Search
Showing 10 of 6943 results
- MaiENZ
-
Around the world in five
GLOBAL
Beyond Covid-19: What’s Next for International Higher Ed
International education has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. As many international students pursue their studies online this semester, study abroad and foreign exchange programs have been cancelled. In a world with little travel, closed borders, and surging infections, many are asking: what is next for international higher ed?
CANADA
Canada to open borders to international students from Oct 20
International students will be able to enter Canada from October 20 if the institution they are studying at has a Covid-19 readiness plan approved by their local provincial or territorial government, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has announced.
GLOBAL
Fourth annual PIEoneer Award winners revealed in online ceremony
The fourth annual PIEoneers Awards was held on October 2, with the latest celebration of the international education sector held on a virtual stage for the first time due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. ENZ was a sponsor of the event and was awarded Highly Commended in the Student Support category.
AUSTRALIA
Killing the golden goose: How Australia's international students are being driven away
Just 4,062 student visa applications were received in June, compared to 34,015 last year. Current international students are telling others not to come to Australia.
CHINA
China’s Ministry of Education: Utilise the advantages of cooperation in running schools to solve the problems of studying abroad
To tackle these challenges, the Chinese Government responded quickly to pressing issues raised by its students.
Amongst all the interventions put forward, the expanded enrolment of Sino-foreign cooperation in running schools (hereafter referred to as joint programme or JP) attracted the greatest attention from the public.
According to the Q&A Session, Chinese students who are unable to travel overseas to pursue their study can either enrol in online learning organised by their foreign institutions (the recognition of their foreign qualification will not be affected), or the students who are enrolled with foreign universities will now have the chance to study JP at Chinese institutions.
The increased enrolment in JPs will not be included in the national unified enrolment plan, and will not take up the original enrolment quota of the higher education establishments. After completing their studies, students who meet the academic requirements will only be awarded a degree certificate from the foreign university.
If the student still would like to pursue their study overseas as soon as border restrictions are lifted, they should choose online learning by their foreign university, as indicated by China MoE.
About 90 JPs and joint institutes, including EIT, are on the list for expanded enrolment. The Master in Applied Finance programme offered by AUT and Zhejiang University of Economics and Finance is currently the only NZ programme that is on the list.
-
How NauMai NZ helps us improve the international student experience
Background
NauMai NZ provides a digital home for international students who have chosen to study in New Zealand, and provide real-world information, support and expert resources to better enhance their student experience.
Since its launch in mid 2019, NauMai NZ has had over 220,000 users and 300,000 separate user sessions with an average bounce rate of 16 percent (very positive by industry standards). The NauMai NZ database has grown to over 8,700 students.
Our challenge this year has been to ensure NauMai NZ remains fit for purpose in the face of the extraordinary events of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 response
The COVID-19 crisis upended our personal and professional lives. International students, far from home had to grapple with a raft of new challenges.
In response, a dedicated NauMai NZ COVID-19 page was launched eight months ago. Written in plain English, it is regularly reviewed and pulls together government information directly relevant to international students in New Zealand.
To ensure reach to the large Chinese student cohort in the country, this page was also translated into simplified Chinese.
An associated Stay well, stay connected page was launched at the same time to support student wellbeing during lockdown and beyond. It provides context for likely emotional responses, provides proactive solutions and links to expert support resources. To date, these pages have been viewed over 60,000 times.
Throughout this challenging year, other content has continued to be developed and delivered, including:
- Dating, relationships and sex
- Sexual healthcare in New Zealand
- Managing your money (including information on gambling and where to find help)
- Help from your embassy or consulate
- Being LGBTQIA+ in New Zealand
Coming soon! Summer in NZ activities
New pages will support those international students remaining in New Zealand over the summer.
These pages will highlight a range of activity and opportunities, including:
- recreation activity across the country
- links to summer programmes that have been developed for international students, and
- information to support wellbeing and connection
On Saturday 31 October, ENZ will deliver a virtual fair (‘Your Great Kiwi Summer’) for students, providing tasters on a range of summer opportunities and signposting out to further information.
Subject experts, fellow international students and alumni from our Prime Minister’s Scholarships programmes will present on the day.
Being online will ensure equity of access to students across the country. Students will be able to register for the fair via the new Summer in NZ NauMai NZ pages.
-
What’s next for ENZ events?
The trial of the EventsAIR OnAIR platform began in September with the Japan New Zealand Education Virtual Showcase and Agent Seminar, and will continue over the next few months for events like agent seminars in-market, the Viet Nam Student Showcase, and the Summer Retention Showcase.
