Search

Showing 10 of 168 results for mawa jeon sada biography latest

  • Global Agent Webinar: Understanding best practice for student visa applications

    Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) and Immigration New Zealand (INZ) collaborated to organise a webinar for education agents in early March on best practice for lodging student visa applications.

    The webinar was well received, with 1,364 attendees from around the world over two sessions scheduled to accommodate for different time zones.

    The session provided education agents with the latest information on visa processing, student visa insights, types of student visas, financial requirements and best practice for submitting student visa applications. It also featured a robust question and answer segment where pre-submitted questions from attendees were addressed.

    INZ Engagement Partner (Acting), Mark Andrew, said the webinar was a valuable opportunity to engage directly with education agents and answer their questions.

    “This webinar helps ensure education agents have the most up to date information and guidance to support more efficient processing and favourable outcomes based on real life examples and trends. Immigration New Zealand and Education New Zealand working in partnership to deliver the Global Agent Webinar is key to ensure a positive customer experience for agents, applicants and the wider sector.”

    If you missed this session, the recording, slide deck and a copy of the Q&As are available to view on AgentLab.

    INZ resources for agents

     

  • Group General Manager appointments

    The appointment of three Group General Managers to ENZ’s Leadership team completes the organisation’s recent change process.  

    This week, ENZ Chief Executive Amanda Malu was pleased to confirm three new Group General Manager appointments to the ENZ Leadership team.  

    As you may be aware, ENZ has recently been through an organisational change process, which is now complete with these latest appointments.   

    Sahinde Pala has been appointed Group General Manager International and Sector Engagement; Julia Wootton is appointed Group General Manager, Strategy, Capability and Performance; and Anna Gestro has been appointed Group General Manager International Marketing, Brand and Scholarships 

    The Group General Manager International and Sector Engagement oversees the wider International team, alongside a newly created International and Sector Engagement (ISE) team, including four new International and Sector Engagement Leads.   

    The New Zealand-based ISE team is led by Director International and Sector Engagement, Sharon-May McCrostie, who has responsibility for overall engagement and relationships with peak bodies.   

    The team is the sector’s primary point of contact for ENZ in New Zealand. 

    The ISE team is responsible for working across sub sectors and facing into offshore markets to ensure a seamless flow of market and sector intelligence. The team is the sector’s primary point of contact for ENZ in New Zealand. 

    The ISE Leads are:  

    Alana Pellow – with responsibility for Americas, Europe, Korea and Japan  

    Alanna Dick – with responsibility for Greater China 

    Alex Glidden – with responsibility for South-East Asia (excluding Philippines)  

    Andy Walker – with responsibility for India, Philippines and Sri Lanka  

     

    Read on more about ENZ’s new Group General Manager appointments below. 

    Group General Manager appointments 

    Sahinde Pala – Group General Manager International and Sector Engagement 

    Sahinde Pala has been appointed Group General Manager International and Sector Engagement. Sahinde has been with ENZ since 2016 and has vast experience navigating international markets and developing smart strategies to boost student recruitment and sector engagement. She has also led the transition of the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Programme. Sahinde will officially start in her new role on 17 March 2025.  

    Julia Wootton – Group General Manager Strategy, Capability and Performance 

    Julia Wootton comes with 10 years of senior leadership experience from Kainga Ora, the Department of Internal Affairs, and ACC. She’s an expert in strategy, performance management, and workforce reorientation, and she’s led successful transformation programmes across various Government departments. She will be joining ENZ on 14 April 2025.  

    Anna Gestro – Group General Manager International Marketing, Brand and Scholarships 

    Anna Gestro is currently CEO at HFC Engineering Group and has an impressive track record in global brand development, data-driven strategies, and audience engagement. Anna played a key role in transforming New Zealand Cricket into a more inclusive and purpose-led brand. Anna’s start date is still being finalised. In the meantime, Adrian Hirst will be Acting Group GM International Marketing, Brand and Scholarships.  

