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  • Senior Advisor Stakeholders and Governance September 2017

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  • Aminat chases sustainable energy dream for Nigeria

    The former maths teacher and electrical engineering undergraduate has recently returned home to Nigeria after studying renewable energy at the University of Otago’s Energy Research Centre. She completed both a post-graduate Diploma and a Master’s of Science in Energy, Science, and Technology.  

    “It has always been my dream to study abroad, and New Zealand made my dream come true because I wanted to study renewable energy,” she says.  

    Manaaki scholarship key to education opportunity

    “New Zealand is one of the top five countries in the world which excel at renewable electricity generation, and it is important to study in a country where you can get practical experience.” 

    Aminat says that the cost of international education overseas is beyond the reach of most people in developing countries, but that her experience was made possible through the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships, funded by the New Zealand government. When she applied in 2018, she was one of only a small number of students accepted from Africa “so it was a big deal for me”.

    And so was getting here. “It was my first experience travelling overseas, my first time on a plane, my first time in a new country.”

    But she says she was grateful for the orientation programmes available and quickly felt at home both at university, and in Dunedin. “Just two months after I arrived, the Christchurch mosque shooting happened, and the support I got from my neighbours, my colleagues, and my lecturers was amazing.”

    Energy poverty drives study choice

    Aminat says she is motivated to study renewable energy because of where she comes from.  

    “I wanted to study something would allow me to improve my own country. Every economy depends on a reliable power supply and in Nigeria we have nationwide blackouts regularly. We need to buy petrol to run generators. Most people have generators in their homes, even in the cities.

    “If you don’t have adequate reliable power, it holds back every aspect of the economy and makes it very difficult for businesses to succeed. It affects everything - manufacturing, schooling, farming. You can’t even freeze excess seasonal crops, so most of it goes to waste.” 

    A European Union report released last year titled “Time to make energy poverty in Africa a thing of the past”, backs up what Aminat says. It found that nearly 800 million people globally live without access to electricity, about 600 million of them in sub-Saharan Africa.  

    “In a world of deepening inequalities between the haves and have-nots, this is a glaring injustice, the report says. “Africa is the world’s premium location to harness solar energy and is already demonstrating that a cleaner path is possible.” 

    “Renewable energy is a passion for me,” Aminat says. “We need to talk about renewable energy for the future in Africa. And the future is now.” 

    By coming to New Zealand, Aminat says she saw the potential of what can be achieved with a reliable power supply.  

    Her research, supervised by Associate Professor Michael Jack, explored how to use domestic hot water cylinders for energy storage in microgrids comprised of clusters of households with solar photovoltaic supply. “It’s definitely achievable but needs more research and I’m very keen to take it further.” 

    International education more than classroom learning

    Aminat says studying in New Zealand was “the best-ever experience”, with excellent university facilities and approachable staff always ready to offer help and support. 

    “Studying in New Zealand has given me a voice. It has expanded my horizons, made me more informed, and opened doors for me. People are keen to listen to you when you talk. When you’re looking for a job, an international education experience makes you stand out.”

    “Studying in New Zealand has given me a voice" - New Zealand international student and Manaaki scholar Aminat Razaq

    While the quality of education is essential, Aminat says it’s also about what you learn beyond the walls of a classroom. “You learn a different culture, and you are given the opportunity to explore your chosen field of study and gain another perspective. By offering scholarships, you are also helping the country the students come from.” 

    For any students considering New Zealand as a study destination, Aminat says “don’t think twice”. 

    “New Zealand is probably the most peaceful place in the world, it has all the facilities you need to study, the researchers are top notch, and the people are welcoming.” 

    While studying in New Zealand has fulfilled one of Aminat’s dreams, she is already working on another one. “My new dream is to set up my own energy consultancy company and I’m sure I will achieve it. All the positive experiences I have had in my education will take me there.”  

    And she hasn’t ruled out a return trip to New Zealand. “I am considering studying for my PhD. I loved everything about studying in New Zealand and would love to come back.”

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  • From the CE: Promoting New Zealand’s education in Asia

    The visit by Education Minister Chris Hipkins to South Korea, Indonesia and Singapore in October 2022 was an opportunity to reaffirm the Government’s strong commitment to international education. Representatives from the university sector, Te Pūkenga, schools, as well as the PTE and EdTech sectors, and ENZ were part of the accompanying delegation. Bilateral meetings were held with key Ministers in each country, and there were opportunities to meet with alumni, agents local school children and others. You can read more about this trip in this edition of E-News. 

    This month, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s visit to Asia also included a significant international education component, particularly in Viet Nam. Education was highlighted as an important pillar of partnership in all bilateral meetings, and we were delighted to help arrange and participate in an education forum in Hanoi. We will report on this trip in more detail next month. 

    Our recent international education events have featured a mixture of ENZ-run events and commercial and global events. The key aim has been to raise the awareness and profile of New Zealand education, and provide a platform for New Zealand education providers to engage directly with prospective students and their families, with education agencies and other key stakeholders, particularly within Asia. Recent events have included a Korean agent seminar, COEX Fair and New Zealand education night reception in Seoul, a reconnecting series with Japanese partners in Tokyo, Viet Nam agent seminars and fairs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and a Thai agent seminar and fair in Bangkok. Looking ahead to next year’s events, ENZ’s international event calendar for the first half of 2023 is now on our website here. 

