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NZ Police Ethnic Services Teams supporting international students with local safety advice
Over the past twelve months, Aotearoa New Zealand has seen a welcome return of international students to our communities and our education providers.  NZ Police Ethnic Services teams around the country, including in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, and at Lincoln University, have been busy engaging with international students in a variety of ways.
In Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Ethnic Liaison Officers, Constable Takashi Endo and Constable Kevin Deng, have been delivering presentations to secondary and tertiary international students on a range of safety related topics - informing them and supporting them to have a successful time living and studying in their host city.
The team has seen a great response to the presentations and due to the high demand, has also developed a “Train the Trainers” programme, designed to equip education providers themselves to deliver introductory safety training to their students. The first ‘Train the Trainers' session was recently delivered by Constables Endo and Deng to staff from over 20 education providers in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. The session covered a range of topics including personal safety, road safety, family harm, hate crime/incidents, alcohol/drugs and water safety.
Constable Endo said that he was encouraged to see so many school representatives at the training session and they were very interested in the topics covered, following up with many useful questions.
He also said, "This training session is not going to be a one-off, and we will also continue to visit schools and speak with international students when required. Our aim is to ensure students and school staff have a greater understanding of safety and safety issues here in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.’
Following the training day, both constables will attend education provider seminars as observers to ensure staff are supported and equipped to deliver these safety sessions.
Melody Hao, International Coordinator – International Business/Student Support at Unitec Insitute of Technology, expressed the gratitude of her team to the Ethnic Services Team following their presentation at Unitec’s International Orientation Day on Wednesday 19 July.
“The session delivered by Constable Endo was well-received by the 220 people that attended. In our post-orientation survey, 97.5% of respondents said they really enjoyed or enjoyed this presentation.
"Feedback from the student audience included that the session was full of useful safety information and that it was delivered in a fun and interactive way. Thank you to the team for such a wonderful presentation and for being so supportive to our international students as they embark on their international student experience with us here in Aotearoa New Zealand," added Melody.
Another recent safety initiative was delivered by Constable Deng alongside Massey University student representative, Jun Jiang. Together they delivered a ‘safety’ livestream via Education New Zealand’s Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) NauMai NZ WeChat mini programme in July. NauMai NZ WeChat livestreams are an important channel where experts and students themselves address a range of topics relevant to Chinese students living and studying in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Constable Deng and Massey University international student representative, Jun Jiang following the delivery of a safety focused livestream on ENZ’s WeChat mini programme platform.

Faymie Li, ENZ's Senior Advisor, Student Experience said that the safety of our students is always front of mind.
“Looking after our students and equipping them with useful information that supports them during their time with us here in Aotearoa New Zealand is really putting into practice, Manaakitanga – the Māori value of hospitality, kindness, support, respect and care for others.
"These sessions conducted by the NZ Police Ethnic Services Teams are an important tool in helping ensure our international students have a positive experience while studying with us. The livestream had 186 people tuning in and since then it has been watched over 170 times. This demonstrates that such sessions are of great value to our students,’’ said Faymie.
The recording of the livestream is hosted on the mini programme and can be accessed by scanning the QR code below.

