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• A media education

  In late May I had the great pleasure of taking five journalists from South East Asia on a tour of New Zealand. The journalists – two from Thailand, two from Viet Nam and one from the Philippines – all have a special interest in education, and were part of a bigger group who were hosted by NZ Inc as part of a range of events to mark the 40th anniversary of the relationship between New Zealand and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

  While the other journalists went on a trade and tourism circuit, our group travelled on their own education-focused itinerary. Apart from meeting up with the others at a cocktail event held by the Prime Minister at Auckland Museum, we did our own thing.

  

  Above: The journalists were engaged right from the get go!

  Most regrettably, a blizzard interfered with our plans to visit Dunedin and Queenstown, but the hastily-arranged alternative schedule of Canterbury-based events made up, in some measure, for the missed opportunities further south.

  Once we got the basics – such as dressing appropriately for the cold – sorted, we were on a roll and the week raced by in the intense, humour-filled, lost-in-translation way they do with such visits, and with a good measure of sheep shearing, eye-dog marvelling, pie eating and hobbit-home wonderment thrown in.

  

  Above: They saw cakes being iced in Canterbury…and a robotic guitar in Wellington.

  From schools to English language centres, ITPs to universities the journalists were impressed by the range and quality of the programmes and facilities, intrigued by the Intermediate School concept, very interested in our homestay set ups and excited by the many opportunities to hear directly from students currently in New Zealand.

  

  Above: They met with a group of Thai health professionals undergoing executive development in Waikato...and rubbed shoulders with the Prime Minister in Auckland.

  For my part, it was a hugely informative trip – providing me with valuable insights into the three South East Asian countries via the journalists, as well as me to make connections with members of our industry and to become more familiar with what you have to offer. Many thanks to those who took part, and arranged tours and gathered students to talk to the journalists.

  As I bid farewell to them all at Auckland airport, Nirunsak, one of the Thai journalists who had been a bit of lone wolf during the week, but who I discovered was a music-loving, short story-writing romantic, said:  “I will carry New Zealand in my heart with a song.’ Magic.

  

  And yes, we went to Hobbiton!

  The follow up questions are coming through now and we look forward to the stories in their media that the visit will generate.

• Event registrations are open – and with a new whizz bang system!

  There’s something for everyone among the agent seminars, alumni networking events, New Zealand education fairs and commercial fairs in China, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Korea and Viet Nam.

  Exciting news is that, in line with our new categorisation of Japan as a ‘promote’ market, we are holding our first New Zealand education fair in Japan in October. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to showcase your education offering to this important market. As well, following on from the success of the agent seminars held in Osaka and Tokyo last year we will again be holding seminars in these cities leading up to the fair. 

  More exciting news on the event front is that our new event registration platform makes the whole process smoother, and does away with some of the paperwork. All the information you need regarding venues, locations and hotels, as well as some facts and figures about the market are available on the registration page for that event, all making for easier trip planning.

  Each event will have an app, so that all the event information will be at your fingertips as you travel. 

  Registrations for all events close on Wednesday 15 July so check out the event calendar, select your country or countries, and away you go!

  Phase two of the event registration improvements will include a meeting planner and appointment scheduler that will enable you to make appointments with agents well ahead of time and ensure you don’t miss out on valuable one-to-one meeting opportunities.

• And the winners are…

  After three weeks 3,327 students had invited their friends from overseas to enter the competition. Entries flooded in from over 100 countries with the top entries coming from China, USA, India, Philippines, Brazil, Malaysia and Indonesia.

  Then came the very difficult task of compiling a short list of ten pairs, and then narrowing that down further to five finalist pairs: Philippe and Rafael from Brazil, studying oceanography at University of Otago; Cherry and Daisy from China studying journalism and film at Victoria University of Wellington, Aprillia and Mira from Indonesia studying at business and law at the University of Auckland, Morgan and Alyssa from USA, studying marine and earth sciences at University of Canterbury and finally Lina and Thao from Viet Nam studying Resource and Hazard Management at Canterbury also.

