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  • Schools sector infrastructure a key focus of renewed ENZ-SIEBA partnership

    Under the agreement, SIEBA will provide resources and support tailored to schools, including webinars, workshops and newsletters, mentoring, good practice templates and advice.

    “We hope that this partnership will help schools retain the infrastructure and expertise they’ve worked so hard to build,” ENZ Business Development Manager Mary Camp says.

    “We’re looking forward to continuing our strategic partnership with SIEBA, working together to offer practical ways to support schools and their staff through the next phase of the pandemic.”

    SIEBA played a key role in supporting hundreds of schools through the early days of COVID. From April to June 2020, ENZ enabled SIEBA to provide triage support and crisis advice services to schools across the country, providing advice to manage issues related to the closure of the border and repatriation of international students.

    “We are very pleased to extend our partnership with ENZ and be involved in the important work of helping the school sector be ‘Ready-to-Go’ when students can once again enrol in New Zealand schools,” SIEBA Executive Director, John van der Zwan, says.

    “Special effort will go to providing professional learning and development and support for new international professionals as they join the sector and to provide opportunities for all international staff to explore and prepare for the challenges of working in a post COVID-19 environment.”

  • ENZ partners with ISANA to support sector capability

    Under the initiative, ISANA NZ will develop a suite of resources including guidelines, templates and frameworks to help support international education practitioners across the school and tertiary sectors.

    The resources will cover areas such as student support, student experience, critical incident management, intercultural competence, and professional leadership. They will be developed in concert with practitioners.

    ENZ Director Industry Laura Simpson says the initiative has been developed with recovery of the sector in mind.

    “This initiative focuses on the longer-term development of the international education sector’s capability. The resources are being developed to provide additional support for practitioners who support students and will help support the sector’s recovery. The initiative has been designed to support Goal 1 of the New Zealand International Education Strategy, 2018-2030, to ensure an excellent education and student experience.”

    ISANA NZ Executive Director Chris Beard says the work will identify and make available online a range of versatile resources that reflect good practice across the sector.

    “The materials will provide practical guidance, frameworks and models to help practitioners facilitate positive student experiences in areas such as intercultural engagement, social integration, mental health and student wellbeing. We are looking forward to developing the resources in partnership with experienced practitioners and subject-specific experts to ensure they are accessible, relevant and useful.”

    The resources will be developed over the next year in partnership with practitioners and stakeholders from across the sector. They will progressively be made available to the sector on ISANA’s website and ENZ’s Skills Lab.

    Go to www.isana.nz for further information on this initiative.

  • Education New Zealand is running our first ever Prime Minister's Scholarship alumni survey – now live!

    Why are we running the survey?

    We want to be able to capture and communicate the stories of the 2,400 recipients of the Prime Ministers’ Scholarship to date.

    This will help us tell the story of the life-changing international student experiences abroad, and how they can influence professional life, engagement in social issues and ultimately benefits New Zealanders. We also aim to learn more about Prime Minister’s Scholarship alumni needs and to build a community of like-minded people. 

    What do we want to achieve?

    Our goal is to gather feedback from at least 1,000 of our alumni.

    What can you do?

    Feel free to share amongst your respective network where relevant. The key here is that we only want Prime Minister's scholarship alumni to respond.

    Here's a sample text you might use (you can also share ENZ’s social posts on LinkedIn or Twitter):

    ENZ is seeking is keen to connect with our Prime Minister's Scholarship alumni and invite former participants to complete our first-ever alumni survey.

    Your answers will help us learn more about our alumni and the contribution that the Prime Minister’s Scholarship has had on individuals, Iwi and communities. 

    What you need to know: 
    • The survey will take no longer than 20 minutes. 
    • Responses will be kept confidential.

    Completed entries will go into a draw for Festival for the Future tickets (held 30 July - 1st August), with a choice of attending their event in Wellington or virtually. The survey will close on 21 July.  
      
    If you have any questions or concerns about this initiative, please send an email to scholarship@enz.govt.nz. 

    Thanks so much for your support! 

  • Get involved in upcoming Greater China initiatives

    China Annual Conference for International Education (CACIE)

    The annual CACIE conference will be held as a hybrid in-person/virtual event from 21-23 October in Beijing, directly before the China Education Expo.