QR code to access ENZ’s NauMai NZ WeChat mini programme

Further information on the Tāmaki Makaurau Ethnic Services Team
The team works in partnership with ENZ, local consulates, education providers, the New Zealand International Students’ Association, and other student representatives, to support the wellbeing of international students in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. This partnership ensures information is shared, potential issues are anticipated and responded to where possible, and shared work initiatives delivered where appropriate.
Industry leaders gather for SIEBA hui
In 2016, international student enrolment numbers were 131,609. Of these, approximately 19,000 were enrolled in the New Zealand school sector: 16,390 at secondary level and 2,912 at primary. These numbers are expected to increase with a 16% growth in the primary school sector and 6% growth in secondary.
ENZ Chief Executive Grant McPherson said the hui was a great chance to connect with the school sector, and to update attendees about what’s happening in the wider industry.
“We appreciate the hard work you’re doing on behalf of students. You’re making an important contribution not just to your organisation but also to your region and New Zealand.”
The economic value of New Zealand’s international education industry in 2016 was estimated to be $4.5 billion. The schools sector is valued at $752 million, with $142 million coming from primary schools.
“Of course, it’s not all about economic value – we also know that international students bring cultural diversity and other wider benefits to our communities, classrooms and regions,” said Grant.
The hui was also an opportunity to celebrate leadership in the school sector through SIEBA’s inaugural leadership awards. Five awards were presented and ENZ would like to congratulate and thank those recipients.
Diana Murdoch – Garin College
Diana has more than 20 years’ experience in international education working in the tertiary and school sectors. She has led the delivery of international business services to schools through her own company and has been a role model for innovation and thinking ‘outside the box’. She has presented at conferences, led workshops and mentored new directors. She remains enthusiastic and passionate about international education and continues to become involved in projects to support growth whenever she can. Diana is the SIEBA liaison for her region.
Kim Harase – Academic Colleges Group
Kim has a rich history of 33 years in international education in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. In 1999, as Associate Principal & Director of Marketing she led international marketing for a group schools. From 2006, she has focused solely on international marketing, sales and business development. Kim is a regular presenter at conferences, is a member of ATEED’s Futures Group and was a member of ENZ’s School Sector Reference Group. Kim has been a valuable resource for the school sector for many years.
Lee Simeon – Pillans Point School
Lee has been an international director for the past 8 years and is passionate about international student welfare and creating a family-like environment within the international community at her school. Lee has played a lead role in helping numerous other schools to gain signatory status and is seen as a key resource for other schools going through the application process. In 2016, Lee represented primary schools as a co-author of the school sector Code guidelines and is the SIEBA liaison for her region.
Anne Marie Biggs – Glendowie Primary School
Anne Marie is the Principal of Glendowie Primary since 1995. As well as a string of education firsts to her school’s credit, Anne Marie has built international student numbers to more than 50. The school serves as a model of success for the primary school sector and Anne Marie is the first to offer guidance and share with colleagues and other schools. She has partnered with ENZ on growth projects, is a member of Study Auckland and served as a member of the SIEBA Establishment Board.
Denise Berry – Pakuranga College
Denise is Director of International at a leading Auckland high school. She has been a key member of her cluster group since 1996. She has been a mentor for many schools and directors new to international education. She was a leading author of the Code and Guidelines 2010, and also a co-author of the School sector guidelines 2016. Denise has a wealth of knowledge and has become one of the school sector’s go-to people for support and advice.
International students in Dunedin get connected
‘Get Connected’ was a networking evening to launch the Job Ready Programme, which prepares international students for the transition from study to work through improving their skills and confidence in approaching prospective employers.
Job Ready is a free, extracurricular programme designed for any tertiary international student studying in the Dunedin region. The aim of the programme is to give participants an in-depth understanding of working culture and expectations in New Zealand, and to help them develop skills that will aid them in New Zealand workplaces.
“For many International students in New Zealand, networking is a scary and foreign business practice,” says Job Ready Coordinator, Madison Stumbles. “We wanted to create a new cultural norm – for students and businesses – where networking isn’t scary and international students have the confidence to engage with businesses looking to utilise the skills they have to offer.”
The programme has been developed with the support of ENZ’s Regional Partnership Programme, Enterprise Dunedin, Otago Polytechnic, the University of Otago and the Otago Chamber of Commerce.
The event saw 15 international Job Ready ‘graduates’ engage with the potential employers in a positive and enriching atmosphere. The Minister of Immigration, Hon Michael Woodhouse, delivered the keynote speech and was joined by Education New Zealand’s Greg Scott and Enterprise Dunedin’s Export Education Coordinator, Sarah Gauthier and representatives of Dunedin’s international education providers.
A strong turnout at the event demonstrated the level of commitment to international education in the city, and the strong understanding among all attendees of the way in which the Job Ready Programme can support local businesses in globalising their operations by creating links to skilled, international talent.
Job Ready Graduate with PhD student and AD Instruments representative, Pramuk Perera.
About the programme
In the lead up to the event, a pilot group of 15 international students from Otago Polytechnic and the University of Otago underwent the six-week intensive Job Ready programme.
Confidence building was the main focus over the six weeks, with a strong emphasis placed on enabling the students to polish their professional networking skills. Several interactive seminars were facilitated by members of the Dunedin business and education community, with one popular session on ‘How to network’ led by Gallaway Cook Allan’s, Chief Executive Officer, Matthew Gorman.
At the end of the six-week programme, students were proactively arranging meetings to talk to professionals with business interests in their field of study, and two had successfully secured employment for the following year.
With more study ahead of them, the remainder of the students credited the Job Ready Programme with boosting their confidence in finding work in New Zealand after graduation.
“I got what I needed out of this programme – confidence, knowledge [and] a better network of potential employers,” said one participant.
“I would like to thank those who made this programme successful as it has given us a good insight into skills and abilities to work on, which are not usually taught in university,” stated another.
Feedback from business participants was also incredibly positive. “I overheard Roger Belton from Southern Clams commenting on how these students were so capable, and on how they could help their businesses grow into new markets,” said Sarah Gauthier, Export Education Coordinator. “He really enjoyed meeting the students and hearing how their international business skills and multiple language abilities would help his business grow into places like Thailand and Malaysia.”
Local Dunedin businesses represented at the event included ADInstruments, Southern Clams, PocketSmith, Mixbit, Myth, Firebrand, ANZ and Cook Wong Accountants. There was also international business representation from the Carraway Group, a Hong Kong-based financial services firm.
Job Ready Coordinator Madison Stumbles with Minister Woodhouse as they presented each student with their frame able Job Ready completion certificate, signed by Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull.
Next steps
Planning for the next phase of the project is underway, with the next six-week programme being open to all international tertiary students in Dunedin and having an even stronger focus on engagement with local businesses.
“I am really looking forward to see what phase two can do for Dunedin’s international students,” said Sarah Gauthier. “Secondary school engagement will be a priority and Job Ready intends to utilise the support received in the first phase to develop comprehensive material that will be applicable to all businesses and international students in New Zealand.”
Think you’d like to do something similar in your region? Sarah, Madison, and the Job Ready Programme partners are only too happy to share their learnings and provide hints and tips from their experience.
Email Sarah in the first instance: sarah.gauthier@dcc.govt.nz
2023 PIEoneer Awards - Celebrating NZ international student finalist, Nehara Pandey