  The voting was intense with our USA, Brazilian and Chinese pairs exchanging first, second and third place throughout the process and over 6,000 votes being counted in total.

  In the final days of voting, Cherry and Daisy launched ahead, sealing the number one spot.

  An Education New Zealand film crew surprised Cherry at Victoria University of Wellington giving the good news, and she immediately skyped Daisy in China to share it. You can watch the video here It’s priceless.

  

  What happens next?

  Daisy is preparing to travel to New Zealand to join Cherry in mid-July. At ENZ, we’re planning the study adventure of a lifetime – showing the very best that New Zealand has to offer Cherry and Daisy in their nominated subject areas of interest (creative arts, journalism, film and education).

  We’re also putting together a fantastic tourism schedule, starting with a few days in Wellington and a winter escape to Queenstown, thanks to our supporters at Air New Zealand. Our global social media audience will also help plan the trip – voting for what Daisy and Cherry will do in New Zealand, in exchange for prizes. During their ten day visit and we’ll follow Daisy and Cherry’s adventures – recording video diaries, capturing photos and uploading blog stories along the way.

  While our winners are from China, they are excited to be the eyes and ears for prospective students all over the world and we know that they’ll do a fantastic job raising awareness of the New Zealand study experience. Watch this space! Facebook, Twitter & Weibo.

• International education growth – 376k investment

  Successful International Education Growth Fund (IEGF) recipients include Tai Poutini Polytechnic, who will develop of a range of study tour programmes for tourism professionals in China, and the University of Otago, who are developing ecology and sustainability papers for students studying the tropical ecosystems of East Malaysia.

  Two projects are focused on delivering masters qualifications offshore, while others relate to new products and programmes, marketing initiatives and exploring new channels to market.

  Educational publishers BIOZONE International and Kiwa Digital received co-funding to boost exports of digital learning resources. BIOZONE International are developing a digital platform for their high school biology resources and Kiwa Digital will be establishing a new distribution channel in North American market for their experiential digital books.

  The successful recipients are primarily focused on China and the US markets and includes universities, polytechnics, schools, private training providers, and the education technology sector.

  Education providers and businesses can apply for matched funding up to $50,000 from the International Education Growth Fund, which is administered by Education New Zealand.  In this latest round, 29 applications were received.

• India communications campaign wins top honours at PRWeek Awards Asia 2015

  The awards, in their 14^th year, are among the most prominent and competitive ones in the region. Organised by Haymarket Media Ltd, they celebrate the most inspired and successful campaigns, companies and individuals in the Asia-Pacific communications industry.

  The integrated campaign developed by ENZ’s India team along with support from industry partners created new ways of engaging with Indian students to study in the country’s institutions. ENZ used a combination of public affairs, public relations, advertising, consumer promotions and digital amplification, to highlight its offerings to the Indian student market. Initiatives introduced by ENZ in India were supported by NZ Inc. agencies and ENZ’s India PR agency partner Genesis B-M.

  Speaking about the awards, Ziena Jalil, Regional Director – South and South East Asia, Education New Zealand said, “We are delighted with this recognition. It is a privilege to be considered for these awards with the likes of the UN Foundation and  USAID and emerge winners.”

  The PR Week Awards complete a hat-trick for the India PR campaign, following its win at the Public Affairs Asia Gold Standard Awards in November last year.

  “Industry recognition is a great validation of what we have tried to achieve in terms of raising New Zealand’s profile as a quality student destination and education business partner in India,” says Ziena.

  To learn more about the India PR campaign email: india@enz.govt.nz

• Focus on Regional Growth

  This is at the heart of our Regional Partnership Programme, currently involving 13 active regional groups and supporting a wide range of activity, from development of strategies and implementation plans to innovative collaborative marketing and shared services models.