    Organised by the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE), CACIE provides opportunities for international education providers, agents and other professionals to network and explore ideas and issues within the sector. This year’s theme is New Opportunities and Prospects for Building an Open and High-Quality Education System.

    ENZ encourages New Zealand providers to submit proposals. Please visit the CACIE website and consider submitting a proposal.

    Proposals should focus on one of the four forums: Higher Education, Vocational Education, Basic Education, Thematic Education.

    Submissions must include: speaker photo, bio, and abstract (about 200 words). Email your submission to Zhang Zhaotian at zhangzhaotian@ceaie.edu.cn.

    Deadline for submitting proposals is 31 July. Spots are limited.

    China Education Expo (CEE)

    ENZ is currently planning a New Zealand national pavilion at the hybrid event from 23-24 October, which is expecting over 20,000 visitors.

    ENZ will send more information to New Zealand education providers to register to exhibit on the New Zealand national pavilion. 

  • 10 years of Impact: Festival for the Future is back in-person

    Festival for the Future 2021 is a three-day summit showcasing leadership and innovation for impact.

    This year, the festival will feature more than 35 speakers, including Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson; Animation Research Managing Director Sir Ian Taylor; Ethique Founder Brianne West; Young New Zealander of the Year Jazz Thornton; Banqer Founder and Impact Award Winner Kendall Flutey; and Sam Stubbs, Founder of Simplicity.

    ENZ is proud to partner with Inspiring Stories and the Festival for the Future as a silver sponsor, and will have an exhibition space on the festival’s marketplace floor. Through this partnership ENZ is advancing work towards the third pillar of the International Education Strategy 2018 - 2030, Global Citizenship.

    ENZ is also proudly supporting the Global Impact Award, presented to a young New Zealander who demonstrates leadership and takes action to support people and communities beyond our shores, especially in developing countries. The award will be presented as part of the Impact Awards night on Saturday 31 July.

    Tickets are on sale now: https://www.festivalforthefuture.co/

    Learn more about the Awards night at: https://theimpactawards.nz  

  • New Pastoral Care Code of Practice for Tertiary and International Learners Released

    Today, the Government released a new Code of practice for the pastoral care of tertiary and international learners, to take effect by 1 January 2022, as required under the Education and Training Act 2020.   

    This revised Code is the product of many conversations, engagements, emails, phone calls, and hui.  We are thankful to everyone that has spent time to help improve the wellbeing and safety of tertiary and international ākonga. 

    The overall purpose of this work is to develop a system of supports for the wellbeing and safety of domestic tertiary and international learners, through one set of clear rules and expectations for providers that can be tailored to their learners’ needs. 

    We have summarised the key changes and provided links to the new code and Ministerial Press release, below  

    What does the new Code mean for tertiary providers?

    Tertiary providers will need to consider how their overall systems and resources support learners’ wellbeing and safety. 

    It will be important for providers to build and maintain strong relationships with learners and other interested stakeholders to identify and define the issues that are important for their communities and develop appropriate strategic goals, plans and practices around them. 

    Providers are expected to:

    • build capacity across their organisation to engage and empower learners to manage their own wellbeing
    • proactively identify and respond to learners who may face additional challenges as early as possible and tailor extra support to meet their needs.
    • respond effectively in an emergency.

    The new Code continues to focus on outcomes and flexible practices that enable providers to support their learners in ways that best meet their needs.

    What does the new Code mean for tertiary and international ākonga?

    The Code will make providers more accountable to learners, their families and community. The new Code expects tertiary providers to consult with learners, and other stakeholders when developing, reviewing, and improving their strategic goals, plans and practices. It also expects providers to be transparent about their wellbeing structures, strategies, practices and performances.

    What’s changed for international ākonga?

    The new Code covers domestic and international tertiary students and international students in schools. The goal is to ensure consistency within tertiary providers rather than having separate Codes for international and domestic learners in the same provider. The new Code continues to spell out the expectations that apply now for providers regarding the specific needs of international learners. There are no changes to requirements for schools, in New Zealand, who host international students.

