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• Education sector delegation for Dubai Expo

  The delegates from ENZ, the University of Otago, the University of Waikato, Victoria University of Wellington, Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology and private sector education technology companies ByteEd and ARA Journeys will be in Dubai between 22 and 25 January 2022.

  Expo 2020 Dubai is a global trade fair currently being hosted by Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. It was scheduled to get underway in 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.    

  ENZ Chief Executive Grant McPherson said the New Zealand Government’s recent announcement that it will relax border requirements for fully vaccinated New Zealanders and foreign nationals in stages next year was a clear signal of the country returning to more normal times.

  “The prospect of more open borders in the coming year is a timely reminder of the opportunities that exist to build awareness of New Zealand’s unique education offering,” said Mr McPherson.

  “The Expo is a great platform for New Zealand’s education sector to kick start this process at a global event.”

  Mr McPherson said the involvement of two leading education technology companies was particularly pleasing as both were introducing leading-edge augmented reality (AR) products to the Expo audience.

  ByteEd will be drawing on its web-based platform for teachers and students and introducing AR software to kits for STEM subjects – science, technology engineering and mathematics.

  ARA Journeys will profile its award-winning games, which will stream into the New Zealand Pavilion from the company’s Auckland headquarters to offer the full interactive experience to visitors.

  “Technology is a core building block for future education initiatives and a key element of the country’s international education strategy,” Mr McPherson said.

  “The participation of ByteEd and ARA Journeys at this major international event is a reflection of the forward-looking strategies of both these companies.”  

  While in Dubai, the delegation aims to foster government and institutional connections and build relationships with agents and students. 

  The four-day programme, facilitated by ENZ, will centre on Expo 2020 Dubai’s International Day of Education on 24 January 2022. It will include a networking function, seminars and face-to-face meetings with key stakeholders hosted at the New Zealand Pavilion.

  Find out more about Expo 2020 Dubai.

• ENZ calls for funding proposals for New Zealand-China research partnerships

  The New Zealand-China Tripartite Partnership Fund 2022 offers funding of up to NZD 20,000-30,000 for a partnership project, with the call for proposals open until 1 March 2022.

  The fund supports new or existing research partnerships between New Zealand and Chinese universities. There are usually three universities involved – two from China and one from New Zealand.

  The Tripartite Partnership Fund, administered by ENZ, has a pool of up to NZD 100,000 in 2022 for research partnerships in the arts, humanities, social sciences, sciences and applied sciences. Designed to encourage strategic academic relationships, it supports the creation or development of the partnership rather than funding the research itself.

  With the global COVID-19 pandemic restricting international travel, the fund welcomes innovative ideas. Current investments include digital technology services, communications platforms, translation costs and journal access. 

  A New Zealand-China Tripartite Partnership Fund forum, held virtually in November 2021, aimed to encourage academics and institutions to think about reaching out to eligible Chinese universities to discuss the potential for collaboration. More than one hundred participants heard about the value of the partnerships the fund had supported in the 15 years since it was set up.

  Professor Gary Brierley, Chair of Physical Geography at the University of Auckland’s School of Environment, says the fund has helped his team of river scientists to achieve things in partnership that would not have been possible alone.

  They initially collaborated with colleagues from Qinghai and Tsinghua Universities to study the Sanjiangyuan area on the Tibetan Plateau, which contains the headwaters of the Yellow, Yangtze and Mekong rivers.

  “The emergence of lifelong friendships accompanied steps taken to integrate local knowledge and field science to protect environmental values of the Sanjiangyuan or Three Rivers Source Zone,” Professor Brierley says.

  “Our extended family built upon shared commitments and passion for the remarkable landscapes and ecosystems in this part of western China. Critically, it's been great fun – a wonderful, shared adventure.”

  Dr Jun Lu, Professor of Biomedical Science and Pharmacology at Auckland University of Technology’s Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, said the fund had helped set up his work on cancer immunotherapy with Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Xinjiang University.

  He says the forum has proved “a great platform for PhD students to learn how to start collaboration and seek possible research projects, jointly pursued by researchers from both China and New Zealand.”

