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Noteworthy education programme featured during Prime Minister’s Trade Mission to Japan

Hot on the heels of the Prime Minister’s Trade Mission to Southeast Asia in April, relationships with our partner countries in the region continued to be strengthened for the benefit of the education sector during New Zealand’s most recent trade mission to Japan. This mission supported export sectors, including education, to engage with the Japan market and leverage emerging opportunities while advancing the New Zealand brand. The inclusion of education in the high-level visit acknowledges its contribution to the government’s ambition to lift the value of exports.

The strong people-to-people links between New Zealand and Japan are noteworthy with high student mobility in both directions. Japan is the third largest source of international students for New Zealand according to 2023 international student enrolment data with the school sector making up the largest proportion of enrolments. Japan is also a top destination for New Zealand scholars with many joining the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) programme and in the most recent Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia group announcement, three groups were awarded scholarships for programmes in Japan.

The international education sector was represented by two delegates nominated by ENZ to participate in the full business delegation. Cheryl de la Rey, Vice-Chancellor University of Canterbury, attended as Chair of the Vice-Chancellor’s Committee on behalf of the wider university sector and John van der Zwan, Executive Director, Schools International Education Business Association (SIEBA). Unfortunately, John had to withdraw due to illness.

The education programme elements woven into the high-level visit included a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing, a visit by Mrs Amanda Luxon to a local Japanese school, and scholarship students participating in the New Zealand Sports and Business Leadership luncheon.

MoU between Massey University and a group of all-girls secondary schools

The Prime Minister promoted awareness of New Zealand’s world-leading universities among high schools in Japan through witnessing the signing of an MoU between Massey University and six all-girls secondary schools in Japan.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon witnessed the signing of the MoU between Massey University and six all-girls secondary schools in Japan.

The memorandum signing ceremony was held at the New Zealand Embassy in Japan on 18 June. The MoU will develop a special admission system, enabling Massey University’s foundation or bachelor’s programmes to accept outstanding students recommended by the principals of the Japanese high schools. Through this agreement, students who meet Massey University's English and academic requirements and receive a recommendation from their schools will be able to enrol in Massey University's bachelor's programmes. Students can graduate with a degree in three years from the time they start their studies.

Shelly Turner, Deputy Vice Chancellor represented Massey University in Tokyo at the MoU signing and said at the signing “Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University has a long-standing relationship with Japan, reflecting our commitment to fostering international education and cultural exchange, and more recently we have seen a growing interest in our full degree programmes.

“We are dedicated to providing comprehensive support to ensure our Japanese students thrive academically and personally. We recognise the crucial role of women and girls in tertiary education and are committed to empowering them to achieve their full potential during their studies, and transition to successful careers,” said Shelly.

The Japanese school Principals, including Japan Women’s University Senior High School Principal, Yumi Susuki also welcomed the new partnership.

“For the past 30 years, our school has deepened its understanding of New Zealand culture and society through language training programs in New Zealand. With the 2022 agreement between Education New Zealand and our school, and now the new special admission system with Massey University, we hope to build even richer relationships and empower our students to shape their future,” said Yumi.

The Japanese schools that signed the agreement participated in the 'New Zealand Education Familiarisation Tour,' co-hosted by ENZ and Air New Zealand in March 2024. During the tour, they found a high level of compatibility with Massey’s educational philosophy, wide range of academic options, future-oriented learning environment, and extensive support for international students.

Homei Elementary School

Mrs Luxon with teachers and students at Homei Elementary School.

International education opportunities were also highlighted in a well-received visit Mrs Luxon made to Homei Elementary School on 19 June (affiliated to Japan Women’s University). It was Mrs Luxon's first trip to Japan and her school visit enhanced New Zealand's presence and reputation among all-girls' schools and universities in Japan.

In 2022, an Education Cooperation Arrangement between ENZ and Japan Women's University (JWU) and its affiliated schools including the Homei Elementary School was concluded to promote student and teacher exchange as well as gender equality and women’s empowerment.  

From 2025, Homei Elementary School will send its first cohort of six graders (11-12 years old) to St. Margaret’s College for a short-term study and homestay experience.  

Sports and Business Leadership Luncheon

The Sports and Business Leadership Luncheon held earlier in the programme on 17 June celebrated people-to-people connections and promoted New Zealand as an attractive study destination, including through the “Tobitate” scholarship programme.