  • New Zealand and Japanese schools build stronger cultural connections

    High-school students in New Zealand and Japan are connecting on the big issues like indigenous culture, sustainability, and rugby, in an exciting joint-venture between Education New Zealand (ENZ) and the North Asia Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence (NA CAPE).

    In collaboration with the Hokkaido Board of Education, seven schools from New Zealand’s North Island and seven from Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture have begun to open a digital dialogue at a time when valuable in-person interactions are limited.

    This initiative builds on the agreement signed in November 2020 between the Hokkaido Board of Education and ENZ. It further strengthens the existing partnership agreement between the New Zealand Embassy Tokyo and the Hokkaido Government by promoting collaborative opportunities in education through shared interests.

    International education plays an important internationalisation role as it brings a refreshing, global outlook to education at a local level. By building deep, reciprocal relationships with other countries, internationalisation also helps international education uncover opportunities for innovation.

    After online orientations for teachers, more than 270 students from three high schools in both countries met for the first time to introduce themselves, their school and city. Schools connected include: Taradale High School and Yubari High School; Papatoetoe High School and Sapporo Higashi High School; and Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tāwhiuau a Kura-ā-Iwi and Noboribetsu Akebi High School, which also connected with Unakami Primary school in Chiba.

    Sharing both economic and geographical similarities between countries, key themes for successive exchanges held in English include language and culture, indigenous culture, sustainability, primary industries, and rugby with a strategic goal of students starting student exchanges between schools in the future.

    The participation of Kura-ā-Iwi in the programme is of value to both countries seeking to deepen existing indigenous cultural connections. Hokkaido and New Zealand share many similar features, including the importance of agriculture and of indigenous peoples.

    Sharlene Brown, Senior Teacher at Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tāwhiuau expressed their support for the initiative.

    “As the first iwi designated character kura in the world, Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tāwhiuau is absolutely committed to global, indigenous education in particular Ainu language and culture.

    “This is therefore the guiding force behind our commitment to establish new relationships and exchanges with schools in Japan.”

    Both NA CAPE and ENZ are focused on continued support of closer indigenous to indigenous connections between New Zealand and Japan. Hokkaido is the birthplace of Japan’s indigenous people, the Ainu. As Hokkaido continues to embrace its indigenous culture, this initiative presents a unique opportunity for richer, more meaningful exchanges by showcasing New Zealand’s Māori values. By connecting with other cultures around the world, students in New Zealand and Hokkaido gain a better understanding of indigenous people’s experience and can uncover similarities and fostering better appreciation of other cultures.

    ENZ Director of Education – Japan, Misa Kitaoka said from Tokyo that, despite the ongoing challenges of COVID, ENZ is committed to promoting connections between New Zealand and Hokkaido using innovative modes of virtual delivery.

    “New Zealand’s unique cultural values like kaitiakitanga - protection of people and place – are woven into the threads of our education system.

    We are very proud of the leadership Māori demonstrate in the indigenous education space, and are committed to furthering international indigenous connections for the benefit of all.”

    Following on from the success of this international initiative, the NA CAPE plans to support additional sessions, and connect New Zealand high-school language students and their teachers with their counterparts in Korea.

    North Asia CAPE (NA CAPE) is committed to building New Zealanders’ capacity to engage with the countries of North Asia. Find out more about the NA CAPE at www.northasiacape.org.nz

    Education New Zealand is the Crown Agency responsible for international education to benefit New Zealand socially, culturally and economically. Find out more at enz.govt.nz.

    Want to get involved in future exchanges? Get in touch with North Asia CAPE at nacape@auckland.ac.nz.

  • New Zealand and international secondary students to grow cultural competence skills together

    Qualitative research[1] from ENZ concluded that New Zealand businesses who employed staff with cross-cultural competencies found this contributed to a more energising workplace, which helped to foster creativity and innovation as well as other benefits.

    The employers agreed cross-cultural competence was a sought-after skill when hiring staff, leading ENZ to fund the programme for more high school students around the country.

    Grant McPherson, Education New Zealand’s Chief Executive says, “The insights from New Zealand businesses around the benefits of cross-cultural competencies within their teams have been one of the key reasons we’ve taken this initiative to help grow cultural competency, providing an alternative to international school exchange experience while borders are closed.”