Over and above a video-conferencing application like Zoom, the EventsAIR OnAIR platform has functions like a virtual exhibition, live Q & A, and gamification features, where users can compete to win points.
ENZ recently hosted our inaugural India New Zealand Education Week on the EventsAIR OnAIR platform. To have a look at the platform and how it works, you can register and view recordings of the event here.
ENZ has an established relationship with EventsAIR, having previously partnered with them for lead capture at in-person events.
ENZ Director – Channel Services and Partnerships, Dan Smidt, says what really clinched this new collaboration was the wide range of functionality EventsAIR had developed.
“We didn’t want a platform that would simply recreate what you’d expect from an in-person event. We wanted something that would use digital features in a creative way, to really capture the attention and imagination of our attendees.”
Participants are currently limited to providers who registered with ENZ for in-person events in-market before they were cancelled due to COVID-19. At the moment, ENZ is able to offer participation in these events at no cost to the sector.
“In the results of a survey out to New Zealand providers earlier this year, the cost of developing or participating in digital events was one of the most important factors for those considering their event options,” Dan says.
Even before COVID-19 caused global travel disruption and the widespread cancellation of in-person events, ENZ was looking into ways to host more events virtually.
“We know that education providers and students are becoming more conscious of the sustainability of long-haul air travel,” Dan says. “COVID-19 simply accelerated our work in the online event space.”
“This dynamic virtual events platform is the next logical step in the growth of the ENZ digital eco-system. We’re now able to think about how we do events in a whole new way.”
Dan and the ENZ Events Team hope to develop a virtual and hybrid calendar of events for 2021 with OnAIR. Please watch out for more updates on our events work in E-News on our website.
-
Upcoming: New Zealand Education Week in Greater China
ENZ is supporting a New Zealand Education Week in Greater China to strengthen our relationships with stakeholders from various sectors and audiences, including education agencies, Chinese Government partners, education institutions and other stakeholders.
It will feature agent seminars, the Model Vocational Education Symposium, an Early Childhood Education Symposium, alongside networking opportunities throughout the week.
ENZ is currently accepting expressions of interest (EOI) for the Early Childhood Education Symposium. Please share the call for EOIs with relevant colleagues and practitioners. Download the Expression of Interest form - ECE Symposium.
As part of New Zealand Trade & Enterprise’s New Zealand Week, the ENZ team will be hosting a New Zealand Alumni function in Shanghai.
Invitations for Education Week - Greater China events will be shared with relevant audiences later this month. If you have any questions for the China team, please email china@enz.govt.nz.
-
From the CE: Honouring our commitment to international students
The Government has announced today that a new border exception will allow 250 international PhD and postgraduate students to enter New Zealand and continue their studies.
Read Minister of Education Chris Hipkins’ official release.
This is a positive first step on the path to recovery and is consistent with the Recovery Plan for International Education.
It is recognition that international education is important to New Zealand and will play a vital role in the country’s rebuild and recovery from COVID-19. Prior to COVID, international education was New Zealand’s fifth-largest export earner, earning $5 billion a year and supporting around 45,000 jobs.
Moreover, the international students included in this group have had their postgraduate study or research disrupted by COVID-19, and cannot complete it due to the practical nature of their course. They have made a commitment to New Zealand, and that’s something we want to honour.
ENZ’s next step is to work with tertiary providers as they identify and select eligible students, and to continue to work with other government agencies to ensure a safe and considered process is developed for these students to enter the country.
ENZ is looking forward to further border exceptions that will benefit as many providers and students as possible, when it is safe to do so.
We will also have work underway to make sure the students entering New Zealand receive a warm welcome and have the information they need to succeed.
I am very proud of the manaakitanga that New Zealand education providers have been demonstrating throughout the COVID-19 crisis this year.
Please continue to encourage your students to sign up to NauMai NZ, our digital home for students who have chosen to study in New Zealand. Over the COVID-19 crisis, it has continually been updated and expanded with information international students need to know.
In the early hours of Saturday, 2 October, ENZ’s NauMai NZ was awarded a Highly Commended in the Student Support category at The PIEoneer Awards. We are delighted to be recognised for this work alongside such a varied list of international organisations.
You can read more about NauMai NZ in this issue of E-News.
He waka eke noa (we’re all in this together).
Grant McPherson
Chief Executive
Manapou ki te Ao
- Tū Ngātahi
-
Around the world in five
FINLAND
University World News: What makes international students want to stay on or go?