  • New Zealand tertiary institutions make strong connections in Indonesia

    A series of education promotion engagements in Indonesia kicked off with a co-funded activity alongside local education agency ICAN Education that ran from 13 to 18 February.

    The schedule was packed with student outreach, school visits and a New Zealand Application Day in both Jakarta and Surabaya.

    All eight New Zealand universities, the Southern Institute of Technology, UC International College, Waikato College, UP Education and Le Cordon Bleu were involved in the roadshow.

    Jakarta

    The team began with visits to two international schools in the Greater Jakarta Area — BINUS School Serpong and Gandhi Memorial Intercontinental School. These sessions gave students a chance to learn about New Zealand’s tertiary education system.

    On 15 February, the New Zealand Application Day in Jakarta drew a crowd of around 435 students and parents. The event created a space for prospective students to speak with universities about undergraduate study options, application processes and life in New Zealand.

    Crowds gathered around university booths, eager to learn more and take their first steps towards studying abroad.

    Surabaya

    In Surabaya, the New Zealand Application Day took place on 16 February, the event attracted 183 attendees.

    The next day, institutions visited students at Cita Hati West and Cita Hati East schools. Engagement focused on introducing year 10 to 12 students to the New Zealand education system, helping them visualise study pathways and what student life in New Zealand looks like.

    Connecting with education agents across Indonesia

    Alongside student-focused activities, ENZ organised a series of agent networking events across Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Denpasar. These sessions formed part of the Study with New Zealand roadshow, which ran from 21 to 28 February and created space for deeper engagement between New Zealand providers and Indonesian education agents.

    Each event aimed to strengthen relationships, share updates, highlight New Zealand’s unique offerings, and help raise visibility for New Zealand education among prospective students.

    A range of education providers participated in the networking event, including University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, Lincoln University, Massey University, University of Otago, University of Waikato, Victoria University of Wellington, and UP Education.

    Education agents play a matching game with New Zealand tertiary providers and the regions where they are based at a networking dinner in Jakarta.

    ENZ Market Manager for Indonesia, Naluri Bella, presented the latest market promotional resources available to agents, followed by interactive quiz games hosted by New Zealand providers. These sessions were attended by around 30 agencies and gave agents the tools and confidence to market New Zealand as a study destination.

    Naluri said that there is an appetite in the region for high-quality international education experiences.

    “New Zealand is increasingly seen as a destination that offers both academic excellence and a welcoming, supportive environment,” she said.

    “Our institutions were able to showcase not only their study options, but the unique values and lifestyle that set New Zealand apart,” Naluri added.

     

  • New video series: Discover the inspiring journeys of New Zealand alumni

    The series showcases the journeys of New Zealand alumni from across the world, highlighting the diverse paths they have taken since graduation.

    Three videos have been released so far, with the remaining set to be released through the rest of this year.

    Each video offers a glimpse into the personal and professional achievements of former students who have made their mark across various industries and communities.

    Alumni from all levels of New Zealand’s education offering will be featured – ranging from schools to universities and vocational education providers.

    These stories are designed to inspire prospective students and their families to consider New Zealand as their study destination of choice.

    You can view and download the alumni videos and photos on The ENZ BrandLab. Search ‘Alumni’ to see the latest stories.

    In addition, the series is supported by a new alumni blog story each month on the Study with New Zealand website and a dedicated page for Alumni stories.

    Check out the series so far


    Meet Yao – classical musician and cultural bridgebuilder

    Our first story features Chen Xiyao, a Chinese-born guzheng player and classical musician now based in Beijing. Although he earned a degree in Business Administration, it was in New Zealand where his love of music truly flourished—thanks to the support of an inspiring high school teacher. He went on to earn a Master of Arts (with Distinction) from Wintec.

    From playing in a metal band to performing with Māori musicians and even entertaining former Prime Minister John Key, Yao's journey reflects the unique opportunities and cultural exchange that a New Zealand education can offer.

    Today, he teaches music for Wintec in China, continuing to share his passion and talent with others.


    From New Zealand to New Delhi: Suvan’s Inspirational Culinary Journey

    Suvan Kitchlue began his Bachelor of Culinary Arts at Le Cordon Bleu Wellington in 2015, graduating in 2018.

