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• Malaysian student teachers value NZ experience

  While it was not much money, it motivated them, according to Mdm Anis Abdullah, co-ordinator of the Kiwi Experience Project at the Institute of Teacher Education (Batu Lintang) in Kuching, who accompanied the students.

  Over the next year they raised their target of 100,000MYR or $NZ 30,000. That first day they rented out the bikes for less than 1 ringgit – so the fact there were 12 takers was the incentive to continue.

  During the March visit to Dunedin the third-year primary-level English language student teachers gained insights into New Zealand culture, education techniques, ways of managing pupil behaviour and various literacy programmes. The tour ended with the students performing three songs, including a waiata, at North East Valley Normal School.

  Aged 21 to 25, many will be posted in rural areas with added responsibilities as school administrators and for pastoral care of pupils. “English is part of the curriculum in both primary and secondary schools now but in 2016 it will become compulsory and pupils will be required to pass English language studies to graduate from high school,” according to Mdm Anis.

  She said the trip enabled the students to have the total Kiwi experience.  “I believe in the holistic approach to education where learning entails much more than just what you study in class. Trips like this enrich an education. New Zealand is the most expensive benchmark option for us, but it is the best because we would like our students to see first-hand how the early literacy and reading recovery programmes are carried out here.  Besides, New Zealand is a very beautiful and safe country and the warmth of the Kiwis always made us feel very welcomed.”

  This visit was the first time some had left their home region of Sarawak. “They have had a great time and many said that when they graduate and have worked for a few years, they will come back.”

  Mdm Anis said commonalities existed between the Malaysian and New Zealand teaching ethos. “It is about teachers being informed, knowledgeable and global citizens. Our teacher development programmes focus not only on intellectual aspects, but  also on developing values and the emotional, spiritual and physical aspects – similar to the ‘life-long-learner’ concepts in New Zealand.”

  Mdm Anis hopes the Malaysian Ministry of Education will plan another twinning programme for Malaysian students to study at the University of Otago, possibly at Masters level. She previously helped co-ordinate such a programme at the institute where she works, that ended in 2013, for 117 student teachers to complete half of their Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, TESOL, degree at Otago.

• Aotearoa New Zealand reinforces strong presence at NAFSA 2026

  Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) participated in the NAFSA 2026 Annual Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida (26-29 May), joining all eight New Zealand universities under the conference theme ‘Global by Design’.

  Together, the delegation presented a unified national profile, reinforcing New Zealand’s reputation as a high-quality, innovative, and welcoming study destination.

  As the world’s largest gathering of international education professionals, NAFSA brings together thousands of delegates from more than 100 countries, providing a critical platform for global engagement, partnership-building, and sector leadership.

  For New Zealand, this annual presence remains essential – ensuring strong global visibility, strengthening enduring institutional relationships, and positioning the country as an active, forward-looking partner in shaping the future of international education.

  Two presentations highlighted New Zealand’s leadership across key sector priorities.

  Associate Professor and Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Mātauranga Māori), Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, Meegan Hall, presented ‘He Whenua Whakapiri: The Aotearoa New Zealand Model for International Student Belonging’. Her session explored how culturally grounded approaches can strengthen belonging and student success, emphasising connection, identity, and community as core to the international student experience.

  “NAFSA provided a valuable space to share our distinctive Aotearoa New Zealand approach to international education, grounded in relationships and Māori values. It was a privilege to present and connect with colleagues from around the world who are committed to equitable and inclusive global engagement,” Meegan said.

  In a separate session, ENZ’s Director of Engagement (North America), DuBois Jennings, represented New Zealand on a panel titled Impact of Country Partnerships on US Study Abroad Engagement alongside representatives from Germany and Portugal, exploring the US Gilman Scholarship Programme. The discussion focused on expanding access to study abroad and increasing participation from underrepresented students. 

  New Zealand was the first country to formally partner with the US Department of State’s Gilman Programme and will celebrate a decade of partnership in 2027 – reflecting a shared commitment to equity in international education. Jennings noted that this focus naturally aligns with New Zealand’s national approach, where inclusive pathways and tailored student support are a core priority across the sector.

  Together, this collective effort marked another strong showing from New Zealand universities at NAFSA.

