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• New Zealand to begin opening up to vaccinated foreign nationals from 30 April 2022

  COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says New Zealand will be removing the requirement to go into managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) for most travellers in stages, but they will have to self-isolate for seven days, with pre-departure and post-arrival testing.

  Travellers will be able to enter New Zealand without going into MIQ in three steps:

  • Step 1 – opening to fully vaccinated New Zealand citizens and those residence-class visa holders and other travellers eligible under our current border settings, from Australia, from 11.59 pm on Sunday 16 January 2022, provided they have been in Australia or New Zealand for the past 14 days.
  • Step 2 – opening to fully vaccinated New Zealand citizens and those residence-class visa holders and other travellers eligible under our current border settings, from all but Very High-Risk countries, from 11.59 pm on Sunday 13 February 2022.
    
    
  • Step 3 – opening to fully vaccinated foreign nationals, possibly staged by visa category, from Saturday 30 April 2022 onwards.

  The Very High-Risk classification for Indonesia, Fiji, India, Pakistan and Brazil will be removed in early December 2021 and travellers from these countries will be able to enter New Zealand on the same basis as travellers from most other countries. Papua New Guinea will continue to be classified as Very High-Risk. 

  The three steps are a medium risk pathway. Those who do not meet the requirements for a medium risk pathway, but are still permitted to enter New Zealand under current border settings, will continue to enter MIQ upon arrival under the new regime of seven days in managed isolation, followed by three days of home isolation. This will include those who do not meet vaccination requirements, including unvaccinated New Zealand citizens and those from Very High-Risk countries.

  All travellers not required to go into MIQ will still require:

  • a negative pre-departure test
  • proof of being fully vaccinated
  • a passenger declaration about travel history
  • a day 0/1 test on arrival
  • a requirement to self-isolate for seven days, and
  • a final negative test before entering the community.

  “It’s very encouraging that as a country we are now in a position to move towards greater normality,” Minister Chris Hipkins said.

  “We always said we’d open in a controlled way, and this started with halving the time spent in MIQ to seven days. Retaining a seven-day isolate at home period for fully vaccinated travellers is an important phase in the reconnecting strategy to provide continued safety assurance.

  “These settings will continue to be reviewed against the risk posed by travellers entering New Zealand,” he said.

  “There continues to be a global pandemic with cases surging in Europe and other parts of the world, so we do need to be very careful when reopening the border.”

  Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao Chief Executive Grant McPherson has welcomed the New Zealand Government’s move towards opening the borders to international students.

  “This news is a great boost for the international education sector. We will keep education providers and international students up to date as we learn more on the detail of how the changes will work,” he said.

  The New Zealand Government will release further details on how self-isolation will be implemented in December 2021. There will be guidance on how people can travel from their arrival airport to their location of self-isolation and requirements for the places where they can self-isolate.

  For more information, read the media release from COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins – Reconnecting New Zealand – the next steps.

  For the latest official New Zealand Government information and advice, go to covid19.govt.nz

• From the Chief Executive: Meri Kirihimete and Happy Holidays

  While I am optimistic about the New Year, the impact is real, and as we have seen today, the uncertainty is likely to be ongoing. There is much to do as we rebuild our sector through 2022 and into 2023.

  Over the past 12 months, we have all had to adjust to an ever-changing environment. A good example is the growth of online and offshore-based courses, and programmes that offer pathways to onshore study or blended learning. These options are helping to hold the interest of students who want to study with New Zealand.

  At Education New Zealand, our focus has been on supporting our students and our sector, diversifying products and services and protecting New Zealand’s education brand. In each area, we have made progress.

  Our contribution to the development of border class exceptions has seen the return of some international students to our shores. We have enjoyed welcoming them back and look forward to seeing more students over the coming year.

  In August 2021, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the Reconnecting New Zealanders to the World framework. ENZ has been working with the Ministry of Education, Immigration New Zealand, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to ensure that government agencies are ready to respond to a phased reopening of the border. 

  I would like to acknowledge the efforts being made across government agencies and within the international education sector to engage and respond with fresh ideas and momentum. There will no doubt be further developments in the New Year.

  We have just launched a new website and brand materials in line with our latest campaign – Study with New Zealand. This is the next evolution of New Zealand’s education brand, designed to appeal to students who want to explore our new, flexible study options. 

  The shift from studying in New Zealand to studying with New Zealand is the result of a lot of careful work to protect our brand.  Alongside the efforts of our teams at virtual events and trade fairs, including the upcoming Expo 2020 Dubai, this work is helping to keep our brand alive as we move towards reconnecting with the world.

  A pilot project with global learning platform FutureLearn is a good example of our work to diversify our products and services. The initial results have demonstrated the potential for marketing online courses from New Zealand to new audiences around the globe.