    Inspired by MasterChef Australia in India, he chose the school for its rare offering of a culinary arts degree at that time. He thrived in the programme, calling it the “Harvard of culinary education.”

    After graduating, Suvan opened a European café in New Delhi, aiming to bring refined technique and quality baked goods to a market he felt was underserved. Inspired by Wellington’s coffee culture, he also focused on elevating his café’s coffee offerings to New Delhi.

    He plans to open two more café locations, and a fine-dining restaurant.


    Devika Hartono: Alumni story

    Devika was born in Indonesia and moved to New Zealand in 2016 on a scholarship to study Biotechnology at The University of Waikato.

    Passionate about biology since high school, she sought scholarships to expand her opportunities beyond medical school or teaching. A photo of New Zealand’s stunning landscapes sparked her interest, and she was thrilled to receive both the University of Waikato International Excellence Scholarship and the High Achievement Scholarship for International Students.

    After graduating, she launched Keyoura, a skincare brand inspired by the Māori greeting "Kia ora."

  • Update from Immigration New Zealand

    Visa processing update

    • From 01 January to 31 March 2025, student visas have been processed in 12 days (two and a half weeks) on average, compared to 24 days (five weeks) for the same period in 2024.

    • Currently, international student visas are being decided in 10 days (two weeks) on average. 

    • The tertiary sector’s mid-year intake is almost upon us, and students need to apply for their visas now.

    • Latest visa processing times can be found on the INZ website: Student visa wait times | Immigration New Zealand.

    Reminders from Immigration New Zealand

    The conditions of a student visa state that the visa holder must attend the programme of study at all times, at the place of study endorsed on the visa (unless there are genuine reasons for absences), and that they must make satisfactory progress in the programme of study.

    Immigration New Zealand (INZ) receive a number of applications from students in New Zealand, who have poor attendance and/or progress, without any explanation of why.

    If students do have poor attendance or progress, it is recommended that an explanation for this is provided up front with the application to avoid the need for INZ to request further information. This will prevent any delays in processing.

    If you are refunding an international student’s fees, then the ToE form should be filled out, regardless of whether or not the student’s visa has been sighted by the provider.

  • New Zealand and China share cultural connection through conservation

    In many ways New Zealand’s management of protected lands is world-leading, but there is still much to learn from others. Collaboration is key to improving outcomes and shaping policy in the years ahead. Dr Mick Abbott, professor of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University, has been collaborating with researchers in China since 2014, with support from Education New Zealand’s Tripartite Fund. The fund assists New Zealand universities to join in research partnerships as the “Third Brother” with two Chinese Universities - one “emerging” and the other “established”.

    Dr Abbott has been working with Tsinghua University in Beijing and Kunming University of Science and Technology in Yunnan province on research projects, field trips, workshops, student courses, and the production of bilingual learning materials.

    “While we achieve very good conservation outcomes in New Zealand, it is essential that we look beyond our borders for further research and understanding” - Dr Mick Abbott, WildAtlas project lead and Tripartite Fund recipient

    Need to look beyond our borders 

    “Conservation underpins our value proposition to the world,” he says.

    “While we achieve very good conservation outcomes in New Zealand, it is essential that we look beyond our borders for further research and understanding.”

    While China looks to New Zealand for leadership on how to effectively protect pristine environments from the impacts of recreation and tourism, New Zealand stands to learn a lot from how China celebrates its cultural connections with nature, Dr Abbott says.

    “Protected lands in China are associated with cultural value. In Chinese thinking ecological civilisation underpins wider civilisation. They take a holistic view and there are elements in common with Mātauranga Māori (Māori wisdom and world view).

    Cross-cultural thinking important

    Mātauranga Māori can enhance the cultural connection between Maori and Chinese and creates valuable synergies, he says. “Cross-cultural thinking is so important.”

    Key to the success of the long-term relationship was an exhibition Lincoln University curated in Beijing in 2017, showcasing New Zealand’s protected areas and a range of eye-catching exhibits, alongside Lincoln’s research and that of Tsinghua University on the future direction of protected area management. 