The Tobitate programme, managed by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), sends students abroad and New Zealand has welcomed many students as part of this initiative. Ten Tobitate Alumni were invited by ENZ to attend the lunch in support of the New Zealand – Japan sporting ties and to promote education opportunities in New Zealand to the Japanese audience.

The Prime Minister’s remarks during the event celebrated ten years of the Game on English programme (which combines rugby and study in New Zealand for Japanese high school students), highlighted Fonterra’s contribution to its success, and announced Air New Zealand as a new sponsor.

Upcoming Events in Japan for NZ education providers

ENZ’s Acting General Manager International and Regional Director Asia (excluding China), Ben Burrowes accompanied the delegation and said he is looking forward to the upcoming ENZ events in Japan.

“The team is preparing to welcome providers to Japan later this year for the New Zealand Fair and Agent Seminars from 6 to 8 October.

“The timing of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s recent visit to Japan couldn’t have been better. We will look to further leverage this focus by continuing our work with the sector to promote New Zealand’s education offerings with prospective students, families and education stakeholders in Japan.”
Palmerston North goes international
Peter Brooks, Principal of Freyberg High School, sees value for both international students and locals who have the opportunity to mix with people from around the world.
“International students add another dimension to our school and the wider community. It encourages inclusiveness – something that is so important given what’s going in the world at the moment,” said Mr Brooks.
“We hope to show that New Zealand and New Zealanders are different.”
Freyberg’s international students come from China, Viet Nam, Korea, India, Chile, Thailand, Switzerland, Japan, Brazil and Germany. The school runs dozens of events throughout the year to give them a taste of the Kiwi lifestyle, and to help them feel welcome in their new environment.
“International students add another dimension to our school and the wider community."
In a first for the school, the 2016 dux prize was awarded to an international student from China. Mr Brooks said watching her journey having limited English to being named dux was a highlight for the school.
“We surprised her by secretly inviting her mother to the ceremony, all the way from China, to present her with flowers on stage. That brought the whole house down,” said Mr Brooks.
Building on Freyberg’s ‘sister school’ relationships is also an area of focus for the school. In recent years, the school has sent groups of students to Thailand, Viet Nam and China.
“Putting our students in the shoes of their international peers astounded them – classroom hours are different, expectations are different. It really opened their eyes,” said Mr Brooks.
Freyberg organises a number of trips for international students to explore New Zealand.
International student speakers lay the wero at NZIEC KI TUA

Sean Teow, Aria Ngārimu, Ibuki Nishida, and Albert Lu, each shared stories and insights with NZIEC KI TUA attendees that offered a reminder to those working in international education about why they do what they do.

The students’ speeches laid a worthy wero for the international education sector to continue the good work and keep international students at the centre of our work long after they arrive in New Zealand.

In this context, a wero is a traditional Māori challenge, performed by Māori warriors at a pōwhiri to test the intentions of visitors – by wielding weapons and laying down the challenge, with a token, such as a small branch for visitors to pick up and show they come in peace. Wero can also be used to convey a 'challenge' in other settings besides the traditional usage.

President of the New Zealand International Students' Association (NZISA), Sean Teow (Malaysia), spoke candidly about the full range of his student experience – offering insights on how he came to choose New Zealand to what the international education sector could focus on to better the student experience further.

Sean Teow speaks at NZIEC KI TUA.

Sean spoke about the need to focus on the “level of heart” that New Zealand exudes when interacting with prospective students alongside “bread and butter” attributes such as the high quality of education, lifestyle and beautiful natural environment.

“Be proud of the quality of New Zealand education, but also you as people, there is a level of heart that exudes itself when talking to students. That intention can be felt by a prospective student who may be afraid and anxious to embark on that path, a simple feeling that these people know how to take care of me, and they mean well.

“Don’t forget that the next time you recruit or interact with students for that could make the very difference with students remembering New Zealand and enjoying their time here. Embrace and embody manaakitanga,” Sean urged delegates.

Prime Minister’s Scholarship recipient Aria Ngārimu (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Rongomaiwāhine, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui), a domestic student at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington visited India as part of her scholarship experience.

Aria Ngārimu at the Taj Mahal in Agra, India during her scholarship experience. Photo credit: Aria Ngārimu.

In her address, Aria aptly used an Indian folk tale of five blind men attempting to describe an elephant that they had encountered for the first time to highlight how individual perspectives can be wildly different yet equally accurate. Her speech was a powerful reminder of the need to be open to points of view different from our own.