  Earlier this year, regional coordinators from across the country participated in a workshop to share ideas and identify priorities. Common themes included; strategies for working together with local and regional government, the need for robust regional leadership and governance, and the benefits of developing shared services and resources.

  “Regional collaboration is a natural platform for innovation and adding destination value for our customers,” says Greg Scott, Business Development Manager. “There is an enthusiasm across the country for working together and some exciting new developments.”

  Two examples from the South Island of initiatives funded by the Regional Partnership Programme recently are:

  • a Work Ready Programme being piloted by Study Dunedin, working with Enterprise Dunedin, to offer a six-week seminar based programme at the University of Otago, designed for international students who want to find employment in New Zealand after graduation;

  • an India Skills Scholarship Programme developed by Christchurch Educated, working with the Canterbury Development Corporation offering graduate tertiary qualification pathways to employment. One of the first successful graduate engineers has just finished with an A-grade average and is working for construction company, Ganellen, on the Christchurch rebuild.

  Enquiries about the Regional Partnership Programme are welcome at any time, and can be made by emailing greg.scott@enz.govt.nz.

• Introducing ENZ’s new Board member, Victoria Spackman

  Victoria is Chief Executive, Director and co-owner of the screen and visitor experience company, the Gibson Group. You can read Victoria’s bio here but E-News put a few questions her way when she was in the office last week.

  How did you come to know about the world of international education?

  I worked with Education New Zealand on a Mandarin language TV series called Dragons in a Distant Land, which was all about Chinese students studying in New Zealand.  The series was launched by the Prime Minister in Beijing in April 2013 during the celebrations of the 40-year relationship between China and New Zealand, and screened on several TV channels around China. 

  What interests you about the sector?

  I am particularly interested in the fact that there are so many advantages to be had from a well-functioning international education system – advantages to the students visiting NZ, to the NZ students they learn with, to the schools and other providers, and to the wider economies in both NZ and, potentially, in the country that the student is from.  The strong personal and professional connections that are made through international education can help fuel lifelong relationships and opportunities. 

  What excites you most about your appointment to the Board?

  I’m looking forward to the opportunity to help the sector grow and help New Zealand take full advantage of its strong international educational reputation. 

  What challenges do you expect to face? 

  New Zealand is not the only country competing for international students and we are not the best resourced or the most famous.  So we have to differentiate ourselves and help what New Zealand has to offer stand out.  My personal challenges will include understanding the complex ecology of the sector as quickly as I can so I can make a full contribution. 

  What parts of your study/work/life experience do you think is most relevant to your role on the Board?

  I started my school life in the UK and, although I don’t think about it much, I expect that it has impacted on the person I am very much.  The company I own has pushed into several new export markets in recent years, including China, the US and Denmark.  The experience of persisting to reach those goals has taught me a lot about exporting and doing so in challenging markets.  I hope that that experience, as well as my broader experience, can help me be of the most assistance to the organisation and the sector. 

  As well as announcing Victoria’s appointment on 9 July, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce also announced the reappointment of Board Chair Charles Finny for an eighteen-month term, and Board members Philip Broughton, Richard Leggat and John Morris for three-year terms.

• NZ education making headlines across Asia

  Key coverage since then has included feature articles in target publications in China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Thailand and the Philippines.

  "Carving a name for themselves in the land of Kiwis”, “Open spaces, open hearts invite ASEAN minds to think new” and “Engineering options in New Zealand” – these are just a few recent headlines about New Zealand education featuring in media across Asia.

  From March to June, 21 media from seven target markets visited 20 different education providers throughout the country on Education New Zealand’s visiting media programme.Key coverage since then has included feature articles in target publications in China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Thailand and the Philippines.“ENZ invites overseas media to visit New Zealand to report on our world-class education experience – filming, writing, blogging and tweeting about their experiences,” says John Goulter, General Manager, Government and Partners.“ENZ developed programmes that saw the journalists visit a wide range of education providers from across all sectors and get a real taste of New Zealand’s education strengths most relevant to their audiences.”“The impressions these visiting journalists form, and the coverage they give New Zealand as a result, relies on the rich experiences they have and the engaging students they meet. Thank you to those involved earlier this year for the effort and time you invested in delivering a great experience.”

