semester experience in New Zealand through the Study in New Zealand Instagram.

  The #StudyinNZ page will therefore shortly welcome the next round of Kiwi Ambassadors, the 13 award recipients, and a further group of 29 Honorary Kiwi Ambassadors when they arrive in New Zealand in July.

  The Instagram page has quickly become a hit with the US students and has already attracted almost 15,000 followers. Certainly, as you can see if you view the page, the current Kiwi Ambassadors have had no trouble finding picturesque opportunities during their semester in New Zealand! Images of nature, food, sunsets and wildlife predominate.

  ENZ’s staff in the US, Amy Rutherford and Alanna Dick, have found the #StudyinNZ Instagram page a powerful tool in promoting New Zealand as an education destination.

  “When I suggest students and study abroad advisors follow Study In New Zealand on Instagram, the conversation about studying abroad in New Zealand continues long after the study fair or campus visit is over,” says Alanna.

  “It’s one thing me telling students what it’s like studying in New Zealand, it’s another when the students can see it in real time for themselves!”

  More about the Awards

  Education New Zealand partnered with the eight New Zealand universities and six institutes of technology and polytechnics to offer these awards as part of their support of the Institute of International Education’s Generation Study Abroad initiative, and its aim of doubling the number of US students who study abroad.

  For Semester Two this year, ENZ awarded four US students the $2,000 Generation Study Abroad Travel Award to cover their airfare. The students are attending the University of Auckland, the University of Otago, and EcoQuest, a Private Training Establishment.

  The universities awarded nine US students New Zealand Universities Excellence Awards (NZUEAs) which cover $500 of tuition fees and other associated costs. The students come from universities all over the US, from University of Florida to California Polytechnic State University.

   

• Japanese Game On English Rugby clinic a big success

  The rugby clinic was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in partnership with ENZ as an offshore programme of GOE Rugby.

  GOE Rugby was launched by Prime Ministers Shinzō Abe and John Key in July 2014 in response to the Japanese government’s goal to improve the English language skills, and boost the sporting capacity of Japan’s young people, in preparation for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Olympics. See here for more details on GOE Rugby.

  Two coaches were selected from GOE’s partner rugby unions to lead the clinic: John Haggart, International High Performance Manager, Canterbury Rugby Football Union; and Clayton McMillan, Head Coach, Bay of Plenty Rugby Football Union.

  The two coaches jointly led the Tokyo programme. This included a rugby clinic at Aoyama Elementary School, a press conference, and a reception hosted by New Zealand Ambassador Mark Sinclair and held at the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo. Among the 150 guests were Panasonic head coach Robbie Deans, Japanese rugby legend Demi Sakata, sports-related government officials including former Vice Minister Shinichi Yamanaka, and business leaders including Adidas Japan president Paul Hardisty.

  John Haggart and Clayton McMillan then travelled to Sapporo and Fukuoka respectively to lead the rugby clinic, supported by the host city and rugby club. More than 100 pupils attended the clinic in Fukuoka and 234 pupils in Sapporo.  

  “The feedback was very positive and it was a great occasion for ENZ to showcase the GOE programme on the ground for students to consider New Zealand as a study destination,” said Misa Pitt, ENZ’s Senior Market Development Manager in Japan.

  ENZ has plans for other GOE initiatives for later in the year.

  “We are picking up great momentum for GOE activities here in Japan,” said Misa. “We will have more updates to share in the coming months.”

  

  Above: At the Fukuoka clinic

  

  Above: At the Sapporo clinic

• New Zealand a ‘dream’ destination for German students

  Olga was accompanied by IEC Online’s Marketing Coordinator, Carolin Stechel.

  “Our overall goal was to raise the profile of New Zealand as a study destination across Germany, and to promote the Dream NEW scholarships,” said Olga.

  The pair visited the Universities of Mannheim, Paderborn, Mainz and Potsdam.

  There was strong interest among the students, not only for the education offerings at New Zealand universities and ITPs but also for New Zealand and its lifestyle.

  “It was fantastic to see that many students had already been to New Zealand, either during their high school years or for a gap year after high school.

  “The fact that they are keen to spend a semester in New Zealand during their university time shows their great passion for the country, and the strong ties they have with New Zealanders.” 

  The webinar enabled Olga and Carolin to connect with students from all over Germany, and students who attended the workshop at the embassy had the chance to talk to the ambassador, HE Rodney Harris.

