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Showing 10 of 1954 results for NARSC 2016 conference registration fees student pre advance late July 2016
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Govt announcements welcomed
The new initiatives included allowing more English language students studying at high-quality providers to work part-time, providing full-time work rights during all scheduled holidays to international students who take a course of one academic year or more, and giving unlimited work rights to international PhD and Masters by research students. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will also no longer grant visas to students seeking to enrol at the few providers in Category 4, the lowest status granted by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).
Detailed questions and answers about the announcements are available on the INZ website.
Education New Zealand (ENZ) has shared this news with agents and overseas media, with the announcements receiving good coverage via Facebook page postings, media coverage and via informing and engaging agents.
Grant McPherson, ENZ Chief Executive, said last week: “Changes to government policy settings and regulations are incredibly important in supporting your efforts to grow international student numbers – we’ve heard that through the industry survey, the roadshow meetings and the feedback ENZ staff have taken on board at many meetings around the country.
“These announcements are great news for our international competitiveness, but they’re not the end of the story. We will continue to work closely with agencies on initiatives to help grow our industry and we encourage you to stay in touch with us about the opportunities you see to further remove barriers to growth.”
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Growth Fund applications open
The IEGF aims to support innovative projects that go beyond ‘business as usual’ – for instance this funding can help accelerate your market expansion plans, develop offshore partnerships or build a new product or channel to market.
There has been some fine-tuning of criteria and the selection process, based on feedback from earlier rounds. ENZ Business Development Manager, Adele Bryant, says the new form is designed to guide applicants easily through the process, and in particular help you explain how a project will meet key selection criteria -- including level of innovation, expected commercial return, scalability, value for money and extent of collaboration both on and offshore.
Success so far
Since the fund was piloted in April 2013, 41 projects and 31 institutions and education exporters have received ‘matched project funding’ of between $10,000 and $50,000.
Some good results have been achieved already from projects funded in that first April 2013 round. Wellington-based company Software Education has launched five new courses in Singapore and signed six new partnerships with US organisations, while Kiwa Digital, of Auckland, has used its funding to close international contracts valued at $386,000.
Victoria University of Wellington used IEGF funding to develop a niche marketing campaign for its high value, postgraduate law programme in Germany and Southeast Asia. The university says without IEGF funding it would have taken longer for the university to gain the market penetration it wanted in Singapore, Thailand and Germany. The results are an 18% increase in offers of places over 2013 and new relationships with institutions that will help feed the student pipeline into the future.
Online Education, a start-up company based in Hamilton has developed Code Avengers to teach computer programming. The product can be used in classroom settings around the world as well as in the potentially huge US home school market. While still in the development phase the company has used its IEGF funds to “accelerate the speed of many tasks from promotion to IP protection to product development”. While revenue is small it is growing quickly with an 800% increase over the last year, of which some 80% comes from export sales. The company is now having the product translated into Spanish and Dutch and is in negotiation with overseas distributors as it moves quickly to capitalise on its improved international profile.
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Beyond the Summit: the world visits New Zealand education
The Summit is co-hosted by New Zealand, the OECD and Education International. It draws together representatives of the highest achieving and fastest improving education systems in the world, as measured by the OECD through the Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) survey. Invited attendees include Ministers of Education, teacher leaders, and heads of national teachers’ unions.
The theme for the 2014 Summit is ‘Excellence, Equity and Inclusiveness – High quality teaching for all’.
On either side of the Summit, the delegations have opportunity for bilateral meetings with government leaders and officials in Wellington and also for visits to peak bodies and education providers. These include a chance to see how education is delivered on an urban marae in Auckland, and how Christchurch schools and early childhood education centres are responding to the post-quake challenge.
Government officials across various agencies are working together to support the visits by the international delegations, which include education leaders from Hong Kong, Japan, Germany, Poland, Singapore, the Netherlands, UK, USA, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland and Sweden. There are also invited observers coming from Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Vanuatu, Cook Islands and Solomon Islands.