Nehara was one of only seven students from across the globe shortlisted as finalists for the ‘International Alumni of the Year’ category at the 2023 PIEoneer Awards. She was the only student in her category from the Southern Hemisphere and up against fellow international students from the UK, United States, and Germany.

The PIEoneer Awards is hosted annually by PIE News, a prominent international education news platform, and honours individuals and organisations across the globe driving excellence and innovation in education and beyond. The ‘International Alumni of the Year’ award celebrates international students who have made a significant contribution to their institution and the wider community. This year, the ceremony took place in London on Friday 22 September.

Nehara is originally from Goa in India and proudly neurodiverse. She completed her foundation studies at UP International College’s Wellington Campus in 2021 where she proved her drive for academic success, scooping up the Overall Excellence Award at the Wellington International Student Excellence Awards that same year.

Growing up by the ocean in India sparked her interest in environmentalism and she is now furthering her education at Victoria University of Wellington with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in marine biology. As well as being a dedicated conservationist, climate correspondent, and aspiring marine biologist, she is also a strong advocate for the neurodiverse community. You can read about her many achievements in UP Education’s media release on her nomination here. UP Education also produced a showcase video, featured below, that highlights Nehara’s remarkable achievements and how a New Zealand international education has helped her succeed.

Nehara participated in the awards ceremony online and said it was an exciting experience to be a part of and such an honour to represent both New Zealand and India at an international level.