    The exhibition attracted 50,000 visitors and kicked off the WildAtlas project which Dr Abbott has spent the past four years developing. WildAtlas is a collection of virtual tours that bring to life the stories of New Zealand’s National Parks and protected areas, both past and present.

    Available in both English and Chinese, WildAtlas is principally used as an educational tool aimed at university students, but Dr Abbott would like to extend its reach to Year 12 and 13 students. “Land issues are really important in this country, and we must understand there are other ways to view the land. We need to broaden the horizons of our students.”

    Conservation experiences a key attraction

    Looking to the future, Dr Abbott says that New Zealand conservation managers will benefit from a better understanding of the type of National Park experiences that are attractive to Chinese visitors.

    “Pre-Covid, China was New Zealand’s second largest inbound tourism market and largest long-haul market. Our conservation areas and national parks are a key attraction.”

    He is using the latest round of Tripartite funding to create a corresponding Virtual Field Tour of the Protected Areas of Yunnan Province, home to Kunming University of Science and Technology.

    Dr Abbott is hugely positive about the relationship which has been built with Tsinghua and Kunming universities through the Tripartite Fund and believes the collaboration will lead to business and investment opportunities in the future.

    “We must foster goodwill and understanding first, share our values, and advocate for them.

    Editor’s note: New Zealand’s involvement in the Tripartite Fund dates back to 2005, when the New Zealand and Chinese Ministries of Education agreed to formally support and promote tripartite relationships between New Zealand and China, in which a New Zealand university is joined as the ‘third brother’ to an existing ‘two brothers’ arrangement. 

    For more information on the NZ-China Tripartite Fund or to learn more about Professor Abbott’s research, please contact the ENZ team at china@enz.govt.nz

  • New Zealand universities’ academic reputation ranks first among English-speaking countries

    Published annually, the QS rankings assess more than 1,500 universities globally across areas such as reputation, teaching, research and internationalisation. 

    New Zealand's overall average score of 51 among countries and territories with at least eight institutions featured in this year’s rankings puts it first in the English-speaking world and fifth in the world for the overall quality of its higher education. 

    The 2026 results see New Zealand universities improve across academic reputation, citation per faculty, and international student indicators. New Zealand also ranks the highest globally in terms of employment outcomes among key English-speaking study destinations.  

    Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao Chief Executive Amanda Malu said this is a fantastic result or New Zealand universities as they continue to grow in appeal among international students.  

    It reinforces New Zealand’s position as a high-quality and welcoming international education destination. 

    “New Zealand universities are all highly regarded for sustainability research and programmes. We need to celebrate this wonderful result for New Zealand universities that highlights the high calibre of our teaching, research staff and students,Amanda said. 

    On sustainability research and programmes, New Zealand comes second only to Sweden and has three universities in the top 100 globally for the sustainability indicator of the QS rankings 

    Learn more about the latest QS World University Rankings 2026 here  

  • From the CE: New Zealand higher education in the spotlight

    Kia ora koutou,  

    Over the past few weeks, I have been abroad in both China and the United States promoting New Zealand education.  

    In late May I was delighted to attend my first NAFSA conference in San Diego, California. NAFSA is the world’s largest international education conference and this year it attracted over 8,000 attendees. ENZ supported the University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, University of Waikato, Massey University, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Canterbury, University of Otago and Whitecliffe College at the New Zealand Pavilion. Our collective involvement with such a significant event provided us with a strong platform to showcase New Zealand’s unique education offering to a global audience. 

    Following NAFSA, I travelled to Connecticut to meet representatives of the Mashantucket Pequot nation, during which I had a useful exchange on indigenous-to-indigenous education and engagement. It was a genuine privilege to be hosted by this small, resilient tribe, into which my whānau has whakapapa links. 

    Last week, I joined the Prime Minister’s Trade Mission to China alongside education delegates from UP Education, Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, and Victoria University of Wellington.  

    The Trade Mission was an opportunity to support the tertiary education sector’s engagement with China which is our largest source market of international students. The visit also reinforced at the Government and sector level our strong bilateral education relationship.  

    One of our key deliverables was an education event to promote New Zealand’s reputation for world-leading research and high-quality education at Fudan University in Shanghai. Fudan is one of China’s most prestigious universities and while there we took the opportunity to celebrate 20 years of the New Zealand-China Tripartite Partnership Programme. A wonderful outcome from the event was the signing of an MoU between Victoria University of Wellington and Fudan University that will see the universities resume student exchanges and pursue research cooperation in public health, biotechnology and climate science. 

    In Beijing, we hosted New Zealand Education Connect and showcased New Zealand as a study destination to our key partners, and alongside Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, we officially launched New Zealand’s Country of Honour campaign for the China Annual Conference and Expo for International Education (CACIE) which will be taking place later this year. 

    Finally, this month the results of the latest QS World University Rankings 2026 were published. New Zealand ranked first in the English-speaking world and fifth globally for the overall quality of its higher education 

    The 2026 results see New Zealand universities improve across academic reputation, citation per faculty, and international student indicators. New Zealand also ranks the highest globally in terms of employment outcomes among key English-speaking study destinations.  

    This is a fantastic result for our universities and reinforces New Zealand’s position as a high-quality and welcoming international education destination.  

    Whāia te mātauranga hei oranga koutou 

    Seek after learning for the sake of your wellbeing 

    Ngā mihi nui, 

    Amanda Malu 
    Chief Executive 

     

  • Around the world in five

    Canada

    Canada considers study permit cap tweaks as job losses mount

    Despite possible adjustments to come, experts are warning of deepening financial and educational fallout from Canada's study permit caps.

    Global

    University impact rankings expand but remain volatile

    Designed to showcase how institutions are working towards addressing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, this year’s Times Higher Education Impact Rankings edition is the biggest yet.

    Asia

    "Asian tigers" ramp up internationalisation amid big four woes

    Territories and countries like South Korea and Hong Kong, part of the so-called “Asian Tigers” alongside Singapore and Taiwan, now view international students and intra-East Asian mobility as critical to sustaining economic growth in the region. 

    United Kingdom

    UK higher education feels the pinch of funding crunch, over 50 universities drop in QS world rankings

    Over 50 UK universities have dropped in the latest QS World University Rankings, with funding concerns emerging as a key factor behind the decline.

    The United States of America

    Can the US afford to lose its 1.1 million international students?

    International students contributed $43.8bn to the US economy last year and created 378,175 jobs nationwide.

     

  • Support for Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia and Latin America recipients to continue to June 2026 

    The Prime Minister’s Scholarships programme was discontinued, and its funding reprioritised in the latest Government Budget 2025.   

    The decision to discontinue the programme is in line with the Government’s priority to deliver effective and fiscally sustainable public services and the need to focus on core activities in the current constrained fiscal environment.   

    The change takes effect from 1 July 2025. The decision will not impact any of the scholarships’ current recipients or recipients of the final group round, who were confirmed in June.  

    ENZ will continue to support current recipients, including those who are yet to travel overseas to 30 June 2026.   

    Since their inception in 2013 and 2016, respectively, the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia and Latin America have been among ENZ’s significant, transformative and impactful programmes of work. To date, the programme has awarded 3,991 scholarships that have helped New Zealanders not only deepen their understanding of different cultures and languages but also enrich appreciation for their own culture and place in the world.  

    ENZ’s Group General Manager, International Marketing, Brand and Scholarships, Anna Gestro, said the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia and Latin America have had a truly positive impact for building New Zealand’s connections in two key global regions.  

    “To date, the programme has awarded 3,991 scholarships that have helped New Zealanders deepen their understanding of new cultures and languages and enriched appreciation for their own culture and place in the world.  

    “The programme leaves a rich legacy through its rich and diverse alumni, who will continue to be global citizens in the way they nourish the connections and learnings picked up from their life-changing experiences from the scholarships,” Anna said. 

What's in it for me?