  Funding proposals are due by 1 March 2022. Download the New Zealand-China Tripartite Partnership Fund 2022 Guidance and  Call for Proposals and the Proposal Form.  Send your completed proposal as a PDF, and any questions, to china@enz.govt.nz.  

• ENZ introduces tā moko to young people in Japan

  Tattoos are increasingly popular among younger Japanese, so ENZ worked with BuzzFeed Japan to tell the story of the cultural importance of the traditional Māori form of the art.

  The BuzzFeed story featured ENZ Manapou ki te Ao Chief Advisor Māori, Karl Wixon of Ngāi Tahu, explaining tā moko's meaning for Māori as an expression of identity.

  "There are nearly 100 tribes in New Zealand. Tattoos symbolise your own tribe or identity to express your roots," Mr Wixon told Buzzfeed.

  "Tā moko design represents your tribal roots but can express your position in society. For instance, if you are a healer in your tribe, if you are a leader in society, that can be incorporated into the design of tā moko.”

  Mr Wixon said tā moko can also reflect things like the natural world around you and the ancestral stories you connect with.

  His tā moko is inspired by the tītī (sooty shearwater). The bird makes its home on small islands surrounding Rakiura (Stewart Island), south of Te Waipounamu (the South Island).  It is an important food source for some Ngāi Tahu and his family has been involved in the customary hunting practice for generations.

  Mr Wixon explained that while modern tattoos are done with ink, tā moko artists use natural materials including dyes made from the soils of their tribal lands, and carve them on the skin using tools made of wood and bone.

  "Tā moko is a design that’s created through kōrero (conversation). Even if you are not Māori, if you go through that process, some can take on tā moko. In fact, many tā moko artists are open to collaborating with cultures other than Māori," he said.

  BuzzFeed Japan attracts more than 35 million unique visitors a month and has a strong following among younger people. It is an arm of the global BuzzFeed media platform, which has more than 200 million users and operates in 11 countries.

  The BuzzFeed article is the latest in a series of initiatives by ENZ in Japan. In another, ENZ and the Hokkaido Board of Education have signed a partnership deal to promote cultural exchange through the shared interests of Hokkaido locals and New Zealanders, which include indigenous culture, primary industries and rugby.

  ENZ’s Director of Education in Japan, Misa Kitaoka, says it is important to recognise the links between the two cultures.

  “I look forward to introducing some other aspects of Māori culture that will resonate with young people in Japan and promoting cultural exchanges between Māori and the Ainu people of Japan,” she says.

  According to a survey by the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono, Japan is most often identified as the country that shares views and values that are culturally similar to those of Māori.  The shared aspects of culture included valuing kaumatua (elders), mahinga kai (food customs), manaakitanga (hosting guests) and whanaungatanga (valuing relationships).

• New Zealand – South Korea digital student exchange

  From September to December 2021 more than 300 New Zealand students from a range of primary, intermediate and secondary schools joined with more than 700 students from elementary and middle schools in Seoul and Gangwon in digital classroom cultural exchanges.  

  Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao worked in partnership with two education organisations in South Korea, Gangwon International Education Institute and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, as well as with NZ-based Learn English Live, to deliver the programme.  

  The sessions included conversation in English, peer-to-peer teaching and learning, cultural learnings and sharing, and interactive games.  Student responses to the programme across both countries highlighted how much they enjoyed meeting people from different cultures and learning to respect different views. Around 70% of New Zealand students said they made a South Korean friend through the digital exchange forums while South Korean students highlighted the improvement in their English language skills, with 70% saying they would like to come to New Zealand. 

  Parents and teachers also shared heart-warming comments about the how the programme had built their child’s confidence and given them a leadership opportunity. In a survey conducted at the completion of the programme, parents of Lara, a nine-year old New Zealand girl, shared their experience. “It’s been excellent to observe Lara’s leadership ability shine through. I never realised how confident she is and her ability to teach and interact with kids from a different culture…  Lara has become more aware of other cultures and appreciates the diversity around her.”

  Teachers were also impressed, with one from Manurewa Intermediate commenting, "I want my students to be a part of this programme because it teaches them so many skills."

