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International Education Strategy 2018 - 30 launched
“The New Zealand Government sees a strong future for international education in New Zealand,” said Mr Hipkins.
“My vision, is for international education to contribute to a strong, sustainable, high-quality education system with a vibrant international focus, and globally connected students, workers and education providers.”
The International Education Strategy was developed by Government in consultation with international education stakeholders including education providers, international and domestic students, peak bodies and community groups.
“The new Strategy marks a shift in emphasis from the 2011 Leadership Statement,” said Mr Hipkins.
“In line with this Government’s commitment to measure success and wellbeing more broadly, you will see a stronger focus on social and cultural outcomes for New Zealand alongside the economic benefits.”
The International Education Strategy sets out three goals and key actions for government agencies to give effect to the Strategy, as well as measures and indicators for success.
ENZ General Manager Stakeholders and Communications, John Goulter, and Ministry of Education Senior Manager International Education Policy, Kate West, shared more detail about the Strategy as part of a Government update later in the day.
“The Strategy goals include achieving sustainable growth and delivering an excellent education and student experience,” said John.
“Developing global citizens – people who can study, work and live across cultural and national boundaries – is also a priority. This relates to students visiting New Zealand but also domestic students benefiting from an international component to their education, onshore or offshore.”
The International Education Strategy launch followed the announcement of new post-study work rights for international students, by Minister of Immigration Hon Iain Lees-Galloway, on Wednesday.
Designed to support the vision of the new strategy, the changes reflect a focus on high-quality education, and a clear pathway to residency for those with the skills and qualifications needed in New Zealand.
The International Education Strategy 2018-2030 is available on this link.
Watch what delegates at NZIEC had to say about the new International Education Strategy 2018-2030 below.
From the CE: Rebuilding and reshaping our sector
The Recovery Plan for International Education, released in late July, is a plan to support the rebuild, recovery and reset of the international education sector with an eye on the future. It’s made up of three concurrent workstreams to stabilise, strengthen and transform international education.
Since its release, Education New Zealand, with other government agencies, has been carrying out a short, focused engagement on the plan with our peak bodies and providers.
So far, we’ve met with representatives from groups, including schools, some PTEs, parts of the university sector, ITPs and English language sectors, as well as the New Zealand International Students’ Association and EdTech NZ. And further meetings are scheduled.
We have heard from you on a variety of topics. Naturally, the most common concern is around student re-entry. Other topics focused on encouraging cross-sector collaboration and hearing student voices as we rebuild our sector. We also know that each part of the sector has its own unique challenges and needs.
These conversations are only the beginning of our engagement with you. There will be many more opportunities to discuss and collaborate as part of the strengthening and transforming workstreams of the Plan, and on the Government’s vision for international education.
Next, the Ministry of Education and ENZ will co-host deep-dive workshops with sub-sectors on both the Recovery Plan and issues particular to them.
You can read more on the overall Recovery Plan on ENZ’s website: Recovery Plan for International Education. This page will continue to be updated as our work develops.
Here at ENZ, we have realigned our activities and resources to implement the Recovery Plan. We have launched our new business plan for 2020/2021, called Building a New Future.
There are major areas for us to focus on, including the retention of as many students already in New Zealand as possible, early re-entry of students, renewing and reshaping future options (such as different modes of delivery and student decision-making), and creating deeper understanding of the benefits of international education, both in New Zealand and globally.
I’d like to reinforce that throughout this change, the goals of New Zealand’s International Education Strategy – an excellent education and student experience, sustainable growth, and global citizens – remain our beacon on the hill.
Finally, I’d like to thank you for meeting with us over what continues to be an incredibly difficult time. We value your honest feedback and look forward to continuing to work with you to rebuild and reshape international education,
Ehara taku toa I te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini
My strength is not that of a single warrior but that of many.
Ngā mihi,
Grant McPherson
Chief Executive Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao
Haere ra Afiqah, Haere mai Vikram
We spoke recently with the former NZISA National President for 2021, Afiqah Ramizi, and with the National President for 2022, Vikram Selvaraj.