"I was introduced to so many organisations and people breaking barriers in the field of International Education. Although I did not win, this was such a unique learning experience and I'm extremely grateful to UP Education for nominating me.

“Studying at UP Education and now at Victoria University of Wellington has taught me so much and allowed me to grow both personally and professionally," said Nehara.

"I'm incredibly thankful to both institutions for allowing me to pursue my dreams of working in the field of conservation," she added.

Richard Kensington, Principal, Academic Relations for UP Education said that Nehara’s success story reflects the transformative educational experiences New Zealand can offer its international students.

“We were absolutely thrilled for Nehara that she was an ‘International Alumni of the Year’ finalist. This is yet another achievement that she can add to the already long list of achievements to her name,” said Richard.

ENZ’s Regional Director, America’s, Middle East and Europe, Amy Rutherford, was invited to participate in the 2023 Awards as one of 41 independent judges presiding over the 20 award categories. She joined two other New Zealanders on the panel including Gavin Millar from Nayland College in Nelson and Dr Pii-Tuulia Nikula from The Eastern Institute of Technology | Te Pūkenga in the Hawkes Bay.

ENZ’s Amy Rutherford (5th from left) with fellow judges, including Gavin Millar from Nayland College (far right), at the 2023 PIEoneer Awards

Amy said it was a huge honour to be invited to take part in the awards which celebrate the achievements of individuals and businesses who make such significant contributions to international education around the globe.

“The calibre of the nominations received for the PIEoneer awards was especially high this year. It was a particularly proud moment to see Nehara representing New Zealand’s international education sector on this global stage and see her recognised for the outstanding contributions she makes to so many areas of her personal and academic life.

“On behalf of Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao, I’d like to extend our congratulations for her nomination in these awards and achievements thus far. I know she will continue to do amazing things,” added Amy.

The list of awards and winners can be found here. If you or your organisation would like to make a nomination for the 2024 PIEoneer Awards, entries will be opening in February 2024.
Around the world in five: March 2022
International
Opinion... from the News Editor, 17.03.22
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India
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Vietnam
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Around the world in five
International
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Australia
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Brazil
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Canada
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China
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India
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Indonesia
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Thailand
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Vietnam
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Meet the team: Marie Clark, Director Insights
Tell us about your role, the team you lead, and what your team does at ENZ for the international education sector.

I’m Marie, Director Insights for Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao. I lead the research and market analysis to provide insights that underpin ENZ’s work. This includes student experience, brand health, economic value, and New Zealander’s perceptions of international education.

We are a small team of five analysts and researchers but pack a lot of punch if I do say so myself. We are lucky enough to work with a range of teams across ENZ as well as the wider sector. Our findings are shared with our stakeholders and our education partners so that they can use this to make informed decisions about the future delivery of their international education products and services. Much of our work is on an annual basis, meaning that each year we are looking for any small changes that might turn into long-term term trends. For example:
- in the international student experience survey, we want to look more at the people and connections and mental health. If we spot changes, providers may like to adjust their support for students.
- through our perceptions work we want to understand, as international students return to New Zealand, if the way New Zealanders perceive the challenges and benefits of international students is changing. If we spot changes, we will work with providers to bring those benefit stories to the forefront.
Where were you working before joining the ENZ team?

I am a returning New Zealander, having spent the last 15 years in the United Kingdom, working in a range of insights, marketing, and communications roles in higher education. My most recent UK role was at Independent Higher Education, the representative and lobbying body for independent higher education, professional training and international pathway providers. Previously I worked for a policy communications consultancy, Hobsons, now QS Enrolment Solutions, and The PIE.

Tell us what the team has been working on since you joined and how the sector can access this?

I joined ENZ in October 2022 and since then have led the delivery of several key pieces of research and reports. Some recent highlights for me are releasing our insights on the 2013 – 2023 (part year) International Student Enrolment data, 2023 International Student Experience Survey and the 2023 New Zealanders Perceptions of International Students 2023.