  ENZ’s Regional Director Americas, Europe & Gulf Cooperation Council, Natalie Lulia, said New Zealand’s presence this year at NAFSA reflected the values that underpin both our society and our education system.

  “Through partnership, care, and a strong sense of responsibility to our students, we’re able to achieve what is often rare at a country level. It’s this shared foundation that shapes our offering and strengthens our global voice,” Natalie said.

• University of Auckland tops Impact Rankings 2019

  The University of Auckland (UoA) is ranked 1st overall based on its performance on four of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): partnership for the goals; good health and wellbeing; gender equality; and sustainable cities and communities.  

  Initiatives include a staff cycling scheme, changes in printing access to reduce paper waste, recycling workshops and clothing swaps.  

  Two other New Zealand universities also placed well: AUT at 16th and Massey at 38th. More than 500 universities around the world submitted data for the report. 

  This is the first time THE has published its Impact Rankings. While most university rankings use indicators of research and teaching excellence, the Impact Rankings aim to recognise universities for their social and economic impact. 

  UoA Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon is delighted that UoA’s work has been acknowledged internationally and demonstrates how relevant universities are.  

  “Universities have an important role to play in generating the knowledge and capacity necessary to achieve the SDG objectives. Correspondingly, they are valuable to universities because they enable us to frame our research, teaching, operations, capacity building, networks and partnerships in a way that enables the contributions we make to be universally recognised and understood.” 

  Massey University Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas says, “The University of Auckland is to be congratulated for an outstanding performance as number one in the world. I believe that reflects well on the entire nation. 

  “This exercise is valuable to universities. It makes us pause and take stock of what we do, align with collaborative global goals and examine our contributions against these goals in a way that can be globally benchmarked.” 

  ENZ Chief Executive Grant McPherson said the results reflected well on New Zealand. 

  “Their contributions on these issues are a testament to their global outlook, and reinforce New Zealand’s reputation as an advanced, progressive and innovative society. It is also what makes New Zealand an attractive study destination to many students from around the world each year.” 

   Click here full the full list of the THE University Impact Rankings. 

   

• NZTC brings ECE teaching to Malaysia

  NZTC’s three-year Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) degree has been approved for delivery in Malaysia through Kolej Dika – a respected specialist early childhood teacher education provider.

  NZTC Chief Executive Selena Fox said this makes NZTC the first New Zealand tertiary education provider to have a degree accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency and the Malaysia Ministry of Higher Education.

  “This achievement is of international importance for New Zealand and Malaysia, celebrating innovation, shared commitment to excellence and creating opportunity for a specialised degree in Malaysia for teachers of young children,” said Ms Fox.

  NZTC is New Zealand’s largest provider of early childhood teacher education.

  Malaysian diploma students can now upgrade to NZTC’s internationally recognised and accredited degree to teach, educate and care for children and families.

  “NZTC has been working on establishing educational relationships in Malaysia for a number of years and it will be exciting to see these relationships grow to a new level in the years ahead,” said Fox.

  The Bachelor of Education (ECE) is also the first New Zealand qualification to be approved for National Higher Education Fund loans for Malaysian students.

• New Zealand students among the world’s smartest

  The OECD’s Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) assesses literacy and numeracy skills, as well as the ability to solve problems in technology-rich environments across 40 countries.

  In news coverage of the report, the BBC’s Sean Coughlan noted that while international university rankings typically measured reputation, staff ratios and research output, PIACC was the first to compare the capability of students who have been taught in those universities.

  “None of the countries in the top places make much of an appearance in conventional university rankings,” Sean said.

  “In the QS World University Rankings, there were 32 US universities in the top 100, but only one from New Zealand, but graduates from New Zealand are higher achieving than their US counterparts.”

  Andreas Schleicher, the OECD's education director said the results prove that ability levels vary hugely among people, even when they have similar qualifications, due to "major differences in the quality of higher education".