  Highlights include:

  • A two-page feature on the front of the ‘Learning’ section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “Open spaces, open hearts encourage ASEAN students to ‘think new’” reached over 2.7 milion readers through the stories
  • of two students studying IT and cooking. The article compared New Zealand’s work-relevant programmes, choice of subjects, strengths in niche areas such as Computer Science with those offered in the Philippines, and praised New Zealand’s diversity and equality.
  • A story on New Zealand’s rising prominence as a high-quality, value-for-money destination for international students, published in the Bangkok Post as part of an ASEAN 40 visit to celebrate four decades of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and ASEAN nations. The newspaper has a daily circulation of 75,000. You can read the story here.
  • Multiple-page features in Malaysian newspapers the New Straits Times (average daily readership 240,000), Sin Chew Daily (500,000 readers) ande  Berita Harian (983,000 readers). Articles highlighted New Zealand’s strengths in a variety of subject areas, the student experience in NZ, and qualifications that equip students with work-ready skills.
  • Full-page features in India pointing out the advantages of studying media design and hospitality and adventure tourism in New Zealand (New Indian Express, circulation 335,616).
  • One-page profiles on each New Zealand university in the Indonesian youth magazine High End Teen, which reaches a targeted youth audience aged 13 to 18. Each profile highlighted the university’s distinctive strengths and included a student profile.

• Introducing Misako Pitt, Tokyo

  We are delighted to announce that we have recruited Misako (Misa) Pitt to step into the role for a 13 month assignment.  Misa joined the team at the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo on 3 August.

  Misa was born in Los Angeles, USA and grew up in Australia and Japan.  She graduated with a BA in economics from Stanford University and went on to complete a Masters at Columbia University.  Misa is a Certified Public Accountant and has worked in a range of finance roles with US corporates.  Her most recent role was Executive Director of the Australian and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ANZCCJ) where she was accountable for the operation of all organisational activities of the ANZCCJ, including event management, public and media relations, programme initiatives, membership recruitment and financial and staff management.

  As the co-Chair of the Stanford University OVAL (Outreach Volunteer Alumni Link) in Japan, Misa has been passionate about promoting international education to the Japanese educational community.  Misa also has a passion for film and worked on promoting an American/Japanese medical documentary called ‘The Power of Two’, an official selection at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2011.

  Both Fiona and Misa will be at NZIEC 2015 in Hamilton this month.  Please take the opportunity to introduce yourself to the ENZ Tokyo team! 

• Agent engagement in Thailand

  Delivering his welcome speech, H.E. Mr Reuben Levermore, New Zealand’s Ambassador to Thailand, emphasised the niche strengths of New Zealand education; how we can best stand out from crowd and the importance of agents as key partners in raising awareness.

  The workshop included speakers from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and Immigration New Zealand, Thai government partners and local New Zealand alumni, to help give agents a good understanding of the value of New Zealand’s education offering and to provide them with a range of tools to sell New Zealand as an education destination.

  Chortip took a new approach to the workshops – presenting on market trends and statistics, while also showcasing niche courses offered in New Zealand such as film, animation and sports management. The workshop topics included: cyber security and health IT in Thailand; labour market information; overseas engineering programme accreditation and approval by the Council of Engineers Thailand; criteria for establishing equivalence for New Zealand education qualifications by the Bureau of Education Testing under the Thai Ministry of Education; and ‘Apply on Behalf’ online visa application training by Immigration New Zealand.

  This was the first full day workshop delivered in this style offered to Thai education agents and was well received by participants. ENZ will continue to support agents in Thailand in promoting New Zealand as a study destination, with further activities planned in the coming year.