We share all of our research, data and insights on ENZ's Intellilab and I would encourage anyone to sign up, if you haven't already. We also post links to past webinars that we have held in which we share our latest research and insights.

For those that are interested in being able to take a closer look at the data, we do share some data that has been officially released to Tableau Public.

What can the sector expect to see from the Insights team in the next 12 months?

Our team will be very busy over these next 12 months as we undertake a range of surveys and then following the fieldwork will be diving into the data and compiling insights reports, presentations and hosting webinars for the sector to take them through this. To name just a few taking place over the next two quarters, we will be working on the: International Student Experience Survey 2024, Brand Health 2024, a sector survey, agent survey, and the New Zealanders perception of International Education 2024 survey. Phew!

So, watch this space here on E-News, via our Sector Engagement Team, or Intellilab where we will share our insights with the sector. If anyone in the sector has a query about past or future research opportunities or wants to organise an insights session with your organisation or stakeholders, then feel free to reach out to me and my team – insights@enz.govt.nz.

Tell us what you like to do when you’re out of the office and not nose-deep in international education data...

I am still enjoying settling back into New Zealand. It’s a period of both discovery and rediscovery. Weekends are spent catching up with old friends and spending plenty of time with family, adjusting my two young children to the kiwi lifestyle. I am a convert to cycling for transport and can be seen zooming all over Wellington, and sometimes further afield, on my electric cargo bike.
International students report high satisfaction as New Zealand sees steady recovery in enrolments
This year, 87 percent of students gave a positive rating of their overall experience, maintaining the upward trend seen in 2024 (86%). The proportion of students who rated their experience as ‘excellent’ rose to 43 percent, a two percent increase from the previous year.

These strong satisfaction results come as international student enrolments in New Zealand continue to grow. Between January and April 2025, 63,610 international students were enrolled with New Zealand education providers, a 16% increase compared to the same period in 2024 (54,690), and a 49% increase on 2023 (42,700).

All education subsectors saw growth, with Private Training Establishments (PTEs) showing the strongest increase at +41% compared to 2024.

China and India remained the top source markets, followed by Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, USA, Nepal, the Philippines, Thailand, and Germany. Notably, Sri Lanka rose to fifth place (from ninth), and Nepal to seventh (from eleventh), reflecting shifting dynamics in student mobility.

What students value most

Students were most positive about the people and connections they made in New Zealand (92%), the quality of their education (90%), their arrival and orientation experience (89%), the ease of making study arrangements (87%), and their overall living experience (87%).

International students’ experiences of making study arrangements have notably improved, with 80 percent of students rating their experience with the visa application process positively (up from 78% in 2024), and 74% positively rating the time taken to get their visa (up from 64%).

Education New Zealand and Immigration New Zealand will continue to collaborate on provision of information to students to ensure an enhanced student experience.

The survey also shows an increasing proportion of international students regard New Zealand as offering good value for money, with positive perceptions rising from 65% to 76%.

Education New Zealand's Chief Executive, Amanda Malu, said the results reflect New Zealand’s ability to provide a high-quality education within an environment that fosters meaningful connections and relationships.

“This is encouraging news for New Zealand. The fact that students continue to rate their experience here as excellent is a credit to our education providers and speaks to the warmth of the welcome our communities extend to international students,” she said.

“We’re seeing a steady and encouraging recovery in international education. It’s not a boom, but a sign that our collective efforts are making a difference. What matters most is that students are not just coming to New Zealand, they’re having a high-quality experience that supports wellbeing and a sense of belonging.”

“Under the International Education Going for Growth Plan, we’re focused on thoughtful, sustainable growth. These insights help us ensure that our progress is not just about numbers, but about delivering long-term value to students, communities, and the wider economy.”

Education New Zealand’s Director Insights and Performance, Marie Clark, said the survey continues to be a key piece of work for ENZ and a useful tool for the international education sector.