  With more to do as we move into 2022, I hope there is an opportunity for all of us to rest and recharge with family and friends over the summer break.

  I would like to wish everyone involved in international education across the world a Meri Kirihimete and Happy Holidays. 

  On behalf of all at ENZ, thank you for your open and honest support. I look forward to working with you all in 2022.

  He waka eke noa
  We’re all in this together.

  Grant McPherson
  Chief Executive, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao

• 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).

• Tokyo Online School Forum

  Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the BoE in 2017 to promote educational and cultural exchange between Tokyo and New Zealand. The result has been a series of continuously successful exchanges between the two countries, including this latest forum.

  For many students, this was their first time interacting with so many high school students from outside their own country, in a virtual forum.

  Japanese neuroscientist Kenichiro Mogi, a visiting professor at Tokyo Institute of Technology, spoke about AI and the human brain, and the importance of eating well to maintain a healthy mindset. Following his lecture, students were given several topics to discuss in breakout sessions. They chose specific English words which they felt connected to the 17 SDGs, such as ‘humanity’, ‘compassion’, ‘education’, ‘resonance’ and ‘power’. 

  Students had a range of positive responses when asked what they had enjoyed most about the experience:  

    

  “The chance to connect with other students from across the world.” – Nandana  

    

  “I enjoyed listening and interacting with students from different countries. I also enjoyed learning about foods and ways to make food I’ve never seen before.” – Tammy 

    

  “Learning new things and what other people thought” – Eliza   

    

  “The speeches were very interesting, and the hosts were entertaining. I loved the information I learnt in this forum!” – Rio

    

  “It was great to see such a large New Zealand presence at the Tokyo Forum, which supports the ‘Creating Global Citizens’ pillar of the New Zealand International Education Strategy,” says Misa Kitaoka, ENZ’s Director of Education – Japan.

  “We look forward to bringing more opportunities to connect Japanese and New Zealand students through our shared commitment to progress towards UN SDGs.” 

  Other projects that ENZ and Tokyo BoE have been working on together include the development of an SDG lecture series, featured on their Tokyo English Channel.

  Get a flavour of the event by checking out the promotional flyer here (Japanese language).

• Appreciating our agents in Viet Nam

  The main purpose was to acknowledge the work of Vietnamese agents and thank them for their commitment. This is part of a programme of work to maintain and build our education brand offshore, ahead of the reopening of student visa processing in October 2022.

  As well as hearing the latest updates from ENZ and other key education speakers, agents took part in a quiz and brainstorm.  This provided some useful market insights into Vietnamese students’ and parents’ demand in a post-Covid world. 

  We were delighted with the positive feedback from agents about the event, including a renewed commitment to promote New Zealand education.  To build on this interest, ENZ is now organising a series of eight workshops themed “The NEW Choices”, to update Vietnamese agents about new programme offerings across sectors. 

  Other projects underway in this market include a sustainability competition and a scholarship bootcamp, in collaboration with ENZ Recognised Agents based in Viet Nam.

• BizVenture Japan back for 2022 with new partner onboard

  This year will see 30 students from New Zealand and 20 from Japan come together in person and online from 29-31 July, to solve real-life business challenges. Students will develop and pitch solutions for Cookie Time, a New Zealand business that has been exporting to Japan since 2016.

  After the successful pilot event last year, BizVenture collaborators have bigger plans for 2022. Misa Kitaoka, ENZ’s Director of Education – Japan, is looking forward to hosting the Japanese team and Cookie Time Japan at the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo for the business challenge pitches.

  “We are delighted to welcome Cookie Time Japan to BizVenture 2022 as a corporate partner. Cookie Time Japan is an ideal partner in this project. While embracing the Kiwi entrepreneurial spirit, the company has done an amazing job developing products which cater to local demands and preferences, particularly in the youth market.”

  Last year’s BizVenture collaboration saw the students exposed to business and culture in both countries during a weekend of interactive workshops with New Zealand and Japanese guest speakers, cultural mentors and language coaches, in preparation for their pitches.

  Ian Kennedy was a judge at BizVenture Japan 2021 and is the Chair of the New Zealand Committee on the Japan New Zealand Business Council, a role that brought him back to Japan in April during the Prime Minister’s visit.  He is looking forward to the next iteration of the programme with the 2022 participants.

  “Technology is a wonderful thing, but the chance to meet people in person was gold after two years of online communication working through a screen. I look forward to being a judge and sharing my recent experience in Japan business exchanges with the BizVenture participants, so they can learn more about doing business with Japan.”

  Applications for New Zealand students to participate closed on 13 May and selection will be completed by the end of May. The 30 New Zealand students are being selected from the nearly 4700 students participating in The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme.  

  Funding is provided for New Zealand students to travel to Wellington for the weekend business challenge event. 