Afiqah Ramizi, NZISA National President 2021
Afiqah has been in New Zealand since 2015, when she left Malaysia to undertake tertiary study here. After completing a foundation course at ACG (now known as UP International College), Afiqah started on a six-year medical degree at the University of Auckland (UoA) and is now in her final year.
Afiqah’s advocacy work started during her time at ACG, when she was selected to represent the college under an International Student Ambassador programme, run by the New Zealand Police in Auckland. The main focus was to support engagement with the student community, and lift students’ understanding about how to keep themselves safe in a foreign country and what support is available.
At university, Afiqah joined the Malaysian students’ association and became Vice President. In 2019 and again in 2020, she was elected as the International Students Officer for the UoA Students Association. During these years, she became involved with NZISA through their multiple lobbying efforts and community engagement. Afiqah was elected NZISA’s Vice President in 2020, before being elected National President in 2021.
Looking back on her experience at NZISA, Afiqah says she is proud to have been involved in making sure that the voices of international students were heard as New Zealand responded to COVID-19, amongst many other achievements of NZISA since 2017.
“Last year we were successful in lobbying for temporary changes to international students’ maximum working hours, so they could work more during alert levels 3 and 4,” Afiqah says. “This was really important for students at a time when their studies were disrupted, and some students were facing financial hardship. This temporary increase was also appreciated by local employers, as they were needing more people able to work full-time, to keep their businesses running.”
In her role as National President, Afiqah was involved in supporting the groups of international students coming back to New Zealand while the border was closed. Her team’s continuous advocacy to government bodies saw more international student cohort border exceptions announced, which meant more international students were able to return and resume life in New Zealand.
“Staying in managed isolation and quarantine was a big extra cost for these students, and we know many hesitated to return because of that. By talking with the institutions involved and advocating for subsidies, we were able to encourage them to cover part of the costs for their returning students. This was a win-win for both the universities and the students.”
Supporting students over the holidays was another key focus for NZISA during the past two summers, primarily to help onshore students who couldn’t reconnect with their families while borders were closed.
“We worked with ENZ and our regional networks to encourage summer internships, to remain connected in the international community and to indulge in the real Kiwi summer,” Afiqah said.
Afiqah herself spent the last summer at the coalface of the COVID-19 response work, drawing on her medical knowledge to support public health. She was initially working to find the source of COVID-19 when contact tracing was a key focus, and through the Omicron surge, she has learned other public health skills as the nature of her work changed from eliminating to managing COVID-19.
Now it’s time for her to pass on the baton to the 2022 President, and an opportunity to focus on her final year of medical school!

Vikram Selvaraj, NZISA National President 2022

Now in the final semester of a Bachelor of Criminal Justice degree at University of Canterbury, Vikram came to New Zealand in 2018 from Singapore with his partner and began studying here the following year.
“The Bachelor of Criminal Justice was a new degree, and I realised it was exactly what I wanted to study,” Vikram says. “It combines law with a range of other subjects, all related to criminal justice.”
Vikram is the eldest of three siblings and the sole breadwinner for his family, having lost both parents. His two siblings are still living in Singapore, and Vikram has continued to run a hairdressing salon there during his years in NZ. It’s more than three years since Vikram last saw his family in Singapore, but he isn’t planning a trip home any time soon, because of the risk that border settings might change again.
Vikram brings a range of relevant experience to his new role as NZISA National President. At University of Canterbury (UC), he was a UniLife Leader, the first to be in charge of mature students, both domestic and international. It was his role to support them, provide pastoral care and a voice on the issues they were facing. His work was recognised with a Blues Award from UC Students Association in 2021, for Outstanding Achievement in Community Engagement.
Vikram is excited about his new role as NZISA National President. He was elected in December and took up the role in late January, along with an all-new executive team of eight students.
“We’re planning a number of projects for the year ahead,” Vikram says.
UC joined NZISA last year and continuing to increase membership will be one of the priorities for Vikram and his team this year.
