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Media roundtable highlights employers’ need for well-rounded talent
Guest speakers included Dr John Subritzky, New Zealand High Commissioner to Malaysia; Ryan Carroll, Director of Randstad Malaysia; Richard Tan, co-founder and Managing Director of lelong.com.my; and Jane Goh, ENZ Marketing and Strategic Relations Manager.
The roundtable was well-received by the 11 editors and journalists who attended.
Ryan Carroll said employers in Malaysia want talented individuals who possess various skills and competencies.
“Employers today are looking for someone who can help the organisation produce productivity gains. They want candidates who have good skills in project management, are competent in the digital and social media space, and are confident communicators. All these can be acquired through internships, part-time work or even working on charity projects.
“While it is still important that potential employees have the relevant skills and workplace experiences, they must also be able to articulate effectively about how they can contribute to the company. For example, if they have worked on a particular case study or project in university, they need to be confident talking about their experiences and what they learnt during that process,” Mr Carroll said.
Dr Subritzky spoke about the New Zealand education system and institutions are committed to developing holistic educational experiences that are relevant to the workplace.
“New Zealand recognises the importance of a well-rounded education to employability, which is why our education system focuses on helping students transition from academic life into the working world,” he said.
Richard Tan, a Victoria University of Wellington alumnus, shared his experiences studying in New Zealand.
“What I liked about the New Zealand education system is that it encourages students to pursue and develop their interests. It doesn’t force a student into a particular stream but focuses on teaching him or her how to acquire information and meaningfully apply that knowledge across various situations. This means that even as a pure science student, I was given the flexibility to explore other areas of interest to me such as accountancy.
“I was also able to work part-time at various places and this helped me pick up softer skills such as communicating effectively with peers and dealing with different types of personalities, which then eventually helped me in my career,” Mr Tan shared.
Over the last year, New Zealand has seen an increase in Malaysian student numbers.
“There was a 23 per cent increase in the number of first-time student visas approved year to-date in June 2016. In particular, we saw an increase in the number of student visas approved for the universities and Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) sectors,” said Jane Goh.
The media roundtable was well-received by media. A total of 11 editors and journalists attended.
Gambier Islands students ‘snowstruck’
The 33 students and their guardians spent three days travelling from their home in Mangareva Island, the largest island in the remote Gambier archipelago, which is more than four hours’ flying time south of Tahiti, to reach Taupo.
This remoteness means the Gambiers are known as 'the islands at the end of the world'. With a tropical climate, coral white sands, coconut palms, mountainous peaks and expansive fishing lagoons, the French-administered Gambiers are most famous for their black pearl industry. The 14 islands are also a popular sailing destination.
Unaccustomed to Taupo temperatures, the group – a sizeable proportion of the entire 1530 Gambier population – had to borrow warm clothing from their homestay families when they arrived. There are no clothing shops and very few stores on their remote island. The teenagers quickly discovered Taupo's shops and got busy buying clothing and gifts to give to their families.
As part of their two-week English immersion course, the students took part in activities in and around Taupo, including indoor climbing, meeting pupils from Taupo-Nui-a-Tia College and visiting a marae. The visitors could understand the Māori language, as their local Marquesan language is similar.
However, the highlight of the trip was two days spent learning to ski at Happy Valley, the “magic carpet” learner slope of Whakapapa Ski Area on Mt Ruapehu near Taupo.
Parents and teachers accompanying the group said Taupo Language School was recommended by Air Tahiti nui because it could offer the skiing and adventure activities, and the town is an easy and safe place to shop. They spent nine months planning and fundraising, although some expenses were subsidised by local government.
One of the parents, Denis Salmon, said they were pleased with how much the students' English had progressed.
"Not only have they become more independent and confident, but they now realise the importance of learning this language."
Taupo Language School director Rose Blackley said attending multi-cultural classes meant the students made friends with Saudi, Chinese, Japanese, Thai and South American nationals.
Minister sings praises of a NZ education in Japan and Korea
In late August, Minister Steven Joyce visited Japan and Korea to advance New Zealand’s business, innovation and education interests. Most of all, it was a great occasion to celebrate the friendship between our countries.
The visit kicked-off in Tokyo, where ENZ joined the Minister to meet with Toshiei Mizuochi, Japan’s new State Minister for Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, to discuss opportunities in science and innovation. Minister Joyce highlighted New Zealand’s flexible qualification framework and expertise in vocational education, which Minister Mizuochi welcomed.