  “I felt inspired after seeing the students' business cases, which were commercial, socially minded, and demonstrated thoughtful engagement in each other's cultures. North Asia CAPE is thrilled to work with Young Enterprise, ENZ and Japanese partners again on this important initiative in support of future business leaders in New Zealand and Japan,” says NA CAPE director Charlie Gao.

  The programme is designed to continually build on New Zealand’s diplomatic relationship with Japan as travel for international students is starting to resume. The organisers hope this year’s BizVenture will serve as an important show of commitment by New Zealand and Japan to develop global citizens and business-savvy young people, who will be future leaders in the education and business sectors across our two countries.

  About BizVenture  

  The 2022 BizVenture Japan Programme is an initiative co-hosted by Education New Zealand, North Asia Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence, education partners in Tokyo, Japan and facilitated by the Young Enterprise Trust.

  BizVenture Japan is supported by the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo and Embassy of Japan in Wellington. Cookie Time New Zealand and the Cookie Time Harajuku store have kindly offered to be the focal business for the latest business challenge.

  ENZ contact: Misa Kitaoka, Director of Education – Japan, misa.kitaoka@enz.govt.nz

• Strong interest in Prime Minister’s Scholarships, now supported by new website

  More than 30 group applications were received for the PMSA, and ten for the PMSLA, before applications closed on Monday 16 May 2022 after a two-week deadline extension. The total value of applications was $8.7 million. Decisions will be announced before the end of June 2022, with travel expected to take place in the second half of 2022 and the first half of 2023. 

  The Prime Minister’s Scholarship programme supports educational experiences in Asia and Latin America for New Zealanders, and the latest round was open for group applications only. Universities, wānanga, institutes of technology and polytechnics, private training establishments, iwi and other educational organisations were able to apply for a programme on behalf of a group of people.  

  To ensure that a wider range of New Zealanders have access to the benefits of this programme, a new website was launched this month: http://scholarships.enz.govt.nz. The new website aims to help develop broader awareness and understanding of the scholarship for potential individual applicants, breakdown any barriers to participation, encourage diversity of applicants, particularly for rangatahi Māori, and improve people’s experience of participating in the scholarship.  

  The new website includes a ‘refer a future scholar’ feature. The addition is the result of the mahi of our Kāhui Kaupapa who wanted to acknowledge that often ‘Kāore te kūmara e kōrero mō tōna ake reka’ – the kūmara doesn't speak of its own sweetness. We can now offer an alternative for rangatahi, so they know that people in their community saw them as worthy recipients of the scholarship. The website also offers the opportunity for prospective applicants to subscribe to updates and announcements of upcoming rounds.  

  Since 2013, the PMSA and PMSLA have enabled more than 2,400 New Zealanders to broaden their horizons through life-changing learning experiences in Asia and Latin America. The scholarships are flexible and offer funding to support short or long-term programmes including study abroad / exchange, internships, postgraduate study, and language programmes.

• NZIEC coming soon – mark your diary now!

  It will be free to attend.

  The theme for NZIEC 2022 is Towards Recovery: Reflect, Reconnect, Renew. 

  Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the international education sector. In our first conference since 2019, we will look back at the past two years, and look forward to what we have to offer to the world.

  NZIEC 2022 will focus on the sector’s recovery journey and, as the theme suggests, encourage us to: Reflect, Reconnect and Renew.

  • Reflect – on what has been a crazy two years. An opportunity for us to share the tough stories, what we learned, how we pivoted, the good stuff we did.    
  • Reconnect – with each other and with the wider world. Be stimulated by international speakers in offshore markets and hear the latest in trends, shifts and dynamics.   
  • Renew – building back better for a stronger future. Gain inspiration and embrace innovation so we continue to ThinkNew. 

  By Reflecting, Reconnecting and Renewing, NZIEC 2022 will help our sector build Towards Recovery.

  To ensure we reach the widest possible audience at a critical time for the rebuild of the industry, NZIEC 2022 will be delivered in a virtual format, at no cost to attendees. The virtual format also enables us to connect with a wide range of international speakers and deliver sessions for specific sub-sectors that attendees can opt in or out of. Sessions will be recorded and will be available to registered attendees who cannot attend the original time of the session.   

   

  Programme highlights

  This year’s NZIEC programme takes a leaf out of the successful New Zealand Partners Workshop Week held in 2021, which connected over 3,000 attendees in sessions spread over the course of the week.

  While further details on the programme will be released in July, you can expect the following: 

  • Conference opening on Monday morning
  • Ministerial address 
  • International speakers 
  • Industry speakers 
  • Updates on global market trends and developments 
  • Market-focused sessions
  • Virtual networking opportunities
  • Government agency updates
  • Conference closing on Friday.   