  Following the success of the initial programme, the digital student exchange is set to continue in 2022, expanding to more New Zealand schools and implementing new ideas from students to meet their growing interest in other cultures and languages.  New Zealand schools interested in joining the 2022 digital culture exchange can contact William Clarke at Learn English Live: William.h.clarke@hotmail.com

  Education cooperation initiatives with ENZ, such as the Global Competence Certificate and this programme of digital culture exchanges are supported by the Arrangement on Education Cooperation that was signed by ENZ and Gangwon International Education Institute in November 2021.  A similar agreement was reached with Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education last March.   

  The digital student exchange programme is in line with ENZ’s goal to develop global citizens as part of the New Zealand International Education Strategy 2018-2030.

• STEM and higher education in Thailand

  More than 600 visitors, along with our eight universities, Te Pūkenga and English New Zealand, attended ENZ’s online New Zealand Higher Education Showcase in early November. Instead of only showcasing institutions, we decided this year to have a Gradvocate live session as the main feature of the event.   

  Graduate students discussed their experience of higher education in New Zealand, and enabled Thai students and parents to see how successful our alumni are.  Asia’s 2019 Breakout Musician and NZ alumni Phum Viphurit performed a mini-concert, and ENZ’s Lisa Futschek granted the 2021 Alumni Hall of Fame Award to three outstanding alumni: Dr. Chakrit Tiebtienrat, Mr. Narun Wiwattanakrai, and Ms. Wipapat Somumchan.  

  The increase in registrations and visitors for this year’s event demonstrates growing interest in New Zealand’s higher education.  There were 620 unique visitors from 1,260 registrations, an increase of 59% in visitors and 3.6% in registration numbers since last year.   

  Later in November, the Thailand team successfully launched a NZ STEM Webinar series for teachers and students from Princess Chulabhorn Science High School (PCSHS) network, which comprises 12 schools for gifted students in four regions of Thailand.  

  The five webinars were offered in partnership with the University of Otago.  Presentations on topics such as augmented reality gave gifted young students the opportunity to see some of the pathways into STEM tertiary education in New Zealand.  Dr. Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, Deputy Minister of Education Thailand, also spoke at one of the webinars.   

  See Otago Daily Times article: Uni webinar series showcases offerings to Thai pupils 

• Building agricultural links with Japan through education

  “Stereotypes remain strong in Japan when it comes to farming - predominantly male, manual labour and rural. Through bespoke education programmes, we aim to increase awareness of agriculture as an attractive business for both men and women,” says Misa Kitaoka, ENZ’s Director of Education, Japan.  

  On 22 December 2021, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao joined Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in hosting a luncheon for students and teachers from Osaka Nohgei High School.  This agricultural high school won the “New Zealand Embassy” prize in the National Agricultural High Schools Website Competition. The competition, organised by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) Young Farmers and Women Division and Keio University, started in 2017.  

  The competition aims to support future generations of farmers, revitalise Japan’s agricultural sector and increase productivity through greater use of technology. The New Zealand Embassy supports the competition each year by offering a gift of kiwifruit from Zespri and hosting a luncheon at the Embassy for the winning school. 

  ENZ has facilitated opportunities for Japanese agricultural students and farmers to study in New Zealand on scholarships since 2014.  Following the signing of the partnership agreement between Education New Zealand and the Hokkaido Board of Education in 2020, ENZ and MPI representatives based in Tokyo called on the Hokkaido Board of Education in 2021 to discuss the Agricultural School Exchange Programme, which aims to provide future generations of Hokkaido and New Zealand farmers with professional development and international friendship opportunities.

  The programme, scheduled to get underway in 2023, will see Hokkaido students placed in New Zealand secondary schools with a focus on learning about the benefits of New Zealand’s pasture-based dairy farming and support for women in farming. 

  These programmes build on visits to Taranaki and Southland several years ago by Japanese female agricultural students, to study at secondary schools and experience homestays, in order to gain insights into the local farming industry and to learn about how women take leadership roles in the primary sector. The programme was supported by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in consultation with New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry for Primary Industries and ENZ, and was administered by the Japan Agricultural Exchange Council.  

  Misa says ENZ and MPI are continuing to work together to encourage Japanese students and farmers to change their ways of thinking around farming.