  Key points:

  • Adults in New Zealand scored above the OECD average in literacy, numeracy and problem solving in technology-rich environments.
  • New Zealand’s immigrant population is one of the most skilled, highly proficient immigrant populations across OECD countries. English-speaking, foreign-born immigrants in New Zealand scored higher in literacy and numeracy than English-speaking, native-born New Zealanders. In all countries and economies, foreign-language immigrants tended to have lower literacy skills, but in New Zealand only 8.5% of English-speaking immigrants had low proficiency in literacy, compared to the OECD average of 22.3%.
  • The differences in skills proficiency related to age, gender, education and social background were less pronounced in New Zealand than in other countries.
  • In New Zealand, even more so than in other OECD countries, higher proficiency in literacy and numeracy had a positive impact on labour force participation and wages.

  The full report on New Zealand’s scores can be found here.

  The BBC news report can be found here.

• New ECA signed with US institution

  Increased opportunities for students and researchers from diverse backgrounds to study and carry out research in New Zealand, and more international opportunities for Māori will result from the new agreement between the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation-National Science Foundation International Center of Excellence (LSAMP-NICE) and Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ).

  

  Attendees outside the Embassy of New Zealand in Washington DC, where the meeting was held

  The Embassy of New Zealand in Washington DC was the venue for the annual general meeting and conference of LSAMP-NICE on 29-30 September 2022. Representatives of 60 LSAMP institutions across the US attended, as well as international partners including the University of Toulouse, the French Embassy, a Te Kāhui Amokura delegation, and ENZ. The role of Te Kāhui Amokura is to advance and promote the collective interests of New Zealand’s universities to improve outcomes for Māori, and the delegation comprised: 

  • Rawinia Higgins, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Māori, at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW)  
  • Meegan Hall, Assistant Vice-Chancellor Mātauranga Māori, VUW  
  • Fiona Johnson-Bell, Senior Manager, Education and Māori, Universities New Zealand  
  • Tim Manukau, Mātauranga Co-Director, University of Waikato Environmental Research Institute  
  • Megan Ranapia, PhD student, University of Waikato  
  • Kirita-Rose Escott, PhD student, VUW. 
    
    

  ENZ Manukura Chief Advisor Māori, Ed Tuari, welcomed attendees with a mihi whakatau, and Lance Fisher (Northern Cheyenne) responded with a traditional Northern Cheyenne song. The meeting ended with the signing of the new agreement by Steve Dupuis, LSAMP-NICE Project Principal Investigator, Salish Kootenai College, and Ed Tuari on behalf of ENZ. 

  

  Ed Tuari and Steve Dupuis signed the education cooperation arrangement

  “We are working to build people’s understanding of New Zealand as a country with a unique bicultural heritage and strong social justice values,” DuBois Jennings, ENZ’s Director of Engagement, North America said.   

  “The new agreement reflects that New Zealand is an ideal education destination for students from historically marginalised backgrounds, and it opens up exchange possibilities for Māori and Pasifika students from New Zealand to experience education on US campuses. 

  “We have been developing these relationships over several years, including at NAFSA earlier this year. Future possibilities include agreements between LSAMP-NICE and individual New Zealand providers.”  

  In late 2021 the National Science Foundation, Te Kāhui Amokura and ENZ worked together on a series of virtual information exchange sessions, which covered indigenous language research, indigenous data sovereignty, and the impacts of climate change on indigenous communities. More than 150 experts took part, including Native American, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, and Māori scholars.   

   

   

  LSAMP-NICE is funded by the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) programme, an alliance-based programme which aims to diversify the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) workforce in the US by increasing the number of STEM degrees awarded to historically underrepresented populations, specifically African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. Salish Kootenai College, a Tribal College based in Montana serving the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, is LSAMP’s lead institution. 

• Vietnamese TikTok contest draws millions of views for New Zealand

  The contest is part of a collaboration between Education New Zealand and the University of Economics in Ho Chi Minh City to promote New Zealand education.

  A total of 54 entrants posted their take on New Zealand to the hashtag #studywithnz on the popular TikTok app, which allows people to create and share short videos.

  Beating off the competition to take first prize was Phan Khanh Ngan. Her video drew inspiration from the format of the popular Vietnamese TV quiz show The Road to Mount Olympia.

  “I didn’t think the classical vlog would be attractive enough to catch the attention of people and make them remember the brand,” said Ngan.

  “So, I chose one of the most beloved TV shows in Vietnam, which is known to allow its audiences to learn new knowledge.”

  Coming in second, and with the most likes and comments, was hot TikToker Ngo Hai Long, who has 1.3 million followers. His video attracted nearly 43,000 likes.

  The TikTok contest was the finale of a programme by ENZ and the International School of Business at the University of Economics that included 11 webinars for students and 10 New Zealand university masterclasses.

  ENZ’s Vietnam Market Manager, Van Banh, said the popularity of the competition showed the growing awareness in Vietnam of the benefits of studying with New Zealand.

  “Given international travel restrictions in most parts of the world, we are thrilled to see that Vietnamese students are still able to discover New Zealand in a special way.

  “These creative 60-second TikTok videos show their affection towards New Zealand’s people, land, culture and education system,” she said.

• Record audience for early childhood education symposium with China

  This year, the symposium attracted a live audience of 350 attendees and a livestream audience of 100,000, well over the number of attendees in previous years. The symposium’s theme was ‘Advancing Inclusiveness in Early Childhood Education’.   

  The Early Childhood Education Symposium is an initiative between Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) and China Center for International People to People Exchange (CCIPE), a sub-agency of China Ministry of Education (China MoE).   

  The symposium provides a platform for New Zealand Early Childhood Education (ECE) institutions, academics, practitioners, and policy experts to engage in a cross-cultural dialogue. It leverages New Zealand’s expertise in ECE teacher training programmes.  

  This was the first year that a delegation of government representatives and ECE experts from New Zealand travelled to China to present at the symposium in person, which sent a positive signal to education partners in China about New Zealand’s strong focus on reconnecting and strengthening our education credentials in the China market.  

  The symposium’s live presenters from New Zealand included Dr Jane Ewens, Manager Early Learning, Ministry of Education and Fiona He, Director and Founder, TuiTui Educare/Universal Kids Early Education Centre. Dr Ewens presented an overview of the New Zealand Government’s policy focusing on advancing inclusiveness in early childhood education.  

  ENZ’s General Manager International, Lisa Futschek, who provided opening remarks, said the symposium highlighted the special education relationship between New Zealand and China and our long and fruitful dialogue in a variety of education areas.   

  “It’s fantastic to see how the symposium has grown and evolved since 2020. We were delighted to be able to travel there, grow our connections in-person, and enable collaboration between people across the education landscape in both our countries.   

  “2023 has already been an exciting year for rebuilding face-to-face connections for New Zealand and China, and the symposium just helped us build on that so wonderfully,” Lisa said. 

  

  ENZ General Manager International, Lisa Futschek.

  CAO Diefeng, Deputy Director General, China Centre for International People-to-People Exchange indicated in his opening remarks that the China-New Zealand Early Childhood Education Symposium has received extensive attention because of its scale and influence. It is highly welcomed by the education sector from both China and New Zealand and is becoming a key platform for early childhood education communication.  

  “The symposium exemplifies the sound education cooperation between our two countries and plays an important role in deepening substantive cooperation by both sides,” CAO Diefeng said. 

  Dr Jane Ewens said the information exchange was valuable to all audiences and demonstrated there are opportunities for the Ministry of Education to learn from our Chinese partners. 

  “We can create stronger educational ties and foster ongoing cooperation with China, aligning with government priorities. This could include exploring attracting Chinese teachers and students to New Zealand's early childhood education teaching workforce. 

  “There is also an opportunity for New Zealand practitioners and policy makers to consider and possibly integrate how China implements their curriculum as we develop curriculum resources for New Zealand Early Childhood Education kaiako (teachers),” Dr Ewens said. 

  

  Dr Jane Ewens from the New Zealand Ministry of Education presents the Policy Overview.

  This year’s symposium resulted in a range of valuable outcomes for New Zealand’s education relationship with China and for the sector. The symposium generated good visibility for New Zealand, with 45 media articles (accounting for almost four million views), which included reporting from top tier Chinese media. Many connections and leads for New Zealand participants were created during and after the symposium – one New Zealand speaker reported being approached by 50 Chinese counterparts after their virtual presentation. 

  Aside from the symposium, the New Zealand delegation’s key objectives included supporting a bilateral education initiative linked to the New Zealand-China Arrangement on Education Cooperation and Training, while showcasing New Zealand’s expertise in early childhood education practices and curriculum to audiences in China.  

  The visit provided a chance for the delegation to understand best practices in early childhood education from a Chinese cultural perspective that they could put into practice in New Zealand to better support learners from Chinese backgrounds. As part of the programme in Nanjing, the delegation visited two kindergartens and presented a panel session with academics and students at Nanjing Normal University. 

  If you are interested in the ECE Symposium or partnering with ENZ on this event in the future, please contact the ENZ China team at China@enz.govt.nz. 

  

  The audience in Nanjing take notes during the presentations.

  

  Attendees of the Hefei Shuangyou Education Group in Anhui Province watch the symposium online.

• ENZ makes new friends with Kea

  Kea helps New Zealanders living offshore to connect with home and with one another, and to share and use their global experience, knowledge and opportunities.  It has recently broadened its network to include “friends of New Zealand”.

  ENZ sees Kea as another way to link international students and New Zealand educated alumni around the world – and for them to stay in touch with New Zealand and the wider international Kiwi community long after they have returned to their country.

  “The partnership will help to grow our network of alumni – our champions of New Zealand’s Education Story – and will provide a way for all current and former students to stay connected to New Zealand,” according to ENZ’s General Manager Marketing and Channel Development Hannah Lee-Darboe.

  “Our alumni are really important for their authentic, word-of-mouth recommendations about studying in New Zealand and how important international education is for cultivating long-term global connections,” according to Hannah.

  ENZ will help Kea find people to add to Kea’s network and communicate and engage with this audience via Kea.

  “This partnership makes so much sense, Kea’s Chief Executive Craig Donaldson said.  “Kea’s global network enables students to stay connected to New Zealand after they leave, while it provides an easy way of interacting with alumni and current international students.”

  Kea and ENZ are also partnering to develop an international education version of Kea’s World Class New Zealanders (WCNZ) network in South East Asia.  WCNZ is made up of high profile industry leaders and includes the likes of Mark D’Arcy, Director of Creative Solutions at Facebook, and London-based jewellery and accessories designer Amanda Allen, whose work appears in Harpers and Vogue.

  Kea and ENZ are currently seeking nominations of high profile New Zealand educated international alumni residing in South East Asia to be a part of this very prestigious network. Please send through nominations (name, what and when they studied, brief resume) to Hannah.lee-darboe@enz.govt.nz by May 15 2015.

• Supporting university recruitment and raising New Zealand’s profile in Viet Nam

  Building on the programme first introduced in 2025, NZUA 2026 is larger and more flexible. It continues to serve as a key tool for student recruitment and for building long-term connections in Viet Nam. 
   
  In 2026, there are 15 scholarships available, each worth NZD $15,000 for the first year of undergraduate study. The scholarships are offered at six New Zealand universities: University of Auckland, University of Waikato, Massey University, Lincoln University, University of Canterbury and University of Otago. The awards help universities connect with high‑achieving Vietnamese students for whom receiving a scholarship is both a major achievement and a source of pride. 
   
  The programme was first introduced following Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s visit to Viet Nam in 2025. It recognises students’ academic achievement, creativity and leadership, while showcasing the strengths of New Zealand’s university system. 
   
  A key feature of NZUA is that students can combine the award with other university scholarships (depending on each university’s rules). This helps make studying in New Zealand more affordable and strengthens New Zealand’s competitiveness in attracting undergraduate students. 
   
  The 2026 programme offers greater flexibility in entry requirements while maintaining strong academic standards. Applications are submitted online and require academic documents, an offer of place from a New Zealand university, and a short video introducing the student and their goals. 
   
  The awards have already generated strong visibility for New Zealand education, with coverage in major Vietnamese media. This helps reinforce New Zealand’s reputation among students, parents and education agents. 
   
  Applications are open until 12 July 2026. The successful applicants will be announced in early September followed by an awards ceremony in October.  
   
  Through NZUA, ENZ continues to work closely with New Zealand universities to build long‑term engagement in Viet Nam, support sustainable growth in student enrolments, and align scholarships with wider international education and brand goals.