   

  Keep an eye out 

  Soon we’ll be launching our call for speakers. We’re keen to hear from practitioners right across the sector, so put your thinking cap on if you are interested in presenting – or suggest that a colleague does the same. Further details will be made available in the coming weeks, but if you have an idea for a session, please don’t hesitate to email us: NZIEC@enz.govt.nz   

  We are also developing a te reo Māori ingoa (Māori name) for NZIEC and look forward to sharing that with you soon.   

  Registration for NZIEC 2022 will open in July. 

   

  Format in future years  

  The decision to opt for a virtual format this year reflects feedback from our survey of previous and potential conference attendees to find out their levels of interest in attending NZIEC in person this year. While some were keen to gather in person, many more were hesitant to do so due to the cost of attending and concerns regarding Covid-19.

  Subject to Covid-19 settings, we plan to resume in-person formats for NZIEC in future years.

• Sharing our stories about international education

  As we prepare for more international students to return to New Zealand, we want to ensure these important guests feel welcome and appreciated by Kiwis. Each time students arrive on our shores, we have a moment to spotlight why international education is great for our communities and the country.  

  We’ve recently added some new case studies to our Skills Lab website - read more about a successful storytelling example from Hawke’s Bay here.  

  Many great stories come from the compelling research projects being led by international students in New Zealand. These stories align with our story framework by highlighting how international education helps to shape global citizens and solve the world’s problems.  

  For example, Dr Htin Lin Aung, a researcher at the University of Otago, is conducting ground-breaking research on tuberculosis (TB), the world’s second-leading infectious killer after COVID-19. Read more about this case study of a newsworthy story about a scientific breakthrough here. 

  Stories of international education in your organisation, school or region do not have to be serious or complicated. Often, the most intriguing news stories are of everyday people doing good in their communities. 

  We refer to these as “soft-news” stories, as they are underpinned by a human-interest angle. You can successfully land these stories if you make sure to include the key elements that make up a news story. You can read about how Learning Hawke’s Bay landed a positive story about international education here.  

  Stories can often have a strong local flavour, which is appealing for local media channels.  

  This case study will explain how Tauranga’s economic development agency Priority One planned three news stories within the space of a month, a strong example of how a series of stories can quickly build momentum and newsworthiness at a local level. You can read more about this case study here. 

  If you haven’t used Skills Lab or Brand Lab before, you can sign in through MaiENZ here. 

  Download Communicating the benefits of international education – a toolkit from Brand Lab.

  Latest case studies on Skills Lab:

  • Social Licence: Determining a link to Education New Zealand’s new social licence narrative https://skillslab.enz.govt.nz/case-studies/social-licence/ 
  • Social Licence: Developing newsworthy stories about scientific breakthroughs https://skillslab.enz.govt.nz/case-studies/social-licence-scientific/ 
  • Social Licence: Getting feel-good stories on the front page https://skillslab.enz.govt.nz/case-studies/social-licence-feelgood/ 
  • Social Licence: Crafting a story that resonates at a regional level https://skillslab.enz.govt.nz/case-studies/social-licence-regional-level/ 

• Digital masterclass a runaway success

  Two New Zealand academics were among the speakers showcasing the latest technological solutions to revolutionise education at this second SEAMEO – New Zealand masterclass.  

  Professor Richard Green from the Department of Computer Science & Software Engineering at the University of Canterbury, who also co-chairs the NZ AI Researchers Association, presented on “AI is Revolutionising Sustainability, Food and Biosecurity”. Dr Suranga Nanayakkara, Associate Professor at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, presented on “Kiwrious: Keeping Kiwi Kids Curious”. The other two keynote speakers were from National Institute of Education, Singapore, and Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. 

  The event was broadcast on SEAMEO Secretariat YouTube Channel and targeted policy-makers, government officials, educators, teachers, lecturers at TVET institutions and universities in Southeast Asia and beyond.  

  “The high level of interest in this event reflects the changes that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused in the way we live, work and learn,” said ENZ’s Regional Director, Asia, Ben Burrowes.  

  “A huge part of the attraction of a New Zealand education has been our world-class teaching and learning environment. We have been focusing on teaching 21st century skills within our national education strategy. This includes soft skills enabling our students to become critical, creative and independent learners. Our use of digital technology in the classrooms is also widely recognised and remains a huge focus in our school and tertiary curriculum.  

  “This second Master Class gave teachers and educators in the Southeast Asia region an opportunity to learn more about what a New Zealand education can offer, and broaden their viewpoints on the technological disruptions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.”    

  Officially admitted as an Associate Member Country in 1973, New Zealand's co-operative relations with SEAMEO include scholarships and provision of experts for SEAMEO Regional Centres. The first SEAMEO-New Zealand masterclass on “Education Technology and Digital Security” was held in September 2021.  

  The 2022 masterclass can be viewed from the following link on the SEAMEO Secretariat YouTube channel https://link.seameo.org/MasterClass/20220524