“We also have ideas for a range of projects for students that different members of the team will lead during the year. This includes working with NZ Police to help students understand the risks of scams and online gambling; supporting students with resources to combat racism and discrimination; and empowering women.”
Vikram says it’s his belief that he can do something that has brought him to where he is today. He’s very conscious of the challenges faced by many international students, for example when their financial situation changes, and they find it hard to get the support they need.
“Kiwi students aren’t always aware that international students are paying a premium price for their studies,” he says.
“Sometimes students feel homesick, or experience racism – whatever the particular challenge, it’s important for them to know that someone is listening to them.”
Fun fact about Vikram: Vikram has a Japanese Spritz dog called Tiger that he brought with him to New Zealand.
Sahinde Pala, ENZ’s Director Student Experience & Global Citizens, says ENZ sets great store by our relationship with NZISA.
“We have really valued the contribution Afiqah has made during her years with NZISA, and we look forward to working closely with Vikram and his team over the coming year,” Sahinde says.
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.”
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
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.
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!”
An update from the ENZ Global Citizens team
Introducing our Global Citizens Manager, Carla Rey Vasquez
Carla joined ENZ in the new role of Global Citizens Manager, based in Wellington, in April. As part of her role with ENZ, she is leading the co-creation and implementation of the Global Citizenship strategy as a key enabler for international education.
Prior to joining ENZ, Carla was actively engaged in cross-sector collaboration in her role at AFS, including educational institutions, experts, funders, peak bodies, and student groups – and had a focus on embedding and improving student experience and global citizenship outcomes across the AFS network for 12,000 students in over 60 organizations worldwide.
ENZ's Global Citizenship team includes Senior Global Citizens Advisor Anna Dekker in a refocused role of Scholarships and Global Citizenship, and Global Citizens Advisor Tereska Thornton, who has a wide range experience across ENZ in various roles, including Acting International Market Manager for Korea and Japan.
Over the past five months, the team have made some great strides in establishing the global citizens strategy for NZ, and some highlights from their work includes:
Global Citizenship korero
Two huis have already been held this year with educators, researchers, practitioners, change-makers and other supporters working on initiatives that promote global citizenship, and the related areas of global competence, intercultural learning, and intercultural competence.
The goals of the workshops were to:
- Map out the key players and activities within the Global Citizenship education field in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Build a comprehensive understanding of the way in which organisations discuss and measure Global Citizenship, and values and frameworks unique to Aotearoa New Zealand.
We are looking forward to our third session on 21 September. This session will be virtual due to current Alert Level restrictions but we hope to have another in-person hui before the end of the year.
Please email Carla (carla.reyvasquez@enz.govt.nz) if you wish to be involved.

Online connector event for Prime Minister’s Scholarship alumni
We are planning our first ever online connector event for Prime Minister’s Scholarship alumni in November 2021.
Building on the momentum of the recent Prime Minister’s Scholarship impact survey, the event will be run by alumni, for alumni and will focus on fostering connections within the alumni community as a basis for further activity. More details to be announced in the next E-News update so watch this space.
Prime Minister’s Scholarship Programme
The team has made the best use of the COVID-19 travel restrictions and lockdowns to undertake a Prime Minister’s scholarships improvement programme to increase access to the scholarship and streamline processes, ready for when travel is possible.
Festival for the Future
We attended the Festival for the Future from 31 July-2 August and were overwhelmed by the number of participants who were willing to take part in our survey on Global Citizenship. The analysis of responses is going a long way to helping ENZ commence on developing a framework and set of definitions on global citizenship.
We are currently working with Inspiring Stories to plan ENZ’s involvement in Festival for the Future 2022, so keep an eye out for further information.
Global citizenship is a key focus for ENZ, as ‘Global Citizens’ is one of three goals in The New Zealand Government’s International Education Strategy 2018 – 2030 (NZIES). Ultimately, we are working towards a future where:
- All students gain the knowledge, skills and capabilities they need to live, work and learn globally
- International education provides stronger global connections, research links and partnerships for New Zealand
- New Zealanders understand and embrace the benefits of international education
We will make sure to keep you updated of the work in this space.
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.