  “In general, it was clear that there is great interest in New Zealand and the country is perceived as a ‘dream destination’ by German students,” said Olga.

  However, as education in Germany is free, the international tuition fees tend to discourage many students from choosing New Zealand as a study destination.

  “Given this situation, it was a perfect opportunity for us to promote the Dream NEW scholarships that cover the full tuition fees for one semester.

  “The students were excited about this opportunity and asked many questions about the application criteria, timing, and so on.”

  “All in all, it was a perfect mix of activities to reach out to a large number of German students and promote New Zealand as a high-quality and safe study destination.”

• Pathway visa pilot update

  

  That is, an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test (or equivalent test) must be submitted by students who:

  • intend to undertake a study pathway that begins with an English language course leading to a programme of study at levels 5 to 8 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework, and

  • are from a country that has an annual decline rate of more than 20 per cent for student visa applications.

  These students must demonstrate that they only need an improvement of an IELTS 0.5 band score (or equivalent) to gain entry to their intended level 5 – 8 course. For example, if a level 5 course has an English language entry requirement of IELTS 5.0, an IELTS test (or equivalent) must be submitted with a student’s application with a minimum overall band score of 4.5. 

  The English language course must also be completed within a 16 week period.

  Students from countries with a visa approval rate of above 80 percent no longer need to demonstrate IELTS levels.

  Find out more here.

• Happy New Year everyone!

  • Check out the new features on studyinnewzealand.com. Find out what these are here and here.

  • Remember to take advantage (and encourage agents to take advantage) of the new ‘Apply on Behalf’ service offered by Immigration New Zealand. Encourage students to apply for visas electronically via Immigration ONLINE. Read more about it here.

  • Help us promote New Zealand education in our key markets by sending your good news and student stories to media@enz.govt.nz.

  • Join us on LinkedIn for news, announcements, updates and ENZ vacancies. LinkedIn is a great place to learn of event updates as they happen.

  • Dive in to the Brand Lab for photographs, graphics and the New Zealand Education story video and to refresh your marketing materials.

  • Encourage your LOCAL students to apply for the March 2016 round of the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia.

  • Save the date for the New Zealand International Education Conference (NZIEC 2016) to be held in Auckland on 18 and 19 August.

  • Consider sharing your insights and practices by presenting at NZIEC 2016. The online application form for submitting proposals will open shortly. 

• Around the world in five: News round-up
  1. Global: If 2015 was the year of pathways and industry consolidation, The Pie News predicts that 2016 will see our industry dominated by the price of oil, an overhaul of English language products, instant message marketing, the refugee crisis, government changes in both source and destination countries, and innovation in student services.  
  2. Saudi Arabia: Newly appointed Education Minister Ahmed Al-Issa spoke to Arab News about his priorities for the education system and changes to the outbound scholarship scheme. An announcement on scholarship allocations is expected soon.  
  3. China: Chinese students are heading overseas for education at younger ages; Jinghua reports that the proportion of students going abroad for high school has increased from 17 to 27 percent in recent years, in contrast to a decrease from 61 to 44 percent heading overseas after completing high school. Meanwhile, approvals for pathway programmes to Western universities are being curtailed according to Times Higher Education.  
  4. United States: ICEF Monitor reports on recent surveys which compared the perceptions between U.S. students and admission officers as to which communications channels are the most effective for reaching and engaging prospective students. The results may surprise.  
  5. Brazil: The Pie News reports on concerns a proposed tax may have on the outbound study abroad market. Students may need to pay tax on tuition to foreign institutions.

• Immigration reminder: Pathway Visa Pilot

  

  Invitations to take part in the pilot were issued to those institutions that have a student visa application approval rate of 90 percent or higher for the 2014/15 financial year.

  More detailed information about the pathway visa and the list of providers who have, as at 22 December 2015, signed up to take part, can be found on the Immigration New Zealand website here. The list will be updated on 1 February.

  Pathway student visas will allow international students to undertake a progression of up to three consecutive programmes of study with qualifying education providers on a single visa. For example, this may involve three consecutive years at secondary school or an English language course followed by foundation study and then a degree programme.

  The 18 month pilot period, which began on 7 December, will enable INZ to evaluate pilot outcomes, such as student transition rates from the first to the second programme of study and how well the arrangements between education providers are working.

• NZ universities seek closer ties with Latin America

  The visit built on the universities delegation which accompanied Minister Joyce on his visit to the region in April this year.