    The second phase of New Zealand’s successful international marketing campaign, I AM NEW, is now underway with a primary focus on China, India, South Korea, Japan, USA, Brazil, Viet Nam, Thailand and Germany. While the initial campaign aimed to raise awareness that New Zealand has reopened for international education, this second phase is focussed on reigniting interest in a New Zealand study experience, and transforming that interest into a commitment to study with New Zealand. A Spanish version of the I AM NEW campaign has also just been launched yesterday in Bogotá, Colombia, to reach this important segment of the Latin America market. 

    As we work with our partners and stakeholders within New Zealand and offshore to promote New Zealand education in the lead up to the 2023 student intake, we are hearing about a shortage of homestay accommodation that it would be good to resolve. More families are needed to welcome international students into their homes. This can be an enormously rewarding experience for everyone involved, one that builds lasting friendships and a deeper understanding of people from another language and culture. We will be talking with the sector to agree the best approach to addressing this challenge.  

    Finally, if you are looking to contact our Auckland-based team, please note that we have moved out of our office on Quay Street, and will be in a new office at 191 Queen Street from 5 December 2022.  

    He rau ringa e oti ai – Many hands make light work. 

  • Join us for the Latin America Study with New Zealand Virtual Fair 

    “The fair will be a great opportunity for providers to connect with prospective students in the Latin American market, using an interactive digital platform,” says Javiera Visedo, Director of Engagement Latin America for Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ).   

    “ENZ is seeking expressions of interest in the fair, which we are hosting in collaboration with FPP. If you are interested in participating, please fill out the Expression of Interest form by 9 December 2022.”   

    Invitations to register will follow in the new year.  

    Find out more about Latin America 

    Key areas of focus for ENZ in Latin America include Brazil, Colombia and Chile, and we have staff based in São Paulo and Santiago.  

    Close to 6,000 international students came to New Zealand from Latin America in 2019, and Brazil is our eighth largest market. Since the pandemic there has been intense activity from our competitors with many of them establishing in-country representatives, which demonstrates the importance of this region in international student recruitment.  

    Beyond student recruitment, ENZ also values the government and education connections with the region. 

    ENZ recently hosted a series of Latin America Masterclasses, which saw participants from around Latin America tuning in to watch live lectures delivered by New Zealand academics.  

    In June this year, Education Minister Chris Hipkins created great buzz with his visit to Brazil and Chile, part of his first international trip since the beginning of the pandemic.   

    Group recipients of the Prime Ministers’ Scholarships for Latin America have recently started making their way to Brazil, Colombia and Chile to participate in short study exchanges. These include several Māori led groups, supporting connections with indigenous nations in the region.    

    In September, ENZ attended the FPP Virtual Fair in Colombia. The fair had more than 800 visitors, with over 100 visiting the ENZ booth. There was strong interest in tertiary programmes and language studies. The virtual fair was a great opportunity to promote New Zealand as a study destination within the Latin American market.  

    A group of 100 high school students from Paraná State in southern Brazil had a three-month study experience this year with schools in Auckland, Rotorua, Hawkes Bay, Palmerston North, Wellington, Canterbury and Invercargill.

    Brazil 

    In 2019, there were 3,324 Brazilian students studying in New Zealand. Being from non-English speaking countries, the majority of Latin American students will start their education experience in New Zealand studying English. Scholarships offered by the local state governments have also contributed to the presence of Brazilian students in New Zealand and in 2022, 100 students from the state of Parana in Brazil travelled to New Zealand on a 3-month exchange. The students were placed at high schools across the country and gave positive feedback about their time here.  

    Colombia 

    Colombia is New Zealand’s second largest market in Latin America, second only to Brazil. In 2019, there were 1,360 Colombian students studying in New Zealand. 

    In 2023, 22 students from Bogotá, Colombia, will travel to New Zealand to study during terms one and two. Most of the students will be based at schools across the North Island, with one group heading down to Nelson.  

    On 23 November 2022, ENZ launched the I AM NEW campaign in Spanish at an event in Bogotá, to promote a New Zealand education.  

    Chile 

    The recent CAPE LatAm ‘Celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations with Chile’ event, hosted at Parliament, was a great example of the rich history of connections between New Zealand and Chile.  

    Chile is New Zealand’s third largest market in Latin America. In 2019, there were 1,193 Chilean students studying in New Zealand. The majority of Chilean students come to New Zealand to study English Language, but enrolment in schools has also been consistent, with 17% of students studying at New Zealand schools in 2019. 

    Flights 

    Latam will be resuming their daily flights to Sydney via Auckland from mid-December and Qantas is flying three times per week from Santiago direct to Sydney. Although the cost of flights is high, in line with worldwide trends, the resumption of regular flights demonstrates the high demand for the Latin America to Oceania route.  

    Expressions of interest in the Latin America Study with New Zealand Virtual Fair are due by 9 December 2022. You can access the online form here.  

    If you have any questions about the event, please contact  latinamerica@enz.govt.nz   

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