    This work supports the third goal of the New Zealand International Education Strategy 2018-2030 to develop global citizens within New Zealand and aims to help both students and teachers develop their cross-cultural skills together with their global peers.

    ENZ and Massey University first partnered with the American Field Service (AFS) in July 2020 to launch a pilot of the NZGCC programme. The virtual programme delivers animated videos, quizzes, assignments and weekly live facilitated dialogue sessions for local and offshore learners to talk with each other online in real time.

    Following the success of the pilot, ENZ today announced a further $380,000 investment to subsidise the cost for 321 New Zealand and 486 international learners to develop cultural self-awareness, empathy for other cultures, emotional resilience and ways to build bridges in multicultural settings.

    18 online modules cover topics such as stereotypes, empathy, dealing with conflict and resilience, and will be delivered to international learners from India, China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile.

    The newest students to benefit from the NZGCC programme are Whanganui Girls College, Cullinane College, Whanganui High School and Awatapu College pupils. Starting today, 23 Whanganui and Manawatu students will partake in a virtual learning exchange with 20 high school students in Tokyo, Japan, in a partnership with the Tokyo Board of Education.

    Whanganui Girls College principal Sharon Steer says the new programme will help students build their understanding of global cultures – critical ‘soft’ skills that will also prepare them for life after high school as they enter the workforce.

    “An important part of our curriculum is developing strong communication skills and setting our students up for success in the workplace. The NZGCC programme will add another dimension to our lessons by teaching our students how to develop meaningful relationships with one another despite language and cultural differences,” said Steer.

    “This allows our students to connect with peers in Japan and learn more about their culture without having to get on a plane when international travel remains limited.” 

    In addition to secondary school students, the NZGCC programme will support teachers in indigenous communities in Pacific Alliance countries, and people undertaking English language and teacher training in Indonesia, Vietnam and the Republic of Korea.

    Around 100 students from decile 1 to 5 schools across New Zealand will be offered NZGCC scholarships to participate in a virtual exchange with their peers in Asia.

    ENZ’s Chief Executive Grant McPherson said the programme’s expansion is a key part of diversifying education in new virtual forms fit for a globally connected world.

    “We’re pleased to continue our support for the NZGCC programme to bring New Zealand and international learners together in a virtual environment to gain the skills needed to live, work and learn globally.

    “As well as helping to develop the global citizens of tomorrow, this programme demonstrates the reciprocal benefits of international education, giving our rangatahi a chance to learn with high school students from around the world, and giving their offshore peers a chance to learn ‘with’ New Zealand and our unique way of thinking.”

    More information about the NZGCC can be found here:  https://www.globalup.com/

    ENDS

    [1] https://intellilab.enz.govt.nz/document/583-employer-perceptions-of-hiring-international-graduates

    Notes to editor:

    • Education New Zealand is the government agency responsible for building international education to benefit New Zealand socially, culturally and economically. For more information, visit enz.govt.nz
    • Developing Global Citizens is the third goal of the New Zealand International Education Strategy 2018-2030.
    • Education New Zealand has a focus on developing global citizens within New Zealand, so that more learners gain the knowledge they need to live, work and learn globally.
    • The Global Competency Certificate (GCC) is a research backed programme teaching cultural self-awareness, empathy for other cultures and ways to build bridges in multicultural settings. It is designed by American Field Scholars (AFS), a global non-profit internationally recognised as leaders in Global Citizenship.
    • In 2020, Education New Zealand partnered with Massey University and American Field Scholars to deliver a customised version of the GCC programme to New Zealand students and international students in New Zealand and abroad.
    • One Palmerston North student who completed last year’s pilot summarised the experience as ‘eye-opening’: “The main takeaway was the ability to see life from different perspectives to our own, to understand how different cultures, experiences and beliefs can impact others. Being part of this course has truly opened my eyes to some of these viewpoints and I’ve learned to embrace them with an open mind.”

    Media contact

    Hazel Dobbie, ENZ Director Communications
    Hazel.Dobbie@enz.govt.nz 021 579 917

  • COVID-19 update for education providers

    Thank you for your ongoing support and care for international students at your institutions.