International representative of the University of Otago Students' Association, Ibuki Nishida (Japan), offered a challenge to the sector to remember that every international student has a story and the importance of staying connected to their experience and story while they were in the country.

Ibuki Nishida laid a wero for the sector to remember that every student has a story.

“Don’t forget about those of us that are already here. I challenge you to not set a “finish line”, but instead learn from, and be a part of, each student’s ongoing story while we are here, that we can take to our loved ones to inspire them back home.

“Do not underestimate the power of word-of-mouth. When looking at growth, it might be one of the most important. And the way you tap into that, is to make sure students have a great experience while they’re here too. And remember that each international student is a story waiting to be told. So help us make it one for the books,” Ibuki said.

Albert Lu spoke about the differences in school life in his native Taiwan and New Zealand and what he likes about studying in Wellington.

Albert Lu (Taiwan), a Year 11 student at Wellington High School, noted the differences in life in Taiwan and New Zealand as he spoke about his experience in New Zealand.

Albert spoke about the NCEA curriculum providing an opportunity to students to enjoy a good balanced lifestyle, how confidence was the key to settling into life in New Zealand and importantly, ‘another way to improve language faster is to hang out with friends whose first language is not my first language’. Albert does this through joining student groups, attending church and generally being proactive about life here in New Zealand.

“Everyone is friendly, I love it,” Albert said.

*Wero: In this context, a wero is a traditional Māori challenge, performed by Māori warriors at a pōwhiri to test the intentions of visitors – by wielding weapons and laying down the challenge, with a token, such as a small branch for visitors to pick up and show they come in peace. Wero can also be used to convey a 'challenge' in other settings besides the traditional usage.
ENZ Facebook group connects international students
The ENZ social media team has created #MyStudyinNZ Journey, a Facebook group for international students across New Zealand to connect, share upcoming events and meetups, ask questions and offer advice.
ENZ Director of Student Experience, Hayley Shields, says the group is a space for international students to support one another while also offering ENZ valuable learnings about the types of information they need. Plans are in place for a similar group on WeChat to be launched later in the year.
“This idea has come out of our student experience research where students told us they value the advice of other students. Facebook communities provide an easy forum for our international students to connect.”
To ensure the Facebook group is entirely student-focussed, ENZ has recruited a group of domestic and international students to act as moderators. They will ensure students get the information they need while maintaining the group atmosphere as a safe and positive space.
One of the Facebook moderators, Pritchard Mukuka, says, “For me, this group means bringing home, security and comfort to fellow international students to make their study and stay as pleasant as possible.”
How education providers can get involved
Please share the Facebook group details with your international students and encourage them to join up.
If you would like to share information about events taking place at your institution with the group, please email ENZ International Social Engagement Manager, Olivia Silverwood, on olivia.silverwood@enz.govt.nz
Brazilian students look to New Zealand tertiary studies
Organised by Brazil agent FPP Edu-Media, ENZ attended the high school tour to introduce Brazilian students to the tertiary possibilities in New Zealand, particularly undergraduate qualifications.
The last BELTA SEAL Survey from March 2018 shows that 30% of the Brazilians who studied overseas in 2017 were in the 18 to 21 age group, and that their main motivation for international education is to stand out professionally.
Daniela Ronchetti, Director of Operations at FPP Edu-Media, says while short-term programmes have typically been the most popular overseas study for Brazilian students, there's a growing interest in undertaking full degrees overseas.
“Many of these students, fluent in English and with experience of overseas study via summer courses at a young age, are comfortable enrolling in international universities.
“With interest in the US and UK declining, Brazilian students are looking closer at New Zealand, Australia and Canada when considering a full degree abroad.”
Ana Azevedo, ENZ’s Senior Market Development Manager for Brazil, visited eight international secondary schools, from small boutique schools with 15 students per class to large education groups with thousands of students, which are all investing in pathways to international tertiary education.
ENZ’s Ana Azevedo with Marilda Bardal, International Relations Coordinator at International School Alphaville.