For more information about the International Summit on the Teaching Profession, see the ITSP webpage.
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New Zealand universities feature in Chinese TV series
All About Going Abroad is a television series that introduces overseas university education to its international audience. The series covers aspects of student and academic life, including learning facilities, social and sporting activities, key programmes and city life. Four to five episodes will be produced as a result of the crew’s visit to New Zealand.
The opportunity was facilitated by Education New Zealand’s China team and offered to all New Zealand universities, with the University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, Massey University and Victoria University of Wellington deciding to get involved.
Alex Grace, ENZ’s Regional Director for Greater China, says the series is a great way to raise New Zealand’s profile with a large audience.
“China is New Zealand’s leading source country for international students but, despite this, New Zealand is still quite poorly understood as an education destination. We’re delighted our institutions were able to take up this opportunity to introduce themselves and their offering in much greater depth.”
International Channel Shanghai has a global audience of 9 million. The New Zealand-focused series is due to be broadcast in October.
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Think New enters China
It is the first major campaign to use ‘Think New’ brand and campaign concepts since their launch in November 2013.
Kathryn McCarrison, General Manager Marketing and Channel Development, says while the campaign messaging will be university focused, agencies will advise prospective students on New Zealand education as a whole.
“This campaign is designed to target those already aware of New Zealand as a study destination – and turn their general interest into active consideration by introducing prospective students to key agents.”
“These high-quality leads will go to high-quality education agents who can provide relevant information as students research New Zealand further. While the campaign messaging is university focused, these agencies are well informed about New Zealand and will introduce students to institutions offering all types of programmes and courses.”
“In the process, ENZ will continue to grow a database of students interested in New Zealand who we can stay in touch with.”
Kathryn McCarrison says as well as being the first major ‘Think New’ campaign in China, it’s also the first trial of a partnership approach with key education agencies.
“These agencies will amplify the campaign messages through their own networks, reaching many thousands more students.”
The campaign will run from mid-April to the end of June, building on the successful CIEET fairs, the Dragons in a Distant Land documentary and ongoing awareness-raising work underway in China.
Agencies responding to student enquiries are Shinyway, JJL, New Oriental Vision Overseas and EIC.
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Hong Kong happenings
Regional Director for Greater China Alexandra Grace reports Hong Kong has recently received heightened attention from Education New Zealand’s China team, particularly following Secretary for Education Peter Hughes’ visit with a sizeable delegation last October. Minister Steven Joyce also met with Hong Kong’s Secretary for Education Eddie Ng in Wellington in March (at the time of the International Summit on the Teaching Profession), and education was also discussed during the Prime Minister’s visit to Hong Kong in March – the first visit by a New Zealand head of government since 2006.
Discussions between Minister Joyce and Secretary Ng focused on ‘doing more in education’, including sister-school relationships, study abroad options in New Zealand for Hong Kong students, and joint programmes between education providers.
In addition to these high-level discussions, officials have been working closely together on the ground. This includes a delegation from the Hong Kong Education Bureau visiting New Zealand to learn about school-based management, and a formalised arrangement between the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and the Hong Kong Education Bureau for the development of qualifications frameworks. This sits alongside a broader education cooperation arrangement between our Ministry of Education and the Bureau.
On the profile-raising and student recruitment front, Guangzhou-based Education Manager, Felix Ye, attended a key education and careers expo in February. Enrolments at New Zealand education institutions by Hong Kong students have dropped in recent years – a trend also reported by Australia, which ascribes the decrease to the high exchange rate. Immigration New Zealand worked alongside Felix at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council Education and Careers Expo (800 exhibitors from 18 countries) – providing a ‘one stop shop’ for students inquiring about study and employment options.
Felix reports many of the students were seeking study opportunities that included internships and other employment options. “Their inquiries reflect a broader interest expressed by students across Greater China and is a key driver that New Zealand institutions will need to address.”
