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  • An update from ENZ's Events team

    Many of you are working closely with our international teams on in-market initiatives and programmes of work. The following update refers to the events as listed on the events calendar on our corporate website and does not include additional in-market activity.

    If you’ve confirmed to attend any of the upcoming ENZ calendar events for the second half of this year, the team will be in touch as soon as they can to update you on how the event will proceed.

    Events framework

    We are developing an events framework that will initially support events planned until the end of 2020 and look at alternative ways we can deliver events and fairs in New Zealand and overseas. This framework is in response to the current situation and the need to adjust how we do events over the next 12-18 months.

    We are aware delivering events virtually is a high priority, but we also understand that not every event will translate well to virtual delivery, and each market has its own challenges requiring a bespoke approach. The framework will consider each countries’ restrictions. It will also look at the viability of events taking place virtually or whether a hybrid approach could be used and be more effective.

    Virtual events platform

    To assist us in making the right decisions in event delivery, we are undertaking an initial scoping exercise of digital platforms that facilitates the delivery of events, fairs, and conferences online. 

    Our goal is to ensure our education industry has access to ‘best-in-class’ digital events options that align with our student audience needs. In order to align with your recruitment goals we will consult with industry partners to better understand what your requirements are for digital events, and whether an integrated ENZ platform could strengthen our ability to recruit students to New Zealand.

    Attendance at virtual fairs

    We are all receiving invitations to virtual fairs and we are assessing which events we will attend as it is essential New Zealand remains visible during this period. To help inform these decisions, the events team would welcome information on the events you will be participating in through to the end of 2020. Please email them at events@enz.govt.nz with this information, or if you have any further queries.

  • Supporting your international students

    Through our NauMai NZ resource, ENZ is continuing to provide up-to-date information and advice especially for international students. We encourage and welcome all international students in New Zealand to join NauMai NZ.

    COVID-19 testing

    COVID-19 related care – including diagnosis, testing and treatment – is provided free of charge to anyone who requires it, including international students. This is irrespective of citizenship, visa status, nationality, NHI number or level of medical insurance coverage. See more information on free COVID-19 testing. 

    Some countries require travellers to confirm a negative COVID-19 test before they leave New Zealand. If your student is in this situation and requires a test prior to departure, they can organise this through Healthline or their GP, but they will need to pay for it. See questions and answers on pre-departure COVID-19 testing.

    covid19.govt.nz has help and advice in several different languages, including simplified Chinese, Hindi and Korean. 

    Financial support

    This is a really difficult time for a lot of people financially, including some international students.

    The Assistance to Foreign Nationals Impacted by COVID-19 Programme opened on 1 July 2020. Any foreign national in New Zealand – including international students – may apply for this support if they are experiencing temporary hardship due to the effects of COVID-19.

    If they are eligible, students will receive support to help them meet basic needs like rent, electricity, food and clothing. Each applicant’s circumstances will be considered at an individual level to ensure support reaches those who need it most. Eligibility is established through a series of checks on visa and employment status, savings, outstanding debts and alternative sources of income or in-kind support.

    If you know of a student who is in need of temporary hardship support, please encourage them to apply at this link: https://foreignnationals.services.govt.nz/ 

    There may be opportunities for people, including international students, who are in extreme hardship to return home through the Foreign Nationals Programme. If you know of a student who wants to return home but can’t afford the flights, then please encourage them to apply to the Programme for this additional assistance.

    If they require assistance with translation support or have questions about criteria and eligibility, they can call 0800 RED CROSS and ask to speak with the Visitor Care Manaaki Manuhiri team.

    Visas

    Ongoing border closures and travel disruption around the world are making it challenging (and in some cases impossible) for students to return home. If you have international students whose visa is due to expire in the next few months and they are unable to leave New Zealand on the date originally planned, then please make sure they have applied for a new visa.

    If they do not apply for a new visa before their current visa expires, they will become unlawful and this will affect any future travel plans. Students also have the option of applying for the COVID-19 short-term visitor visa. 

    Read more on the INZ website.

    Embassy and consular assistance

    If you have an international student in hardship and their situation is not likely to improve in the medium to long term, then they are advised to consider all their options, including returning home.

    Students should contact their home country embassy in New Zealand for up-to-date information and advice on travel information or special requirements when returning home, such as medical certificates or quarantine arrangements. Read more information on embassies and consulates.

    Thank you for your ongoing support of international students in New Zealand and for sharing this information with them.

  • Winds of Change students team up to tackle shared climate challenges

    While world leaders continue to discuss how to best tackle global warming, an inspiring group of students is stepping up collaboration between New Zealand and Chile to better understand the problems both countries face, share knowledge, and identify solutions.