“These schools typically offer bilingual education, IB (International Baccalaureate) or the American diploma and academic counselling, so that by the time students complete high school, they are prepared for an international experience,” said Ana.
Also in attendance were government education organisations and universities from the US, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK – but Ana said New Zealand had an edge.
“It was a great experience to stand among our competitors at the opening of each event and present New Zealand as the country that best prepares students for the future – not an easy ranking to beat!”
“There is still work to be done on raising awareness of all that New Zealand has to offer to Brazilian students, particularly in tertiary education. It is a significant investment for a family so we need to be clear about the return of this investment.
“Showing students the variety of programmes they can find in New Zealand, the cultural diversity and welcoming environment – very few countries offer this combination. It is a full package!”
The International Education Strategy – one year on
Goal one: Delivering an excellent education and student experience
Progress on goal one includes:
- Launching NauMai NZ. ENZ has launched NauMai NZ, an online platform providing accurate, relevant information to help international students before they arrive and while they’re studying in New Zealand.
- Reviewing migrant exploitation. MBIE is leading a cross-agency review of the exploitation of temporary migrant workers and international students.
- Supporting wellbeing initiatives. MoE administers an annual funding round for international student wellbeing initiatives. Initiatives that have been funded have had very positive outcomes for students.
- Strengthening English language requirements. NZQA has strengthened English language proficiency requirements for international students.
- Relaunching ENZRA. The ENZ Recognised Agency programme was relaunched in November 2018.
- Introducing new protections. MoE has introduced amendments to the Code of Practice including new contract and disciplinary protections, clearer requirements for residential caregiver safety checks, and more detailed requirements for monitoring education agents.
Goal two: Achieving sustainable growth
Progress on goal two includes:
- Forming an innovation-focused group. A new pan-sector working group will inform the development of new education products that support the Strategy’s goals.
- Refresh of the Think New brand. ENZ has refreshed our Think New brand strategy, including creating the identity ‘I am New’.
Goal three: Developing global citizens
Progress on goal three includes:
- Developing an outbound mobility strategy. MoE has begun work on a new outbound mobility strategy. Objectives include increasing participation in exchange programmes by groups that have been historically underrepresented, including Māori and Pasifika students and students in lower decile schools.
- Focusing on international graduate employability. A new ENZ report, Employer Perceptions of Hiring International Graduates, found New Zealand SME employers value the keen attitude and positive contribution made by New Zealand-educated international graduates.
Putting us in their hearts and on their maps
Some 21 agents from Brazil, Colombia, South Korea and Saudi Arabia were treated to tours of New Zealand’s special places.
ENZ's regional and international teams organised the programmes and toured with the agents over May and June.
“The agents really enjoyed and appreciated the chance to learn about education in New Zealand, meet current international students and understand the distinctive regional offerings for students across all of New Zealand,” said Greg Scott, ENZ Regional Programme Manager.
The tours included stops in Taranaki, Nelson, Canterbury, Waiuku, Hamilton, Dunedin, Queenstown, Napier, Wellington and Auckland.
Each tour contained lots of interactive activities and emphasised education pathways and applied learning and creative technologies.
The potential benefit to raising the profile of a New Zealand education amongst all these markets is immense.
“The Korean agents indicated that their understanding has greatly increased of everything New Zealand has to offer,” said Tania Woodcock, International Market Manager, China, Korea and Japan.
“So far, the feedback from the participating agents has been extremely positive and genuine,” said Sarah Gauthier, Regional Project Manager.
“We ensured the agents enjoyed themselves and their time in New Zealand – so that they could speak authentically to prospective international students and their families about the value of a New Zealand education.”
ENZ was seeing lots of photos of New Zealand on the agents’ social media feeds and their agencies’ websites.
“This type of engagement with New Zealand post-famil is great,” said Sahinde Pala, Regional Project Manager. “It shows the impact we made on the agents, and their commitment to promoting New Zealand education.”
“We’d like to thank all the people, organisations and regional groups who supported these famils,” said Sarah.
“It was a true Team New Zealand effort. We appreciated the time everyone took to host us, meet with the agents, organise tours and ensure that relevant international students were available to speak to the agents in their own language.
“There’s nothing like hearing why New Zealand is such a great place to be a student than from real international students. By speaking about their study, lifestyle and work opportunities, the tours were really brought to life.”
For more information contact Sarah Gauthier, Regional Project Manager, sarah.gauthier@enz.govt.nz
Wellington International Student Excellence Awards 2016
Twelve international students were acknowledged at the inaugural Wellington International Student Excellence Awards, held at Parliament on Friday 14 October. The awards, presented by Deputy Prime Minister, Bill English, recognise the region’s best all-round international students.
Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency (WREDA) Chief Executive, Chris Whelan, says international students are an important part of New Zealand’s education community, with the awards taking into account academic achievement as well as contributions made in sports, arts and the community.
“Last year, approximately 7,500 international students studied in Wellington. They not only make a valuable economic contribution, but make an important cultural impact on their school communities,” said Whelan.
“We’ve developed these awards to recognise the contribution made by individual students.”
The winners covered a range of ages, from a primary school pupil to PhD student, including:
To Quan Quach
As a member of young leadership groups including Vic Crew, Victoria University of Wellington Student Association, Kiwi Mate and AIESEC, To Quan Quach of Vietnam has made a significant contribution to internationalising Victoria University. To is also on the Business School’s Dean’s List for academic achievement.
Anamika Nampoothiry
Hailing from India, Anamika Nampoothiry has made a second home in Wellington, where she currently studies at WelTec, after previously studying at Queen Margaret College. Anamika was awarded proxime accessit in 2015, and a top IB scholar award. She is a dancer and singer, student librarian, and soon-to-be engineer.
Yang Xiao
Currently studying at Onslow College, Yang Xiao from China, has helped organise multiple fundraising and social events to encourage integration within school life and beyond. Yang plans to study at Victoria University before pursuing his dream of becoming a pilot for Air New Zealand.
Lothar Krumpen
Leaving Germany for Wellington’s Scots College, Lothar Krumpen soon made too many friends to leave his new home, and decided to continue his New Zealand study at Victoria University last year. As well as being a top law student and averaging A+’s in his commerce papers, Lothar has represented both Wellington and the New Zealand University hockey teams.
Tauranga welcomes over 770 international students
Anne Young, Regional Manager of Education Tauranga, said it has run a welcome ceremony for new international students for many years but due to space restrictions of venues, this has previously only included a select group of 200 participants.
“This year we wanted to include all students to show the whole Bay of Plenty community how large our international student cohort is. We secured a large convention space (850 seats) and invited all of our new students to the welcome!”
The new students, who range from five years old to tertiary students in their twenties, and represent 25 countries, were treated to dance and musical performances from Indian, Chinese and Korean cultural groups, as well as a rousing kapa haka performance from Tauranga Intermediate’s Te Whanau o Te Maro.
A number of speakers were also on hand to welcome them, including a representative from Immigration New Zealand and Mayor of Tauranga city, Greg Brownless. Mayor Brownless shared his own personal connection with the international community through his Taiwanese wife and children, and said it was great to see so many students from different countries in the region.
“You help bring the world to our doorstep, you teach our Kiwi students about your life, your country and your culture. This is so important as we grow the values of global citizenship amongst our community,” he said.
Anne said it was a very important event for the region.
“We not only want to ensure our international students feel welcome as they embark on their study journey but also showcase the many people across many organisations within our region who are here to support them and ensure that they have a positive experience here.”
It can be particularly daunting for primary school families to send young students overseas for school, so Education Tauranga runs a special welcome tour for them.
Held over two days, children and their parents were treated to a powhiri, complete with a chance to mingle over morning tea. They then had a taste of Kiwi cultural activities such as visits to local sites, eating fish ‘n chips and lessons in harakeke (flax weaving).
“It was clear that the international families were impressed – they were smiling and snapping photos to share with family back home,” said Anne.
International Student Hardship Fund now fully allocated
The fund first opened for applications on 21 May. It was met with immediate interest by a wide variety of education institutions and community groups.
A cross-ENZ team named Kāhui Oranga was charged with the fund’s administration. They met twice weekly to go through applications and ensure a balanced allocation of funds between regions, sectors and institutions.
Education providers and community organisations are disseminating grants from the fund to international students in the form of cash grants, food parcels and accommodation support.
ENZ Director of Student Experience and Global Citizens, Sahinde Pala, led Kāhui Oranga. She says the government was glad to be able to offer international students tangible support in such an uncertain time.
“At ENZ we talk a lot about manaakitanga – the offering of hospitality and respect to guests. We really want every student that comes to New Zealand to feel valued,” she says.
“It was obvious once the impacts of COVID-19 began to be felt here that we needed to offer our international students most in need extra support during these difficult times.”
Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Poto Williams, announced the Assistance for Foreign Nationals impacted by COVID-19 Programme.
This $37.6 million fund will open on 1 July and be administered by the Department of Internal Affairs. International students experiencing serious hardship will be able to apply to this programme to receive support with basic needs such as food and accommodation.
Read the announcement here.