• New Zealand progressively reopens borders for international students in 2022 with new start in 2023

  Note: The information in this story was correct at the time of publication, however, some steps in New Zealand's border reopening plan have now been brought forward. Click here to check the current border reopening steps.

  Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) welcomes the Government’s announcement to reopen New Zealand’s borders. This is a positive step for international education.

  The announcement outlined a five-step process for reopening borders from 28 February 2022, initially for New Zealanders to return from Australia and then from the rest of the world.

  The Government also announced a fourth border class exception for up to 5,000 international students to enter New Zealand for study from mid-2022, in addition to the earlier cohorts approved in 2020 and 2021.

  From October 2022 normal visa processing will resume, enabling international students to enroll for study in New Zealand in 2023.

  ENZ Chief Executive Grant McPherson says today’s announcement is an important step towards rebuilding a strengthened and sustainable international education sector. “The border reopening steps outlined today enable the international education sector to progressively open through 2022 for the existing cohorts, with a new much larger cohort able to enter New Zealand for study before semester two. More details of the new student cohort will be determined by the Ministers of Education and Immigration and advised in due course.

  “There's also an opportunity for students from Visa Waiver countries such as Japan and South Korea to enter New Zealand from July for short visits of up to three months.

  “The Government has demonstrated their commitment to international students and educational institutions in 2023, with normal visa processing resuming in October 2022. This means international students can plan towards being in New Zealand for courses starting in 2023.”

  Mr. McPherson said education providers could now plan with greater certainty for the year ahead.

  “It has been an incredibly challenging period for New Zealand education providers, international students, and those who support them. The sector has shown considerable patience as the borders were carefully managed to minimize the threat posed by COVID-19. Today’s announcement is an opportunity to rebuild and reshape the sector to meet the challenges ahead.”

  Mr. McPherson said the innovation and diversification into online learning and delivery of courses offshore, including pathway programmes over the last few years, would remain a feature in the industry as it moved forward. Today's announcement also prepares the way for New Zealand students to resume international studies abroad in the future.

  “All New Zealand education providers know the value of building international partnerships, and developing new ways of meeting student needs. These are important building blocks for future resilience and quality education outcomes.

  “In addition, from 14 March 2022 students entering New Zealand through the border exception cohorts will have the opportunity to self-isolate, rather than going through Managed Isolation and Quarantine facilities - subject to complying with all the required health and border requirements.”

  Mr McPherson stressed the importance of seeking advice before moving forward with applications for enrolment. Students who have questions about this border class exception should contact their agent or preferred education provider in the first instance.

  Students can also visit NauMai NZ, which provides useful information for international students in New Zealand or preparing to travel to New Zealand.

  He rā ki tua – Better days are coming!

• Showcasing New Zealand education at Expo Dubai

  Representatives from the University of Waikato, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand education technology company ByteEd and Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao met with key contacts and forged new relationships during their 22-25 January 2022 visit to the Expo.  

  Events were hosted at the New Zealand Pavilion, and the delegation invited education stakeholders to take a new look at what New Zealand education has to offer, including online and pathway options. Attendees heard more from New Zealand’s universities and vocational training sectors, learned about government-to-government opportunities, and met with innovative New Zealand EdTech companies working in the region.  The winners of the Global Kaitiakitanga Project, a sustainability-focused programme for New Zealand schools created by the NZ at Expo team and Young Enterprise (YES), also shared their student experience.   

  Guests at our events gained an insight into New Zealand’s unique cultural identity, with a tour through the New Zealand experience at the pavilion and performances from locally based kapa haka group Ngāti Koraha.  

  The leader of the education delegation, ENZ’s Regional Director, Americas, Middle East and Europe, Amy Rutherford, was interviewed by New Zealander Brandy Scott on the popular business breakfast show Dubai Eye. The interview aired on 24 January, to coincide with UNESCO’s International Day of Education.

  While in Dubai, the delegation took part in the launch of NCUK’s International Foundation Year (IFY) at the University of Wollongong in Dubai. The IFY programme will lead to UAE and other students from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and further afield studying at any of New Zealand’s eight universities in 2023 and beyond.  

  ENZ also held a workshop with delegates to look at ways to align our efforts in the GCC countries and wider Middle East region.  