    Please read below for the latest advice from the Ministry of Education for Alert Level 4. For information especially for international students, visit the COVID-19 page on NauMai NZ.

    Advice for COVID-19 cases in tertiary education providers or accommodation

    Read the latest guidance in the Ministry of Education 23 August Tertiary Provider and International Bulletin

    Guidance for school hostels for all alert levels - Ministry of Education

    International students are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination

    As a reminder, international students, as temporary visa holders, are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine as part of New Zealand's national vaccine programme.

    The Government has expanded the list of essential workers eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination to include people who work in accommodation services (including tertiary accommodation providers). Children aged 12-15 are also now eligible for the vaccine.

    Full details are available on the Unite against COVID-19 website: COVID-19 vaccines | Unite against COVID-19 (covid19.govt.nz)

    Stress counselling and support

    During this time, it's natural to feel emotionally and physically drained.

    You’re not alone in this and you don’t need to cope on your own. Friends and family members can help you to cope.

    You can also get help and information from:

    • your education provider
    • your GP or local community health centre
    • Youthline at 0800 376 633 or youthline.co.nz
    • Need to Talk by calling or texting 1737

    In an emergency always call 111.

    Information in different languages and the Golden rules for Alert Level 4

    Information is available in a variety of languages on the Unite against COVID-19 website, including Chinese, Hindi, and Japanese.

    The Ministry for Ethnic Communities | Te Tari Mātāwaka have released videos in different languages about the ‘Golden rules for Level 4’. Please  share this link to the videos with your networks to support our community.

    Financial support for businesses

    The Government has activated a range of supports for businesses. Find out what financial support you can get for your business on the Unite against COVID-19 webpage.

    https://covid19.govt.nz/business-and-money/financial-support/financial-support-for-businesses

    Student Hardship for International Learners

    There is also support available for international students which is available below:

     

  • Code Camp gives Japanese students a taste of a NZ education

    ENZ delivered a one-day Code Camp on 11 July to 14 high school students at Waseda Jitsugyo School, using the Code Avengers platform to deliver coding lessons in English to the students and help them build a New Zealand-themed website.

    Code Avengers is a global EdTech company based in NZ that provides interactive, gamified online courses that teach a broad range of digital skills including computer coding, digital literacy, and design.

    The Code Camp was delivered in a hybrid format with two instructors onsite at the school and one instructor joining online. The day received positive feedback from students who not only enjoyed learning how to code using English, but also experienced New Zealand’s inquiry-based style of learning in a fun, collaborative environment.

    ENZ’s Director of Education – Japan, Misa Kitaoka, says there is plenty of potential for EdTech services in Japan.

    “While there is a general perception of Japan being technologically advanced, there is a lot of catching up to do when it comes to technology . As the Japanese government accelerates the promotion of digital education during the pandemic, Code Avengers meets the immediate demands of Japanese educators to teach Digital Technology and English language.

    “What makes Code Avengers unique is its user-friendliness, accessibility and affordability.”

    Coming up in September, ENZ is teaming up with Young Enterprise (YES), the North Asia Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence (North Asia CAPE) and MEXT Tobitate (Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) to deliver a 3-day Biz Venture Programme.

    Twenty high school students from Japan and New Zealand will meet online for three days to develop business solutions to address social issues in Japan, including child poverty, gender equality and well-being, and exploring the themes of UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).

    Like Code Avengers, YES has been supporting secondary schools across NZ to promote youth entrepreneurship registering more than 1,000 enterprises, some of which have a strong SDGs focus on their business solutions.

    Head of YES, Elizabeth Pittman says, “We are thrilled to offer our first ever entrepreneurship programme for New Zealand and Japanese students.

    “With New Zealand’s geographic isolation and relatively small population, many Kiwi businesses need to think globally from the start. The BizVenture programme will allow our students to understand the Japanese business context and increase their global competency.  New Zealand youth have such a strong interest in sustainability and improving social outcomes within their communities and abroad, and this challenge allows them to explore that interest in a business context.” 

    ENZ looks forward to continuing to exploring new modes of delivery and showcasing NZ education to key partners in Japan.

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