“It remains the only national survey focused on international student experience in all subsectors in New Zealand. With several years of data now collected, we’re building a meaningful picture of student experience over time,” she said.

“The ability to break down insights by variables like country, sector, and gender makes the dataset especially useful. We expect the report and Tableau dashboards will be very practical resources for anyone working in the sector,” Clark added.

For further information:
- Visit Tableau Public to access the data sets: International Student Experience Survey 2025 | Tableau Public
- Sai Raje | Senior Communications Advisor, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao
  sai.raje@enz.govt.nz | +64 21 479 649
Notes to Editors:

About the New Zealand International Student Experience Survey 2025

The survey aims to better understand the overall experience of international students enrolled with New Zealand education providers, as well as recent graduates. It also identifies areas for improvement to enhance the student journey.

Fieldwork was conducted from 28 April to 19 May 2025 with 5,420 respondents across all education subsectors and stages of study.

About Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao

Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is the government agency dedicated to helping New Zealand realise the social, cultural, and economic benefits of international education. Our role is to promote New Zealand as a high-quality education destination offering excellent education and student experiences.

With approximately 85 staff in 13 locations around the world, ENZ works closely with New Zealand’s diverse education sector which includes schools, English language providers, Private Training Establishments, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology Te Pūkenga), and universities.

Internationally, we work with a range of education stakeholders, including government agencies and education providers to identify and encourage sustainable growth opportunities for New Zealand’s education sector.
New Zealand and international secondary students to grow cultural competence skills together
Qualitative research^[1] from ENZ concluded that New Zealand businesses who employed staff with cross-cultural competencies found this contributed to a more energising workplace, which helped to foster creativity and innovation as well as other benefits.
The employers agreed cross-cultural competence was a sought-after skill when hiring staff, leading ENZ to fund the programme for more high school students around the country.
Grant McPherson, Education New Zealand’s Chief Executive says, “The insights from New Zealand businesses around the benefits of cross-cultural competencies within their teams have been one of the key reasons we’ve taken this initiative to help grow cultural competency, providing an alternative to international school exchange experience while borders are closed.”
This work supports the third goal of the New Zealand International Education Strategy 2018-2030 to develop global citizens within New Zealand and aims to help both students and teachers develop their cross-cultural skills together with their global peers.
ENZ and Massey University first partnered with the American Field Service (AFS) in July 2020 to launch a pilot of the NZGCC programme. The virtual programme delivers animated videos, quizzes, assignments and weekly live facilitated dialogue sessions for local and offshore learners to talk with each other online in real time.
Following the success of the pilot, ENZ today announced a further $380,000 investment to subsidise the cost for 321 New Zealand and 486 international learners to develop cultural self-awareness, empathy for other cultures, emotional resilience and ways to build bridges in multicultural settings.
18 online modules cover topics such as stereotypes, empathy, dealing with conflict and resilience, and will be delivered to international learners from India, China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile.
The newest students to benefit from the NZGCC programme are Whanganui Girls College, Cullinane College, Whanganui High School and Awatapu College pupils. Starting today, 23 Whanganui and Manawatu students will partake in a virtual learning exchange with 20 high school students in Tokyo, Japan, in a partnership with the Tokyo Board of Education.
Whanganui Girls College principal Sharon Steer says the new programme will help students build their understanding of global cultures – critical ‘soft’ skills that will also prepare them for life after high school as they enter the workforce.
“An important part of our curriculum is developing strong communication skills and setting our students up for success in the workplace. The NZGCC programme will add another dimension to our lessons by teaching our students how to develop meaningful relationships with one another despite language and cultural differences,” said Steer.
“This allows our students to connect with peers in Japan and learn more about their culture without having to get on a plane when international travel remains limited.”
In addition to secondary school students, the NZGCC programme will support teachers in indigenous communities in Pacific Alliance countries, and people undertaking English language and teacher training in Indonesia, Vietnam and the Republic of Korea.
Around 100 students from decile 1 to 5 schools across New Zealand will be offered NZGCC scholarships to participate in a virtual exchange with their peers in Asia.
ENZ’s Chief Executive Grant McPherson said the programme’s expansion is a key part of diversifying education in new virtual forms fit for a globally connected world.
“We’re pleased to continue our support for the NZGCC programme to bring New Zealand and international learners together in a virtual environment to gain the skills needed to live, work and learn globally.
“As well as helping to develop the global citizens of tomorrow, this programme demonstrates the reciprocal benefits of international education, giving our rangatahi a chance to learn with high school students from around the world, and giving their offshore peers a chance to learn ‘with’ New Zealand and our unique way of thinking.”
More information about the NZGCC can be found here: https://www.globalup.com/
ENDS
^[1] https://intellilab.enz.govt.nz/document/583-employer-perceptions-of-hiring-international-graduates
Notes to editor:
- Education New Zealand is the government agency responsible for building international education to benefit New Zealand socially, culturally and economically. For more information, visit enz.govt.nz
- Developing Global Citizens is the third goal of the New Zealand International Education Strategy 2018-2030.
- Education New Zealand has a focus on developing global citizens within New Zealand, so that more learners gain the knowledge they need to live, work and learn globally.
- The Global Competency Certificate (GCC) is a research backed programme teaching cultural self-awareness, empathy for other cultures and ways to build bridges in multicultural settings. It is designed by American Field Scholars (AFS), a global non-profit internationally recognised as leaders in Global Citizenship.
- In 2020, Education New Zealand partnered with Massey University and American Field Scholars to deliver a customised version of the GCC programme to New Zealand students and international students in New Zealand and abroad.
- One Palmerston North student who completed last year’s pilot summarised the experience as ‘eye-opening’: “The main takeaway was the ability to see life from different perspectives to our own, to understand how different cultures, experiences and beliefs can impact others. Being part of this course has truly opened my eyes to some of these viewpoints and I’ve learned to embrace them with an open mind.”
Media contact
Hazel Dobbie, ENZ Director Communications
Hazel.Dobbie@enz.govt.nz 021 579 917
From the CE: China, the GCC, and a warm welcome
Tēnā koutou katoa 