    The Winds of Change programme, funded by the Latin America Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence (LatAm CAPE) and hosted by Otago University, is taking a broad approach by drawing in post-graduate students from a range of backgrounds including natural, physical or social science, business, finance, science communication, and humanities.

    They are motivated to tackle climate change by developing sustainable strategies in land management, business, and policy-making. Supporting them is a team of talented academics from both countries whose insight and expertise are helping to create impact.

    “The Winds of Change participants are extraordinary leaders from diverse backgrounds with a passion for making a difference,” says lead Otago academic Associate Professor Chris Moy.

    “Their collaborative work will help inspire communities and drive change.”

    Joining forces to reach common goals

    Project manager Hélène Eunson says the multi-disciplinary approach is vital. “It is one of the key features and strengths of the programme. We need people who bring a range of perspectives in addressing climate change issues,” she says.

    “We have come to realise that the scientists want to learn more about business and policy-making, and the policy-makers want to learn more about the science. We are trying to join forces to reach our common goals.”

    Now in its second year, Ms Eunson says there has been huge interest in the six-month programme, which seeks to attract 30 students in each cohort - 10 New Zealanders based in New Zealand, 10 Chilean students based in New Zealand (“Chiwis”), and 10 Chileans based in Chile.

    “These young leaders have a real drive to make a change. They volunteer their time and do not earn credits towards their degrees.”

    The participants work in small groups on projects based on common interest, to investigate an aspect of climate change, its impact on the environment and communities, and to identify solutions. Their findings are presented at an annual symposium attended by key industry players, researchers, embassy representatives, and past participants.

    The Winds of Change programme includes a series of workshops hosted by a range of expert speakers from both countries including business owners, industry experts, and academics studying climate change.

    Pacific partners help shape future solutions

    By studying the common climate change impacts that New Zealand and Chile are facing, the students are not only helping to shape future solutions, but also to build relationships with a key Pacific partner and enhance economic and social wellbeing in both countries.

    Projects undertaken by the participants have tackled wide-ranging issues including wetland restoration, wildfires, water scarcity, rising sea levels, diversity in agriculture, and renewable energies.

    Ms Eunson says the concept of global citizenship is a strong theme which runs through the programme. “The participants share experiences from their own countries and help to create bonds with each other by bringing their different perspectives to the table.”

    Being involved in the programme has been a profound experience for many of the participants.

    “Often, if you think as an individual about environmental issues, you don’t feel as though you can achieve much, but when you see all these people together with the same objective, you feel really powerful to make change,” says Julia Harvey, who grew up in Invercargill.

    “Meeting people from different backgrounds with a common interest has provided a unique opportunity to learn about sustainability in both countries,” says Javiera Otero, originally from Villa Alemana, Chile, but currently living in Napier.

    “This experience has given me hope for the future, as there are people out there who want to make changes to live a more compatible life with the planet.”

    Winds of Change programme builds credibility and impact

    Winds of Change is quickly building its network and outreach. “As we build the credibility of the programme, we will start to see long-term impacts,” Ms Eunson predicts.

    This new generation of leaders is already anticipating a future of global collaboration. In last year’s first post-programme survey, participants identified the most important benefits as “building networks, connections, and relationships”, and “having confidence to work in a transnational team”.

    LatAm CAPE Director Matthew O’Meagher says he looks forward to the ongoing expansion of the programme to include other partners, and ideally other nations in Latin America. “In this way we can continue to provide the best opportunities for our talented young New Zealanders to engage internationally on innovative scientific, sustainable business, and policy-focused, solutions to climate change.”

    Dr Moy agrees. “Our future depends on culturally-aware young leaders that can think globally and work collaboratively to tackle climate change impacts.”

    Learn more about the Winds of Change programme on the LatAm CAPE website.

  • What’s next for ENZ events?

    The trial of the EventsAIR OnAIR platform began in September with the Japan New Zealand Education Virtual Showcase and Agent Seminar, and will continue over the next few months for events like agent seminars in-market, the Viet Nam Student Showcase, and the Summer Retention Showcase.

    Over and above a video-conferencing application like Zoom, the EventsAIR OnAIR platform has functions like a virtual exhibition, live Q & A, and gamification features, where users can compete to win points.

    ENZ recently hosted our inaugural India New Zealand Education Week on the EventsAIR OnAIR platform. To have a look at the platform and how it works, you can register and view recordings of the event here.

    ENZ has an established relationship with EventsAIR, having previously partnered with them for lead capture at in-person events.

    ENZ Director – Channel Services and Partnerships, Dan Smidt, says what really clinched this new collaboration was the wide range of functionality EventsAIR had developed.

    “We didn’t want a platform that would simply recreate what you’d expect from an in-person event. We wanted something that would use digital features in a creative way, to really capture the attention and imagination of our attendees.”

    Participants are currently limited to providers who registered with ENZ for in-person events in-market before they were cancelled due to COVID-19. At the moment, ENZ is able to offer participation in these events at no cost to the sector.

    “In the results of a survey out to New Zealand providers earlier this year, the cost of developing or participating in digital events was one of the most important factors for those considering their event options,” Dan says.

    Even before COVID-19 caused global travel disruption and the widespread cancellation of in-person events, ENZ was looking into ways to host more events virtually.

    “We know that education providers and students are becoming more conscious of the sustainability of long-haul air travel,” Dan says. “COVID-19 simply accelerated our work in the online event space.”

    “This dynamic virtual events platform is the next logical step in the growth of the ENZ digital eco-system. We’re now able to think about how we do events in a whole new way.”

    Dan and the ENZ Events Team hope to develop a virtual and hybrid calendar of events for 2021 with OnAIR. Please watch out for more updates on our events work in E-News on our website.

  • New initiatives to keep New Zealand education dream alive in Viet Nam

    Earlier this year, ENZ asked study providers how we can support the visibility of New Zealand schools who usually operate in the Vietnamese market.

    Two proposals have now been selected.

    The first will fund Year 10 students from five Manawatū schools to undertake a customised version of AFS’ Global Competence Certificate (GCC).

    AFS is partnering with Massey University to facilitate the programme and each New Zealand school will partner with a Vietnamese school from TTC Education, ENZ’s private school network partner with over 18,000 students.

    Students from both countries will join weekly virtual workshops facilitated by Massey University – in the last four weeks of New Zealand’s school year – focused on developing the students’ lifelong global ‘power skills’ and providing them with an opportunity to interact and connect directly with their overseas student counterparts.

    CEDA and Palmerston North City Council will offer scholarships for up to 25 Manawatū students to participate in the Vietnam GCC, while ENZ will fund the same number of students to participate in Viet Nam.

    The second initiative will support the development and implementation of a digital marketing strategy for 14 New Zealand schools. This initiative, which is being delivered by Lightpath Consulting Group, will include dedicated in-market representation, market advice, agent engagement support and a customised Vietnamese website.

    The activities will help build a strong, in-market sector presence while borders are closed. They will enable the schools and ENZ to engage through tailored digital marketing programmes to boost the reputation of New Zealand schools with Vietnamese audiences.

    Viet Nam is an important market for New Zealand schools. In 2018, it was one of our only source markets to record student growth on the year before, with 39 percent more Vietnamese students choosing to study here.

    “Education New Zealand remains committed to supporting New Zealand schools’ activity in Viet Nam and given the current challenges presented by COVID-19, we believe that supporting in-market representation models will maintain visibility in a market which has demonstrated continued growth for the sector,” ENZ Regional Director – Asia, John Laxon, says.

  • Changes to the New Zealand Traveller Declaration Process

    Travellers arriving into Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown Airports can now complete a digital declaration. Everyone travelling into New Zealand needs to complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD). 

    The NZTD collects travel, customs, immigration and biosecurity information and aims to improve the safety and security of New Zealand. 

    It’s free and needs to be completed for each traveller, including babies and children.

    Key information about the online declaration process:  

    • Everyone travelling into New Zealand needs to complete a declaration.
    • It is free and you can do it on the online form or the NZTD app.
    • A declaration needs to be completed for each traveller, including babies and children.
    • You can start your digital declaration at a time that suits you. The earliest time you can submit your declaration depends on whether you are travelling by air or sea.
    • Your declaration is linked to your passport and is checked when you arrive at the eGate or by a border officer.
    • There is a paper declaration form available for travellers who cannot complete it online.
    • If you are a New Zealand visa or NZeTA holder, you still need to complete an NZTD as well.

    For more information and to access the form, please visit this website: New Zealand Traveller Declaration 

  • Summer in NZ

    The student retention workstream, a key focus of the Government’s Recovery Plan for international education, has delivered new resources, partnerships and online activity to support international students (and providers) over summer.

    Alongside the Summer in NZ initiative, ENZ has been facilitating Instagram Live sessions on social media focused on the themes of wellbeing, employability, skill development and keeping students connected with one-another. For the schedule, visit the Summer in NZ page on the ENZ website, and watch on the StudyinNewZealand Instagram account (@studyinnewzealand). Further sessions will continue over summer.

    A Tencent livestream with the theme of how to spend your summer in New Zealand was hosted by students on the NauMai NZ WeChat mini programme. Another two upcoming livestreams in the new year will feature how Chinese students are spending their summer and celebrating Chinese New Year in New Zealand.

    ENZ has also partnered with LinkedIn and secured a number of LinkedIn Learning licences. We are now offering these to international students, via providers, free of charge to use over the summer period. This platform is used by education providers across the world to complement their existing courses.

    ENZ has also been working with AFS New Zealand to deliver the Global Competence Certificate. The first course facilitated by Massey University began at the end of November. The next course begins 1 March – find out more and sign up here: https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/about-massey/events/afs-nz-global-competence-certificate/afs-nz-global-competence-certificate_home.cfm

    New NauMai NZ pages, developed in conjunction with providers and regional networks, have been added to NauMai NZ (under Summer in NZ), providing advice and information on activities and opportunities to engage and connect students over summer. Students whose programmes are finishing this year are also being encouraged to consider further programmes of study in New Zealand.

    The Your Great Kiwi Summer Fair was held at the end of October. The audience was highly engaged, with initial feedback reporting that the fair was a useful source of information. Feedback will help inform future events with international students in New Zealand.

    Since the fair, Northland Inc and Study Auckland have launched BeKiwi, a one-stop digital platform for international students looking for travel and volunteering experiences in the Northland and Auckland regions.

    We understand this summer will be a very different one for many international students. We thank you for your support and encourage you to continuing sharing this information and these resources with them, as we stand together with our international students to make the most of their time here.

  • Immigration New Zealand email error

    Due to an administrative error, some partners and dependents of international students with work rights may have received an email from INZ on 23 December 2020 that incorrectly stated their visas may have been eligible for a six month extension. Student visas have not been extended.

    Those who received the email incorrectly will need to apply for a further visa or arrange to depart New Zealand before their current visa expires. Further information on applying for visas is available on the Immigration New Zealand website or an immigration professional can help.

    We acknowledge this is a stressful process for students and their families.

  • ENZ confirms 2021 Recognised Agencies

    Education agents play a crucial role in New Zealand's international education ecosystem, including supporting students and their families during COVID-19.

    ENZ’s recognised agent (ENZRA) programme aims to increase engagement with quality education agencies that have demonstrated a long-term commitment to promoting New Zealand as an international study destination.

    More than ever, ENZ Recognised Agencies contribute to a unique and high-quality student experience and to the positioning, market share and overall achievement of New Zealand within the international education sector.

    To acknowledge the impacts of COVID-19 on agents and their inability to place students with education providers in New Zealand, all current Recognised Agencies were provided an opportunity to extend their time in the programme subject to meeting conduct requirements.

    The new list of ENZ Recognised Agencies is now available to view online on our StudywithNewZealand website. For queries regarding education agents, please email: agenthelp@enz.govt.nz.

    The next round of applications to the programme will open in early 2022.

  • MIQ costs changing for temporary visa holders

    Our managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities are an essential part of our COVID-19 defence system.  The fees charged to people who stay in MIQ are designed to strike a balance between the benefits to both the New Zealand public of having such a robust system, and those who leave and enter the country.

    Currently, temporary entry visa class holders are liable to pay $3,100 for 14 days in managed isolation. 

    From 12:01am on 25 March 2021, anyone entering New Zealand on a temporary visa is now liable to pay the MIQ fee of: 

    • $5,520 (including GST) for the first or only person in the room;
    • $2,990 for an additional adult in the same room;
    • $1,610 for an additional child (aged 3-17 years) in the same room.

    Charges for some stays in managed isolation were introduced in August 2020, as it was not financially sustainable for the Government to continue to fund all the costs of MIQ. The fees were set at two levels: one for returning New Zealanders and one for some temporary visa holders.

    These new charges will help ensure the ongoing financial sustainability of MIQ, which is now expected to remain in place for at least the rest of 2021. However, as time has passed, Cabinet has decided that more people entering the country should contribute to the costs of their MIQ stay.

    The fee level temporary visa holders pay is closer to the actual cost of MIQ, although the Government is still subsidising some of the cost.

    The new fees are the same as those charged to critical workers entering the country under a border exception. Critical healthcare workers entering under a border exception will continue to be charged the current standard fee of $3,100 to ensure the healthcare workforce can be quickly scaled up in case of a resurgence of COVID-19.

    MBIE can grant a full or partial waiver of managed isolation fees in cases of financial hardship or other special circumstances, or arrange a deferment of payment, for temporary entry visa class holders. 

    See the MIQ website for more details: https://www.miq.govt.nz/being-in-managed-isolation/charges-for-managed-isolation/

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