Following this, Minister Joyce went to Busan and Seoul, Korea, where he visited the Centre for Creative Economy and Innovation (CCEI) and talked about opportunities for working on film projects with Auckland. This includes a September workshop organised by Screen Auckland and AUT to teach staff and students from Busan-based Dongseo University more about film.
Minister Joyce also met with Lee Joon-shik, Korea’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, to explore ways to grow the education relationship between Korea and New Zealand. This included the possibility of more Korean-language teaching and learning in New Zealand schools.
CCEI, from left to right: Cecily Lin, Acting Regional Lead, ENZ; CCEI staff; John Riley, Deputy Head of Mission; Clare Fearnley, NZ Ambassador; Minister Joyce; Cho Hong-geun, Head of CCEI; Ryan Freer, New Zealand Trade Commissioner

In each country, Minister Joyce hosted a reception for local guests including school teachers, agents and representatives from tertiary institutions. At the Tokyo reception, 13 high school students from Ikubunkan Institute of Education performed a haka and waiata for the Minister they had learned while studying in New Zealand. At the Seoul reception, guests were joined by Korean rappers Microdot and Sanchez who spoke with affection of their time studying in Auckland. Both evenings provided a wonderful opportunity for Minister Joyce to promote New Zealand’s education and lifestyle, the importance of an education relationship between our countries and to introduce the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia.
“Education cooperation is an important way of developing a closer relationship between our countries, and encourages us to discuss and cooperate on issues of mutual interest and benefit,” said Minister Joyce.
The ENZ student fair will be held in Japan on 8 October in Fukuoka, and Tokyo on 9 October.
ENZ launches inaugural education showcase in Saudi Arabia
The event followed Trade Minister Todd McClay's visit to Saudi Arabia to discuss several education initiatives, leading a trade delegation with five education organisations.
The New Zealand Showcase covered New Zealand’s expertise in teacher training, school management and operations, and early childhood education delivery. The event was hosted in Riyadh at the Saudi Ministry of Education, chaired by the Minister of Education, Ahmed Al-Issa, with the support of New Zealand Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Hamish MacMaster. The event included representatives from the University of Waikato, Cognition Education, and Little Schools.
Saudi Arabia is implementing education reforms, a response to lower oil revenues, with a focus on growing private education capacity in the country. Saudi officials and investors have shown a particular interest in partnering with New Zealand to set up new school and early childhood education networks, and to raise the performance of existing private schools.
ENZ’s Middle East and Acting South Asia Regional Director, John Laxon, says initiatives such as the showcase are an excellent way to bridge any gaps in knowledge, and promote what New Zealand organisations have to offer.
“The showcase has created a great awareness of New Zealand’s world-class education system, and established partnerships to address some of the common education challenges faced by Saudi Arabia and New Zealand,” said Mr Laxon.
“We are very grateful for the support of Minister Al-Issa and the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia, and the New Zealand organisations who supported the event.”
Ambassador Hamish MacMaster and Minister Al-Issa chair the New Zealand Education Showcase
School exam reform in China
The changes are part of the Guiding Opinion on Further Advancing Exam and Student Enrolment Reform at High School Level, officially released by China’s Ministry of Education. Key features of the Guiding Opinion include:
- The intention to combine the Middle School Completion Exam (Chuzhong Huikao) and High School Entrance Exam (Zhongkao) into one ‘Middle School Academic Achievement Exam’ (Chuzhong Xueye Shuiping Kaoshi).
- Middle school students (Years 7 – 9 in China) will have the freedom to choose optional subjects whose exam results will contribute to the final Middle School Academic Achievement Exam (alongside their usual compulsory subjects, for example, Chinese literature and maths).
The overarching objective of the reform is to advance students’ development by allowing them to choose elective courses to complement compulsory subjects. This reform is consistent with adjustments to Gaokao, China’s College Entrance Exam, where students have the option to choose what they want to study, and can pursue what they are good at.
Piloting of the reform is expected to begin at a provincial level from 2018 onwards, and will not affect students enrolling until then.
Rosemary An, ENZ’s Education Manager based in China, says that when these changes come into play, they will likely have some impact on Chinese students who decide to study abroad.