  The clear takeaway from the visit was that Colombian, Brazilian and Chilean universities are very open to establishing agreements and developing joint activities with New Zealand counterparts.  Specific projects discussed were student and academic mobility (in both directions), organisation of workshops with researchers, double degree programmes, partnerships to fund sandwich or full PhDs and regular webinars to provide specific information on NZ education offerings.

  Meetings with agents, particularly in Brazil and Colombia, revealed an increase in the number of enquiries on tertiary education options.  Agents provided very positive feedback on NZ post-study and pathway visas making NZ more attractive for tertiary education students. However, initiatives such as the EU Schengen States announcing visa free access to Colombian students from 1 December 2015 are likely to have an impact on the numbers continuing to choose New Zealand.

  Javiera Visedo, ENZ Market Development Manager, ordinarily based in Santiago, is currently on a six month secondment in Bogota.  Lisa Futschek, ENZ Regional Director for the Americas, Japan and Korea, says “We are keen to explore first-hand the market potential in Colombia. Indications are very positive that this is a growth market for us.  But we need to significantly raise NZ’s profile and highlight NZ’s world-class education offerings, and that’s what we’re focusing on at the moment. The opening of a NZ Embassy in Bogota will provide a further springboard from which to continue raising awareness of New Zealand.”

  Julia Innocente-Jones, Director Victoria International, says “This visit has reinforced the many very real opportunities for NZ universities in Latin America.  Colombia in particular holds exciting potential for us.  We have made good in-roads in 2015 in beginning to establish the all-important relationships with our counterparts in-market.  We now need to devise a strategic plan to continue developing these relationships in 2016 and beyond.”

  In addition to following up on the visit, key touch-points for NZ universities in Latin America in 2016 will be the ENZ March roadshow of marketing events, and LACHEC (Latin America and Caribbean Higher Education Conference) is being hosted in Bogota from 12-14 October.  LACHEC organisers are open to hosting a delegation from NZ, including a keynote speaker for the Conference.

  For information on specific outcomes to the visit, please contact:

  Julia.innocente-Jones@vuw.ac.nz or frances.little@aut.ac.nz

• Final cut on first sector story

  ENZ is delighted to share, along with Institutes of Technology & Polytechnics (ITPs) and Industry Training Organisations (ITOs), that the Professional and Vocational Education (PAVE) story is now complete and available on the Brand Lab.

  A sector story video, a set of key messages in the form of posters and a photography library was produced in collaboration with a working group of ITPs and ITOs.

  “Building a strong New Zealand education industry and sector brands was prioritised by many during the Strategic Roadmaps development last year. It’s great to see this first sector story coming to fruition, and I’m looking forward to seeing the schools and universities stories next,” says Business Development General Manager Clive Jones.

  The PAVE sector story delivers a message of New Zealand’s applied learning and real-world skills using imagery of hands at work.

  “This concept immediately communicates the style of education in this sector, and demonstrates the huge range of industries, jobs and futures these skills are important for. It highlights the advantages and outcomes of learning from a culture that is inherently hands-on and practical, and connects strongly with our Think New brand,” says Kaylee Donald, International Brand Manager.

  The Professional and Vocational Education (PAVE) story collateral is available in the Sector Stories folder located under the Marketing section on the Brand Lab, and you can check out the story video here.

   

• Merry Christmas from ENZ

  Earlier this month I was forwarded a message from the proud and grateful parents of a Chilean ‘penguin’ secondary school student. The parents of this student were sharing with his school how energised and enthused their son had returned home, filled with new experiences, friends and knowledge.

  “Our beloved son is back home. His smile remains the same…his enthusiasm and spirit have been renewed. He comes bearing experiences, friends, brothers and sisters, voices and knowledge,” they wrote.

  It was an inspiring and moving letter, and one that reminded me why we are all involved in international education. One of the benefits of this industry is that it can positively change lives, and not only for the students. The three exchange students my own family have hosted this year have also taught me this.

  At ENZ we don’t see or hear of the individual impact studying in New Zealand has on students, their families and our communities as often as you do, and we can’t measure it in the same way as we can their economic contribution. We know it has an impact though, and it was nice to hear of this example.

  I want to wish you, your families and your students a safe and enjoyable summer holiday.

  I’m looking forward to working with you in the New Year. Till then, have a refreshing and well deserved break.

  Grant.