  Expo is the largest global event to take place since the Covid-19 pandemic began. As at the end of January, organisers had recorded 11,608,240 visits to Expo, and the New Zealand Pavilion had over 750,000 visitors.  

  “It was important for ENZ and delegation members to show up and tell the New Zealand education story to the world.  New Zealand remains keen to cooperate with partners on education, we have innovative ways to offer a New Zealand education, and we are looking forward to welcoming students to New Zealand again as soon as border restrictions allow,” Amy Rutherford says. 

  If you are interested to hear more about how ENZ can support your organisation’s approach in the region, please contact Bronwyn Shanks, ENZ’s Senior Advisor – Special Projects, Middle East and Europe, bronwyn.shanks@enz.govt.nz.

• Alumni promote PhD study in NZ

  Fourteen Vietnamese PhD students or alumni from our eight universities took part in the campaign, which generated extensive social media and other coverage.  

  The original plan to feature Facebook posts about outstanding PhD alumni and candidates was extended to include a webinar on 22 January 2022, “Ask NEW Anything: The PhD Journey”, involving five speakers from different areas of study: education, finance, food science, construction engineering and computer science.  

  The webinar generated a great deal of interest from participants, with numerous questions during the webinar and requests to connect with the speakers, as well as follow-up articles being published in the media.  

  One of the students was Phan Ngoc Quynh Anh, a PhD candidate at University of Auckland.  Having worked as a lecturer at the University of Foreign Languages, Hanoi National University, and then completed post-graduate studies in Europe, Quynh Anh now has a scholarship from the University of Auckland where she is a third-year PhD student in education.  

  Quynh Anh is living in New Zealand with her husband and two young children, and says that studying in a country with good health, education and welfare systems for children was very important to her.

  

  “I love the peace that New Zealand has to offer,” she says. 

  “The academic space at the University of Auckland is very open and free, and research materials are always abundant. I have two instructors who couldn't be better in the learning process.” 

  Van Banh, ENZ’s Market Manager, based in Ho Chi Minh City, says there is genuine interest from Vietnamese students in pursuing higher education in New Zealand.  

  “The New Zealand tertiary education setting is renowned world-wide for high academic standards, an excellent teaching community and a vigorous research network,” Van Banh says. 

  "Real-life opportunities, and a welcoming environment where innovation is encouraged have made New Zealand very appealing to Vietnamese students.  

  “Vietnamese students have access to a range of funding support, including some fully funded scholarships from the Vietnamese government, as part of a project to enhance the capacity of the Vietnamese university sector, improve research output and meet the increasing demands of students and industry.”

• Expanded collaboration agreement between UC and UGM Indonesia

  The MoU between the two universities was originally signed in 2012, and renewed in 2021.

  The renewed MoU aims to facilitate broader collaboration, including the development of short courses, student mobility, dual degree programmes, and study abroad exchanges, as UC looks to increase engagement in the Asia-Pacific region.

  In comparison, the initial MoU was largely built around cooperation with the UC Geography Department under the Community Resilience and Economic Development programme (CaRED), a partnership between the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and UGM, designed to contribute to sustainable development in Indonesia.

  UGM and New Zealand speakers at the ceremony emphasised the importance of maintaining friendships and partnerships in the international education space, especially while we cannot connect in person. UGM referenced the impact of projects developed under the CaRED Programme, supported by MFAT.  

  UC’s Assistant Vice Chancellor of Engagement, Brett Berquist, reflected on his time spent in Yogyakarta, and on the work achieved through CaRED which included three NZ universities at the time – Massey University, University of Auckland, and UC, working with UGM on economic development research projects “particularly focusing on the Eastern parts of your country [Indonesia]. It was a really wonderful story of research collaboration coming together.” 

  “I’m particularly thrilled to continue a bilateral relationship between Canterbury and UGM which is well known to be the most prestigious institution in Indonesia. 

  “The challenges you face are significant, but at the same time, the thought leadership and the research you undertake for economic development and serving your region is also inspiring.” 

  Ben Burrowes, Regional Director – Asia at Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao, says the agreement aligns well with ENZ’s goal of building a more sustainable international education sector, with an increased focus on diversified products and services offered to learners both in New Zealand and across the globe.