“The changes show an effort by China to mitigate exam burdens and to emphasise the value of all-round development. An added benefit is that if these Chinese students decide to study in New Zealand, they are likely to adapt more quickly to New Zealand secondary schooling as they will have already experienced ‘course selection’ in their home country.”
While it is still too soon to predict what this development will mean for overseas study trends, Rosemary recommends that any institutions recruiting Chinese school students should be aware of this development.
The ENZ China team will keep an eye on the progress and impact of these reforms, and share any updates as they occur.
Innovative award scheme announced in Seoul
At the seminar, agents and providers received updates from Immigration New Zealand and ENZ, had one-on-one discussions and attended the announcement of ENZ’s hotly anticipated new award scheme for Korean students, a video competition called I want to study in New Zealand. The award encourages students to research New Zealand’s education offerings, and get creative by putting together a short video (60 seconds or less) that shows what they want to study in New Zealand and why.
Five awards, ranging from NZ$5,000 - $8,000 to go towards tuition fees, will be given to the students who produce stand-out entries. Agents who put students forward for the scheme will also be rewarded, with four places up for grabs on an ENZ agent famil to New Zealand in 2017.
Cecily Lin, ENZ’s Acting Regional Lead - North Asia, says that in this market it is important to strengthen relationships with agents, and interactive schemes like this are a win-win.
“Promoting New Zealand as an education destination and attracting more Korean students starts with mobilising Korean agents.”
“Through this competition we can acknowledge the important role Korean agents play in this market, and reward their efforts in attracting both quality and high numbers of students.”
The details of the scheme can be found here.
For any queries about the scheme, please contact Cecily Lin or Onnuri Lee (Cecily.Lin@enz.govt.nz and lee.onnuri@enz.govt.nz)
Asia NZ report highlights 'huge scope' for NZ ties with India
The report – India and New Zealand: Growing our connectivity – was written by Graeme Waters, a former high commissioner to India, and highlights the way New Zealand’s cultural landscape is being enriched by our growing ties with India.
Mr Waters said he was impressed how dynamic the Indian community in New Zealand was, and how it continued to grow.
In talking about education, Mr Waters said that recent issues with the Indian student market meant New Zealand authorities needed to deal firmly with students and agents who breached standards, but longer term the "answer seems simple - quality not quantity".
"The growth in the number of Indian students has been impressive, but it is now in both countries' interest to focus higher up the education value chain."
Among the individuals profiled in the report were Indian twin sisters Tashi and Nungshi Malik, who are studying sport and exercise at Southland Institute of Technology. Both sisters are accomplished outdoor adventurers including having climbed Mt Everest.
Mr Waters argued for better airline connections between India and New Zealand, which would bring more tourists and open the door to better trade connections.
He made the point that New Zealand's trade with India was only about 10 percent of our trade with China.
“It's a bit humbling to look at the stats compared to China and to realise that we're only operating at about a tenth of the level we do with China, so huge scope for advancement and lots of cultural advantages in doing so," he told Radio New Zealand.
Along with the main report, Mr Waters has also written India and New Zealand: The Ties that Bind Us, which looks at the historic relationship between the two countries.
Meet the Dream NEW scholarship winners
The initiative was launched in December 2015 by Prime Minister John Key as part of the FTA campaigning in Europe. The scholarship offers EU students one study abroad semester in New Zealand (valued at $12,500 NZD) - sending one student to each of New Zealand’s eight universities.
We received nearly 400 applications from across 21 EU countries, with the majority of students applying from Germany. Candidates were selected based on a combination of their fantastic academic results as well as creative motivational essays or videos.
The winners begin their New Zealand adventure in February 2017, and as official ‘Kiwi Ambassadors’ will keep us updated throughout their time in New Zealand.
Here the eight winners share with us the moment they heard the news, as well as what they are most looking forward to.
Patrick Rebacz (from Germany, going to Massey University)
“I have never been to New Zealand, so I am very curious about the culture, the landscape, the education system and the food. I am looking forward to meeting new people, getting lots of new ideas, being part of a great educational infrastructure and exploring the amazing landscapes. It will be an inspiring and rewarding experience.”
Veronika Rudolf (from Germany, going to University of Waikato)
"When I received the call about the Dream NEW Scholarship I couldn't believe it! Even after telling my family and friends, and starting the preparations, it still feels like a dream. I'm looking forward to my papers about Māori culture at the University of Waikato - I can't wait to start my journey and experience a whole new part of the world."