Recently I arrived back to New Zealand after a whirlwind visit to Beijing to attend the China Annual Conference and Expo for International Education (CACIE).

While there, I was delighted to announce that New Zealand will be the Country of Honour at next year’s conference in 2025. New Zealand and China share a long and important relationship - it remains New Zealand’s largest trading partner and CACIE is the biggest international education conference in China – connecting professionals, researchers and international education stakeholders.

Overall, the visit was extremely useful and included engagements with the President of China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE), senior Chinese Government officials, opinion leaders and media, as well as visits to education providers and meetings with New Zealand Inc Agency heads. I also really enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with ENZ’s China team in market.

Ed Tuari from our leadership team has also just returned to New Zealand after undertaking a market confirmation exercise in the Middle East region. The purpose of the exercise was to connect with key stakeholders and partners working in the region to establish what opportunities are available in international education, and to explore what level of resource ENZ may need to allocate to the region in the future. His travels took him to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, State of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman.

Some good news to report on New Zealanders’ perceptions of international education and international students in New Zealand. The results from our latest survey show that 72 percent of respondents believed that international education and international students benefit New Zealand. This is similar to previous years' scores which is promising.

For the first time this year, the annual survey asked respondents if they wanted to see more or fewer international students in the country. Forty-one percent of those surveyed said they would like to see more, with another 36 percent supporting the same number of students. 82 percent of New Zealanders agreed that international students contribute to our cultural diversity, with 79 percent feeling they help local students learn about other cultures and ways of life, as well as contributing to local businesses during their studies. A thriving and sustainable international education sector needs the support of New Zealanders to create a welcoming environment for international students, so the results are pleasing to see.

Nau te rourou, naku te rourou, ka ora te manuhiri

With your food basket and my food basket, the visitors will be cared for.

Ngā mihi nui, 

Amanda Malu

Chief Executive 
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao