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New Zealand tops English-speaking countries in Educating for the Future ranking again
New Zealand retained its ranking from 2018, with an overall score of 79.9, close behind Sweden (84.3) and Finland (84.8), which topped the rankings.
New Zealand achieved a top score in the index’s socio-economic environment category, which measures how education systems expose their students to global values such as gender equality, civic freedom, and diversity and tolerance.
The index’s socio-economic environment category compares freedom of religion and the press, gender equality, attitudes toward immigrants, and protecting the environment.
“High-income economies have the most open societies and are therefore conducive to learning future-oriented skills,” the EIU 2019 report said.
New Zealand also ranked among the top five countries in the education policy environment category, which tracked economies focusing on critical thinking, digital skills and soft skills as part of the secondary school curriculum.
“It’s a fantastic result for New Zealand to have retained our top global ranking in the English-speaking world as well as the Asia-Pacific region,” ENZ Chief Executive Grant McPherson said.
“It’s great to see New Zealand do so well in the index’s socio-economic environment category that measures exposure to global values such as diversity and tolerance.
“Future skills are vital to advancing these global values.”
The index assesses the effectiveness of education systems in preparing students for the demands of work and life in a rapidly changing landscape.
It focuses on young people aged 15-24 in 50 economies, and measures three pillars of education systems – policy approaches, teaching conditions and broader gauges of societal freedom and openness – as a means of readying young people to meet the challenges of work and society in future.
Read the full report at this link.
The top 10 country rankings (2019 Educating for the Future Index) were:
Rank
Economy
Score
1
Finland
84.8
2
Sweden
84.3
3
New Zealand
79.9
4
Singapore
79.7
5
Netherlands
79.2
6
Canada
79.1
7
Switzerland
78.5
8
Australia
77.8
9
Germany
74.9
10
Japan
74.2
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New scholarship programme highlights NZ as global leaders in agricultural climate change
The new scholarship called the New Zealand Global Research Alliance Doctoral Scholarships (NZ-GRADS) programme will see six science students from developing countries complete their PhDs at a New Zealand university.
"New Zealand is a global leader on climate change. As part of that leadership role, we’ve created these scholarships to support global efforts to tackle climate change and foster the next generation of climate scientists. We need to ensure the world’s brightest minds have access to our world-class education,” Mr O’Connor said.
Funding for the new scholarships is being provided by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), in support of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA).
The GRA focuses on improving agricultural productivity and production efficiency while addressing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and food security. It also facilitates a wide range of capability building and research programmes.
“New Zealand is a founding member and key contributor to the GRA. Our role is at the core of our global leadership on climate change”, he said.
“Our leadership is well recognised by other countries and was praised by the United Nations Secretary General during his visit to New Zealand in May 2019.
“Through the GRA we have successfully mobilised action around the world - from governments, international organisations and producers - to better understand the opportunities we have to reduce global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.
“We are committed to supporting the scientific capability in developing countries, and to broadening the pool of innovation and ideas globally. These scholarships will help us tap into the new research and knowledge these students will bring to New Zealand, while enabling them to expand their knowledge and expertise in agriculture emissions science”.
Applications open today (3 February 2020) and close 1 June 2020. Scholarship details are available on the Global Research Alliance and the Education New Zealand webpages.
Media contact: Nikki Prendergast 021 811 248
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Japan and New Zealand build on bilateral education ties with new Memorandum of Understanding
It comes off the back of the Japanese Government’s continued work on their internationalisation policy, where international education plays a key role. It’s especially crucial for Ichihara this year, as the city gears up to act as one of 15 host towns for New Zealand (and other nations) during the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
New Zealand is uniquely positioned to assist Japan with its internationalisation efforts, especially with English language learning.
In November 2018, ENZ Senior Market Manager – Japan, Misa Kitaoka, called on Mayor Koide to discuss the opportunity for a new outbound programme to New Zealand. The initiative – translated as ‘Youth Overseas Study Abroad Assistance Project’ – is currently underway as a legacy project. After the Tokyo Olympics and Paralymics, the city is planning to send school students from Ichihara City to New Zealand starting 2021.
In conjunction with the new outbound study programme to New Zealand, Ichihara City is keen to expand its partnership with New Zealand by signing an agreement with ENZ for wider cooperation to promote education exchange between the two countries.
“It’s exciting to see New Zealand and Japan not only solidify the education relationship we already have, but open it up to different kinds of collaboration down the line,” ENZ General Manager – International, Lisa Futschek, says.
“That’s where we get innovative education programmes developed for our students, like the popular English PLUS and Game On English initiatives.”
As New Zealand's third largest student source country, Japan remains an important focus market for both ENZ and New Zealand institutions.
As an underpinning to our student attraction objectives, our relationship is deepened through sister-city relationships, and outbound mobility initiatives such as the Prime Minister's Scholarships for Asia, and New Zealanders taking part in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) programme.
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From the CE: Manaakitanga: it's what we do
First, I want to acknowledge the complex and difficult situation that many students and their families, as well as agents, are facing during this period of uncertainty. This is a tough time, and I know there are a lot of people working hard in trying to make things a bit easier.
While there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in New Zealand to date, there’s no doubt that this has been a frustrating start to the school and academic year.
I also want to acknowledge our sector – the education providers, peak bodies and related government agencies – who have been working hard to address this rapidly changing situation, both here and internationally.
Led by the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education for the education sector, our sector has been working hard to respond to the impact of the coronavirus and support our international students.
Right now, we’re continuing to respond to short-term issues, while also looking at the longer term picture.
Looking ahead, amongst other things, we’re thinking about how we recognise and acknowledge the commitment that international students have made to study in New Zealand. We also need to remain a sought-after education destination and ensure students continue to be warmly welcomed to our shores.
Manaakitanga – to look after one another by extending respect, hospitality and warmth – must underpin everything we do.
I’d also like to thank the homestay providers and others who have continued to warmly welcome international students into their homes, and the staff who have ensured everyone has the support they need.
He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata! He tangata! He tangata!
What is the most important thing in the world? It is people! It is people! It is people!
Ka kite anō,
Grant McPherson
Chief Executive/Kaihautū
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao
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Spotlight on the US
At certain times of year, you can stand in a certain apple orchard in the American state of Vermont and hear strands of a Māori waiata.
The East and West Coast Whānau Councils were set up by former students of the Auckland University of Technology’s Noho Marae programme. They were so moved by their experience in Aotearoa that they set up these groups so that they can meet regularly to eat kai, do haka and poi, and keep the whānau spirit alive.
These students are but a handful of the North American students that choose to study in New Zealand every year. In 2018, 3,028 students from the US travelled here for education, a number that has risen steadily – by nearly 23 percent – since 2014.
“More than 300,000 American students study outside the US every year,” ENZ Regional Director – Americas & Europe, Amy Rutherford says. “By educating over one percent of those students year upon year, New Zealand is punching well above its weight.”
Diversity and inclusion
There is a common misperception amongst students in North America that New Zealand is an ‘easy’ destination. Students are drawn here for the tourist opportunities and laidback lifestyle just as much as a quality education.
In an effort to promote New Zealand as a world-leading education destination, ENZ’s team based in North America have focused on diversity and inclusion.
The remit of diversity and inclusion in the US is much broader than it is in Aotearoa. It encompasses not only racial and ethnic minorities, but single parents, first-generation university students, military veterans, and those with disabilities.
Within this space, ENZ has been promoting New Zealand as a welcoming, progressive place to study. As Māori are world leaders in indigenous leadership, New Zealand is particularly well-positioned to support Native American and indigenous students.
New Zealand alumni like Brook Thompson and Hailey Suina have reported that connecting with te ao Māori has strengthened their understanding of their own cultures, boosting their confidence to act as leaders at home.
As part of this work, ENZ recently renewed its commitment to a partnership with the US regarding its Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship, a prestigious prize aimed at students from disadvantaged backgrounds. ENZ has pledged NZ $250,000 over five years for Gilman scholars who choose to come to New Zealand.
Beyond study abroad
The majority of US students come here at university level, often for one semester only as part of the US university and study abroad provider study abroad programmes.
Rather than come here for a complete qualification, US students travel short-term during their third or fourth years of university. Their work here is then cross-credited to their home institution.
Amy says that study abroad is very popular. For those students interested in travel, adventure, and discovering themselves, it is largely self-sustaining. New opportunities in study abroad lie in expanding this base to those students who have been traditionally underrepresented in study abroad, or regions of the country where not much is know about New Zealand.
Amy’s team is now increasingly focused on a new opportunity emerging for New Zealand institutions: attracting tertiary students to study here for their whole qualification.
For American students, committing to leave their home country for at least three years is a big ask. Attending college is a massive social milestone in the US, and one that alumni pin their identities on for the rest of their lives.
However, increasing numbers of students are looking for study opportunities offshore as the cost of studying in the US continues to rise.
US students are drawn to New Zealand’s highly ranked, innovative programmes in niche areas. An example of this is Massey University’s Bachelor of Veterinary Science. This course can be completed in five years (as opposed to eight in the US), costs a fraction of an equivalent US degree, and is approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), allowing graduates to return home and begin working immediately in the field.
Identifying and promoting these academic strengths among New Zealand institutions and explaining how they can propel students towards the career path of their choice is key to positioning a New Zealand education as a desirable alternative to the classic American college life.
Want to find out how your institution can get involved with ENZ’s work in the US?
Contact northamerica@enz.govt.nz.
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Meet the team: Paul Irwin
Hi Paul! What do you and the Partnerships and Marketing team do?
My team grew out of the former industry and marketing teams, following an organisational change around a year ago. Our team’s purpose is ‘to partner with international education providers to transform students’ lives and create a thriving, globally connected Aotearoa New Zealand’.
What this means in practice is that we aim to get the best alignment between the goals and capacity of our education providers with the aspirations and needs of our student audience.
Day-to-day, we look after and develop the ENZ brand, marketing channels and campaigns, digital platforms, student experience, scholarships and industry relationships.
How has your role evolved since you started at ENZ?
I joined ENZ in 2015 as the General Manager – Marketing & Channel Development. That role has evolved a couple of times through to my current role spanning the marketing and education industry teams.
Bringing our two teams together has been a big step forward. It’s given our marketers a much better insight into the needs of our providers and helped us to develop new ideas around marketing and product development with our industry.
One example of this has been the development of our new creative platform, I Am New, for our Think New brand. We all know lots of students whose lives have been transformed as a result of a New Zealand education and their wider experience while here. And we know that the world needs a new approach and our Think New education can deliver this, supported by New Zealand’s biculturalism and progessive and open society.
What I’ve found so far is that I Am New has resonated well with industry. It’s become almost like a rallying cry.
Can you tell us a bit about your professional background?
I’ve worked in marketing, publishing and advertising in New Zealand, London and in a regional role, based in Hong Kong.
My role in Asia was a transformational one – it really opened my eyes to the dynamism and diversity of Asian markets. I was also lucky enough to see in the historic handover of Hong Kong from the British to the Chinese in 1997.
In the 10 years before I joined ENZ in 2015, I worked for a range of advertising and marketing companies, and worked with clients like the Health Promotion Agency, Ministry of Education and Inland Revenue. Two of the highlights of that period were working on the launches of the Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards for the Ministry of Education and the award-winning ‘What’s My Number?’ campaign for the Electricity Authority.
How do you see marketing changing in the next few years, especially as digital transformation entrenches itself?
Over the years I’ve seen lots of changes in the world we operate in, but believe that while technology offers new opportunities, the principles of marketing remain the same. You need to understand both your audience and your business model, have a strong brand and value proposition, and provide a great customer experience.
I’ve worked in two significant industries, publishing and advertising, that have experienced major disruption and transformation. There’s always a spectrum from those resistant to change, believing ‘the proven ways’ are timeless, to those overhyping the radical nature of change. In my experience the truth lies somewhere in the middle, but the worst thing one can do is ignore change.
And finally, it’s no secret around the office that your weekends look a bit different to your nine-to-five. Can you tell us a bit about that?
My family lives on our 10 ha property in Marlborough. We have an organic vineyard, grow olives and keep a few animals (including, from time to time, mad sheep).
We don’t make our own wine; instead, we sell our grapes to a local winemaker who markets under the award-winning organic label, The Darling. We do, however, produce our own olive oil.
It’s a lot of hard work, but very rewarding. I grew up in mid-Canterbury on a farm near Rakaia, so working the land feels very natural to me and it provides a nice balance to my office-based role in Wellington during the week.
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Keeping international students at the forefront of the RoVE conversation
ENZ has an important role in the implementation of the NZIST. We are tasked with ensuring the international education voice is heard and considered; supporting the vocational education sector during the transition; and helping shape the long-term plan for the NZIST international offering.
ENZ recently hosted a communications workshop with government agencies, the IST Establishment Unit and RoVE communications professionals to discuss the potential impact the vocational education reforms may have on international students and the international education sector.
The outcomes of the workshop included an international education focused communications approach that will consist of articles for overseas media, tailored updates for agents and students, and supporting brochures and factsheets. These will ensure international students and their support networks, which includes agents, family members and international office staff, receive relevant, timely information on the transition to the NZIST and feel confident that they know what it means for them and that New Zealand remains the best place for them to study.
ENZ’s Kaylee Butters is currently on secondment to the role of Director, IST Implementation. This role is focused on developing a comprehensive marketing programme to support the vocational education sector during the transition to NZIST, and helping shape the long-term brand positioning of the institute internationally.
“ENZ is excited by the opportunity to support the sector and the NZIST in these crucial stages of development,” Kaylee says. “We see this as an incredible chance to market New Zealand’s vocational education offering internationally under a strong, unified national brand.”
The short-term plan will leverage ENZ’s existing channels and platforms to communicate a clear and confident message to prospective international students, agents and partners. The goal is to continue to attract high-calibre learners to the ITP sector with key messaging and content that aligns with ENZ’s Think New brand.
Long-term, ENZ has an opportunity to work with the NZIST and other Government agencies to design a customised and competitive ‘package’ for international students.
To assist with the day one requirements of the NZIST, ENZ is also supporting the development of the institute's new website. ENZ has developed a student-facing digital ecosystem with award-winning digital marketing capability, business intelligence and Government-level security. ENZ is able to leverage crown investment by using www.studyinnewzealand.govt.nz as a foundation to build a new digital platform tailored to the ITP and ITO sector. We can also support the sector by sharing our learning to ensure the best possible user experience and customer journey for all international and domestic students.
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COVID-19 Alert Level 4: What does that mean for international students?
It contains information on what they need to do at Alert Level 4, as well as what will happen with their visas, accommodation and classes.
Download international student information on Alert Level 4 for tertiary students
Download international student information on Alert Level 4 for secondary school students
Feel free to share this with international students.
The same information is also available online on the dedicated COVID-19 NauMai NZ page, which we will be updating as the situation changes.
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COVID-19: How ENZ is communicating to students, agents and providers
On our own channels, ENZ’s communications with students are focused on the following streams of work:
- Keeping students updated with official government information about the COVID-19 situation in New Zealand, and how this affects them
- Supporting international students who are in New Zealand through this difficult time, with content to keep them connected and support their wellbeing.
- Keeping New Zealand top of mind for prospective students and providing information about studying here, so we are well positioned to recruit new students when the crisis period is over and borders reopen.
Agents are a key audience for ENZ, as they are often a student’s first port of call when an issue comes up. Since February 2020, AgentLab has been our primary information channel for communicating with agents updates on COVID-19. The platform has 2,697 users, and has seen a surge in registrations (733 new) in the past three weeks alone.
We recognise that New Zealand education providers are also communicating with their international students regularly. ENZ hosts a dedicated COVID-19 page for education institutions and stakeholders, and has developed messaging for international students at both a tertiary and secondary school level that providers should feel free to recut for their own channels.
Finally, ENZ is communicating regularly with institutions and peak bodies through regular meetings and email updates.
What we’re doing on our student web platforms
NauMai NZ is our central information for hub for international students in New Zealand. Here, students can find out how to access healthcare, open a bank account, find a rental property, and more.
Since February, NauMai NZ has hosted a dedicated COVID-19 page that is regularly updated with key information relevant to international students.
Beyond immediate information updates, our content focus on NauMai NZ for the next few months will be on creating new content to support international students throughout their time in self-isolation and beyond. Wellbeing will be a key theme, as well as helping students stay connected through sharing their stories.
NauMai NZ COVID-19 information page
The Study in New Zealand website has a banner at the top and midway down the page that directs to the NauMai NZ COVID-19 info page.
Tohu the chatbot is available (who lives on the Study in New Zealand website, NauMai NZ and on Facebook Messenger) to answer a number of COVID-19 related queries.
What we’re doing on student-facing social media
Our strategy for our student social media pages is first and foremost to ensure COVID-19 information is easy to find for anyone who visits our social pages. Across our student-facing Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook Group and Weibo pages, we have ‘pinned’ informative posts and links directing to the NauMai NZ COVID-19 page, for up-to-date, relevant information. On WeChat, we have a site tab with regular updated COVID-19 information.
Over the coming weeks and months, our social media content will also focus primarily on supporting the wellbeing of current international students. We’ll be working with our Kiwi Ambassadors and other students to share their stories, experiences and tips, helping to keep students connected with each other.
Student emails
Most of the emails our marketing team sends out to students and prospective students are automated well in advance. It was therefore important for ENZ to review all of our emails to ensure they are relevant in the current national and international environment.
- We have paused all of our automated emails except enquiry emails that link prospective students through to institutions they are interested in.
- We have emailed our current student and prospective student databases to acknowledge the situation and link them through to the NauMai NZ COVID-19 page.
- Our key message here was that the safety and wellbeing of international students in New Zealand and New Zealand students who are overseas is our top priority at this time, and we look forward to welcoming new international students when borders reopen, and life starts getting back to normal.
- We will be considering our ongoing automated email stream options over the coming weeks, and re-assessing any necessary content changes.
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Meet the team: Miranda Herbert
Hi Miranda. Could you tell us a bit about your professional background?
Quite a few people who work in education say that they ‘fell into’ education. I’m the same.
When I was younger I was always interested in languages. I did Japanese right through high school, I decided to continue with it at university. I asked my Dad what other language I should study, and he said I had to learn Chinese because it’s going to be an important language in the future.
I then spent four and a half years living and working in China, and became quite involved in education. I ended up working for a PTE in New Zealand, and then I moved to the University of Auckland. There I worked my way up to the deputy director of international.
What has it been like in Beijing during the outbreak of COVID-19?
I was actually in China when SARS broke out, 20 years ago, too [while at a previous role]. This time seems quite different to then. The level that China has mobilised this year has been quite amazing to experience firsthand.
It’s been really surreal, particularly during the January and February months. Despite Beijing having a population of over 20 million people, for weeks we saw no-one on the street - you could cross the road with your eyes closed, which never happens here. At other times, it could get quite depressing having to stay in all the time.
Now, things are starting to get back to normal. It really varies across China, but here in Beijing, businesses are opening again, people are starting to go into the office for work, people are going to restaurants and dining out – while still following physical distancing etiquette.
We feel really lucky that we were able to stay here, because safety comes first and foremost in China. There’s still a lot of temperature checks, for example, if you order food on the receipt it will tell you the temperature of the chef and the person who delivered it to you.
Most of Team China is working at home, and will come into the office when they need to. We’re working our butts off at the moment to keep things rolling. We’re involved in digital events almost every day. And although we’re not going out to meet people, we’re working closely alongside our agent contacts and partnership network.
What would you advise to people trying to conduct business in China?
You have to be patient and not expect results straight away. You have to nurture relationships. It’s about understanding that cultural difference, because the way China does business is quite different to back home.
A profile of Miranda wouldn’t be complete without you introducing us to your cats. Could you tell us about them?
I have two cats, one boy and one girl. They are my babies. I don’t have real babies, I have cats.
The boy is called Nonga; he’s a real big personality, everyone around here knows him and he’s becoming famous on WeChat! Even though he has stage four renal failure, he still makes us laugh. My girl is called Missy Moo – she’s more shy and is quite happy to stay at home on your lap.