Lisa Kullander (from Sweden, going to Lincoln University)
“I was so excited when I found out that I won that I wanted to jump and scream with joy. It has given me the opportunity to fulfil my dream to study in New Zealand. There are so many things that I am looking forward to, like exploring the amazing nature. But as a landscape architecture student, what makes me most excited is all the knowledge and inspiration this opportunity will provide me with.”
Marvin Stüde (from Germany, going to University of Auckland)
“I am most excited to explore the beautiful country and to attend interesting courses about topics which are not taught at my home university. I have no doubt that I will have a great time during my study abroad!”
Read his essay submission here.
Laura Schnelle (from Germany, going to University of Canterbury)
"I am looking forward to living in Christchurch, exploring the great outdoors and learning new things about health education and motivational psychology!"
Read her essay entry here.
Simone Grilli (from Italy, going to Auckland University of Technology)
“I am definitely ready for this new adventure and know it will be one of the most important of my life. My mind is focused on the beautiful landscapes of New Zealand, the unique culture and the All Blacks - the best rugby team in the World!”
Anna Czerwinska (from Poland, going to Victoria University of Wellington)
“I only shared the news with my best friend, my boyfriend and my sister – telling them that it could not be true, it was a dream. During the first week I didn’t tell anyone else about it - I still can't believe that it really happened!”
Watch her video entry here.
Svenja Niederkrome (from Germany going to University of Otago)
“I can’t put into words how happy I was when I found out that I’m one of the lucky recipients! For me, New Zealand is a little paradise at the other side of the world and I can’t wait to spend a whole term studying in such a unique place!”
Watch her video entry here.
ENZ builds agricultural links in Brazil
The agencies were the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock in Brazil (CNA, the Brazilian equivalent of Federated Farmers of New Zealand) and the National Service for Rural Learning (SENAR). Similar to New Zealand institutions, both agencies see innovation and technology as a key part of higher education, and value practical learning.
The CNA Technical University is focussed entirely on the agriculture sector, and has the highest evaluations from the Ministry of Education. It is now looking to partner with New Zealand education providers to internationalise their programmes. Distance learning also plays an important role at CNA.
SENAR operates in a slightly different way. Without physical classrooms, SENAR technicians take training and knowledge offsite to farms throughout Brazil, studying problems with clients directly and offering solutions and support. Technicians work with each client for two years, with the goal to make them independent of SENAR’s support. Courses can be from the most basic level such as hygiene, to management issues such as how to manage water and soil resources.
ENZ’s Senior Market Development Manager – Brazil, Ana Azevedo, says New Zealand’s reputation in the agricultural sector, combined with the practical approach of New Zealand institutions, means providers such as these are eager to build partnerships with us.
“Because CNA only offers agricultural studies, they are looking to partner with institutions who share their focus. This is where New Zealand has an advantage, as our reputation as leaders in the agricultural industry, combined with our practical hands-on education system makes New Zealand a very attractive study destination for young Brazilians in this field.”
Following the meeting, CNA has offered to contact ENZ with partnership ideas to present to New Zealand institutions. We will aim to build on these discussions in the coming months for tangible results.
Photo by Tony Oliveira/Trilux
Iran trade visit seals breakthrough deal for New Zealand universities
The visit secured several major education outcomes, including a ministerial announcement that the University of Canterbury, Victoria University of Wellington and Massey University would be reclassified as ‘excellent’ by the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. These universities will join the University of Auckland and University of Otago, who have already been given the top ranking. These classifications play a significant role in guiding Iranian students in choosing where to study abroad. All of New Zealand’s universities are now classified in the top two categories.
Above: signing the Education Cooperation Agreement

A higher education co-operation agreement was also signed between Ministers, which provides a platform for increased academic and research co-operation between the two countries.
ENZ arranged several university recruitment events as part of the visit programme. Some 80 per cent of Iranian students in New Zealand are studying at PhD level. ENZ Chair Charles Finny, who led the education delegates on the visit, said this is a key area to build on.
“These initiatives will significantly boost our universities’ recruitment of Iranian students, particularly at the PhD level,” said Mr Finny.
“I look forward to New Zealand universities making the most of this opportunity in the coming years, and commend the University of Auckland, University of Canterbury and Auckland University of Technology for participating in this ground-breaking visit.”