Three-quarters of bachelor degree graduates and two-thirds of masters and doctoral graduates live on in Finland for three or more years after their degree, according to new research.
NEW ZEALAND
Checkpoint: Education NZ chair details exemptions for foreign PhD students
Interview with Education New Zealand Chair Steve Maharey. "They can come from any country as long as they are involved in PhD study, or they are Masters students."
GLOBAL
University World News: Combating discrimination against international students
Our findings outline disturbing trends in discrimination and racism that must be dealt with urgently by universities in the immediate aftermath of COVID and in the longer term. While this list is certainly not exhaustive, we provide the following suggestions for ongoing social support for and inclusion of international students
UNITED STATES
The PIE News: “Perceived barriers” driving prospective students away from US
While the US higher education community has overcome many of the political and Covid-19 related challenges facing the international education sector, a great deal of “perceived” barriers remain for prospective students considering the US, which could be detrimental for recruitment efforts in the future.
JAPAN
Japan eases restrictions for international travellers, including students
Japan is opening its borders again to international students with visas for longer-term studies. The number of daily arrivals is limited for the time being with greater emphasis given to key sending markets in Asia.
-
New initiatives to keep New Zealand education dream alive in Viet Nam
Earlier this year, ENZ asked study providers how we can support the visibility of New Zealand schools who usually operate in the Vietnamese market.
Two proposals have now been selected.
The first will fund Year 10 students from five Manawatū schools to undertake a customised version of AFS’ Global Competence Certificate (GCC).
AFS is partnering with Massey University to facilitate the programme and each New Zealand school will partner with a Vietnamese school from TTC Education, ENZ’s private school network partner with over 18,000 students.
Students from both countries will join weekly virtual workshops facilitated by Massey University – in the last four weeks of New Zealand’s school year – focused on developing the students’ lifelong global ‘power skills’ and providing them with an opportunity to interact and connect directly with their overseas student counterparts.
CEDA and Palmerston North City Council will offer scholarships for up to 25 Manawatū students to participate in the Vietnam GCC, while ENZ will fund the same number of students to participate in Viet Nam.
The second initiative will support the development and implementation of a digital marketing strategy for 14 New Zealand schools. This initiative, which is being delivered by Lightpath Consulting Group, will include dedicated in-market representation, market advice, agent engagement support and a customised Vietnamese website.
The activities will help build a strong, in-market sector presence while borders are closed. They will enable the schools and ENZ to engage through tailored digital marketing programmes to boost the reputation of New Zealand schools with Vietnamese audiences.
Viet Nam is an important market for New Zealand schools. In 2018, it was one of our only source markets to record student growth on the year before, with 39 percent more Vietnamese students choosing to study here.
“Education New Zealand remains committed to supporting New Zealand schools’ activity in Viet Nam and given the current challenges presented by COVID-19, we believe that supporting in-market representation models will maintain visibility in a market which has demonstrated continued growth for the sector,” ENZ Regional Director – Asia, John Laxon, says.
-
The first step towards student re-entry
Work is well underway to put in place a new system to allow this cohort of students to enter New Zealand.
For students, there is no rush to apply for these limited spaces. PhD and postgraduate students who hold or held a visa for 2020 will be selected by education providers and offered a place in this first cohort.
The initial student selection process is being finalised by education providers and government agencies, who are also planning the support students will require on their journey to resume their study in New Zealand. Students are expected to start arriving from November, with most arriving after Christmas.
Eligible students will hold or have held a visa to study in 2020 but have been unable to enter New Zealand due to COVID-19, with priority given first to those who must be in New Zealand to complete practical components of their research and study.
Students will need to comply with New Zealand’s COVID-19 regulations, including a 14-day managed isolation period, and payment of the isolation charges. Their arrival remains subject to the availability of these facilities, to avoid preventing New Zealand citizens and residents from returning home, or essential skilled workers from entering the country.
Education New Zealand has been working with the Ministry of Education and other Government agencies and the education sector in building the student re-entry approach.
In announcing this decision on 12 October, Minister Chris Hipkins emphasised the importance of international education to New Zealand’s recovery and rebuild from the pandemic.
“We have been glad to see this initial announcement has been well-received by both the New Zealand public and the education sector,” ENZ General Manager – Stakeholders & Communications, John Goulter, says. “This group of 250 represents only a fraction of our usual international student intake. By keeping this first cohort of international students small, we can all work to make sure students have a great experience – and that they are welcomed and supported by New Zealanders.”