The China team will be talking further with the Hong Kong Education Bureau and Hong Kong education providers about opportunities for stepped-up collaboration. Alexandra Grace also says they will be doing more work to raise awareness of New Zealand education in the market: “people need to know about us to consider us, and awareness is not currently that high in Hong Kong”.
She adds the team would be glad to hear from New Zealand institutions about their relationships in Hong Kong, and how they would like to strengthen and expand these -- email china@enz.govt.nz.
You can see the wider overall China market overview here.
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Erasmus+ update - European partnership opportunities
In a December 2013 edition of International Education News, we outlined changes to the European Commission’s education funding programme. The new programme Erasmus+ started on 1 January 2014 and will run until 2020 - the budget for the seven-year programme is EUR14.7 billion, a 40% increase on current spending. It has two categories for participation: ‘programme countries’, who are member states of the EU and other specified European countries, and ‘partner countries’, which is all others including New Zealand.
The key point of interest for New Zealand is that Erasmus+ will fund international credit mobility exchanges (learner and staff exchanges) between European and New Zealand higher education institutions, without the need for co-funding. Approximately EUR 1.68 billion will be available to fund mobility with non-EU countries. Applications are made by the European institution to their national agency – see below.
The deadline for this programme has been moved back, following some implementation delays, giving more time for New Zealand institutions to build or reinvigorate existing partnerships. Applications are expected to be invited in September 2014. Funding is allocated to European national agencies, depending on factors such as population and previous uptake of student mobility funding, which means some key European markets for New Zealand will have the largest budgets: Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland and the UK.
New Zealand higher education institutions can participate in four parts of the Erasmus+ programme. Mobility programmes open later this year:
- International credit mobility - which will support 135,000 learner and staff exchanges between European and partner countries (within partnerships with a European institution) – call for applications by European institutions is expected in September 2014 (closing in early 2015), and every year after.
These programmes have closed for 2014, but might offer opportunities in following years:
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Jean Monnet activities - which aim to stimulate teaching, research and reflection in EU studies worldwide – this is the only programme which New Zealand institutions can apply to directly, rather than via a partnership with a European institution.
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Joint Masters degrees - developed with European institutions, open to institutions and students from anywhere in the world
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Strategic partnerships and knowledge alliances - non-European institutions can participate if they can demonstrate added value for Europe.
For more information, talk to your EU higher education partners, or contact Shelley Robertson (Brussels) or Ute Haug (Berlin) for help developing new relationships.
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Doing Business in India programme
The 16 postgraduate students have just returned from a two-week Doing Business in India programme.
Education New Zealand funded the students from New Zealand’s universities on the programme at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) in New Delhi. The IIFT, an autonomous public business school, is widely recognised for its knowledge and resources in foreign related trade and research having trained more than 40,000 business professionals across 30 countries.
Greg Johnston, a University of Waikato honours student and budding entrepreneur, says the Doing Business in India programme was “outstanding”.
“What Education NZ have provided for us is outstanding and they made a great decision to link in with IIFT. The calibre of IIFT faculty is world-class”.
Greg, who is passionate about international trade and commerce, was quick to apply for the chance to participate in the programme that aimed to enhance New Zealand’s trade and education links with India.
He says Doing Business in India delivered on its promise to help New Zealanders to better understand trade patterns, business opportunities and procedures to successfully engage in business with India.
Education New Zealand’s Regional Director South Asia, Ziena Jalil, hosted the students at a networking event at the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi along with other New Zealand government agency officials.
“The Doing Business in India programme has given some of New Zealand’s brightest emerging talent an opportunity to learn how India does business – emphasizing the official requirements for starting and operating an industrial or commercial business in India. Just as importantly, each participant on the programme was an ambassador for New Zealand education.”
The participating students came from six of New Zealand’s eight universities. They were chosen on their ability to demonstrate cross-cultural understanding and awareness, their understanding of the importance of the global networks and partners for New Zealand’s business success, and on their understanding of the importance of India to New Zealand’s trade and economic future.
The Doing Business in India programme supports the 2011 New Zealand and Indian Prime Ministers’ Education Initiative announced to enhance bilateral tertiary education cooperation.
This education initiative was also the catalyst for the establishment of the New Zealand India Education Council under which Education New Zealand recently put out a call for joint research applications from New Zealand and Indian academics. Over 60 research applications were received in response to the call. A joint New Zealand-India panel will decide successful applications during the first week of May.
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PM’s Scholarships for Asia announced
The Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia cover overseas study, research or internships ranging from six week to two years at undergraduate or postgraduate level at top Asian institutions.
At an event to mark the programme’s first year, Prime Minister John Key and Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce congratulated recipients.
Successful recipients include a student from Otago University, who will study chemistry and pharmacology at the National University of Singapore, and a group from the New Zealand Institute of Fashion Technology who will deepen their design and manufacturing knowledge working on a collaborative project with Indian students at a partner institution in Tamil Nadu.
The inaugural awards were made in December 2013, with many recipients still completing their studies throughout Asia. This next round of scholarships will enable 103 people to study overseas.
Peter Bull, Education New Zealand’s General Manager International, says the scholarship programme was established to give New Zealanders the opportunity to experience what it's like to operate in a different country and culture, and build all important people-to-people networks with our trading partners.
“Listening to returned students talk about their experiences; it’s clear it’s an opportunity that’s had a significant impact on those involved. One recipient got in touch recently to report her experience studying in Hong Kong had an immediate impact – helping her to secure a job with a top law firm who were very interested in her overseas experience.”
“I’m delighted at how quickly people have leaped at this opportunity to develop their international outlook and act as ambassadors for New Zealand education in parts of the world where there’s generally very low awareness about our country, let alone our way of thinking, learning or teaching.”
Mr Bull says the scholarships demonstrate reciprocity in New Zealand’s education relationships, something that’s very important as ENZ works to intensify education recruitment, business development and government relations activity throughout the region.
Applications are open for the next round of the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia and close 28 September 2014. Applications can be made by individuals or groups.
Mr Bull says overall, the quantity and quality of applications greatly exceeded expectations; a fantastic outcome for a programme that’s only just begun.
“I encourage future applications to take the time to prepare high quality applications – the bar is only going to go up.”
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New Zealand - the most exciting place to learn a new language
The two agencies have joined forces to attract young Japanese to New Zealand with the offer of up to $300 worth of adventure activities.
Every student who enrols with one of the 22 English Language Schools (who are all part of the English New Zealand group) taking part in the campaign will get to experience some of the best adventures New Zealand has to offer. Activities range from a bungy jump in Queenstown to a jet boat ride on Auckland’s magnificent harbour.
The campaign will run through to June.
Tourism New Zealand’s Chief Executive Kevin Bowler says international students contribute significant tourism dollars to the country by travelling during their study, and hosting their friends and family. “The education market is a significant one, so it makes perfect sense for us to combine our efforts, and leverage the combined strength of the New Zealand brand as both an education and tourism destination, to convert more students to travel and study here.”
Grant McPherson, Chief Executive, Education New Zealand says this campaign is a great example of the education-tourism opportunities which exist in New Zealand.
“Tourism New Zealand’s flagship campaign 100% Pure New Zealand tells the story of this country's unparalleled combination of landscapes, people and activities.
“New Zealand is one of the highest quality English language education destinations in the world but it is our setting which really makes us stand out from the crowd so it makes a lot of sense for the two agencies to join forces on a marketing campaign. I am excited to see the results.”
The campaign challenges Japanese students already thinking about studying in New Zealand to take the next step and convert their general interest into actual enrolment.
Japan is currently New Zealand’s fourth largest source country for international students but there is potential to grow this market further.
The Japanese government has an increased focus on international education and improving English language skills in the lead up to hosting the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Summer Olympics. ENZ is looking to capitalise on this opportunity.
Education New Zealand (ENZ), the government agency responsible for marketing international education is working on realising that opportunity.
