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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.

• Cricket star hits home the NZ education message

  Stephen is supporting the strategy by helping to raise New Zealand’s profile as an education destination among India’s leading universities, faculties and students in the South and West of India.

  Stephen’s own brand, shaped from his outstanding international cricket career, resonates enormously right across India and his down-to-earth, humble Kiwi style works well with a wide range of stakeholders.

  ENZ’s General Manager International, Peter Bull, was in India last week participating in promotional activities with Stephen and was thrilled both by the former world-class cricketer’s commitment to ENZ’s goals and by the publicity his presence creates.

  “The attention on New Zealand education that Stephen Fleming generates among the students and faculties of important universities in India is absolutely tremendous.”

  Stephen’s strong India connection can be traced back to 1994 when he faced India in his debut test cricket match. He is now the coach of the most successful Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), following an exceptional captaincy of the Black Caps.

  Using Stephen’s profile in India during April means the three-day ENZ-Stephen Fleming programme of institutional visits and media interviews is happening against the backdrop of the IPL’s eighth season. As the most watched Twenty20 league in the world with a brand value of over US$7 billion, the IPL easily tempts business outside of cricket into action as excitement in India reaches fever pitch.

  The first day of the programme took Stephen and ENZ to Hindustan University, a highly ranked engineering and technical college in Chennai, the day after CSK won its first match of this IPL season. The team won off the last ball, sparking even stronger media excitement.

  Stephen pitched New Zealand education to more than 500 passionate students and staff at the university whose graduates regularly go abroad for postgraduate studies. Stephen also drew on his own education experiences, talking about his parents’ encouragement regarding the importance of education, and in the value education has had in shaping his future. This was later noted by the university’s reporting on the visit.

  Stephen also talked to the audience about the quality of New Zealand’s education programmes, universities and work opportunities in areas including the Christchurch rebuild.

  

  Above: Stephen Fleming delivering an inspirational speech to students and faculty at Hindustan University

  “I believe in the value of an education from New Zealand, and I’m always thrilled at the enthusiasm these students show in what New Zealand can offer them in terms of our education proposition,” Stephen told ENZ staff.

  The visit also included Stephen’s inauguration of a new cricket academy with some super-star batting by the New Zealand education brand ambassador and an on-air interview at Chennai’s leading English language radio which has an audience of 600,000.

  Stephen and the ENZ team finished the day with three print media interviews, with Stephen continuing to prove his worth by bringing cricket conversations back to the benefits of a New Zealand education. He also announced a New Zealand education t-shirt design competition open to students from leading fashion schools in India. Building on recent media success from two fashion-related Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia group tours to India, and on New Zealand’s creative, innovative, fresh-thinking approach, the design competition is targeting a niche audience in a market known for engineering, business and IT. The competition closes on 1 July when Stephen Fleming will be photographed in the winning design.

  Stephen Fleming and ENZ will be in Mumbai on 16 April and Bangalore on 21 April for more institutional visits and media interviews.

  This month ENZ’s India team has also supported agent-led New Zealand fairs in Pune, Kolkata and Ahmedabad with institutions pleased with the quality of students overall. A fourth agent fair is scheduled for Cochin on 21 April while the team also supports a Christchurch Educated mission in-country.  

• NZ education shines in China

  Running alongside the fairs were the ENZ-hosted agent seminars in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. 34 institutions participated in the seminar in Beijing, alongside 112 consultants, and 46 institutions participating in the Shanghai and Guangzhou seminars, with 60 consultants participating in Shanghai, and 116 in Guangzhou.

  A true NZ Inc effort, Immigration New Zealand also attended the fairs and seminars. New Zealand students holding Prime Minister’s Scholarships to Asia and currently studying in China also helped out – and feedback from industry participants highlighted the usefulness of their Chinese-language skills and the value of their more recent experience of the New Zealand education system.  The added bonus also being that these students are walking examples of the “outcomes” of New Zealand’s education system.

  High-level support for New Zealand institutions in China was demonstrated by the attendance of the New Zealand Ambassador to China, John McKinnon, at the agent seminar and fair in Beijing, and the attendance at the seminars in Shanghai and Guangzhou of the Consul-General in Shanghai, Guergana Guermanoff and the Consul-General in Guangzhou, Rebecca Needham. This underlined the cross-NZ Inc recognition of and support for the key role education plays in the bilateral relationship.

  International Market Manager - China, Amy Rutherford said, “I was delighted that so many New Zealand education institutions representing early, secondary, higher and vocational education participated in CIEET 2015 and the agent seminars. These events build on the previous work of industry and Education New Zealand to demonstrate the high value of a New Zealand education for Chinese students – work which is paying off, with New Zealand recently included in the Top 5 preferred overseas study destinations for China’s wealthy, as surveyed by the Hurun Report.”

• Award received

  This award (following on from a similar win in 2014) again acknowledges Education New Zealand’s ongoing support and commitment to its relationship with the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (the organiser and verifier of overseas qualifications, amongst other things) as well as recognises our industry’s commitment to participating annually in this set of important profiling and recruitment events.

  The University of Waikato received its “Best Overseas Partner University” Award at the same ceremony (detailed in the last edition of E-News).

• New Zealand: Country of Honour for CEE 2015

  This year, New Zealand is CEE Country of Honour. A major achievement this represents not only the relationships developed by ENZ, but also the commitment over the years by our industry. More information will soon be released, but please start planning now to participate in October/November events in Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Shanghai!

• Outstanding ASEAN Alumni set for special project

  A special project dedicated to promoting education ties between New Zealand and countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region in celebration of the 40th anniversary.

  The project will involve 40 selected New Zealand alumni who have made significant contributions to their communities following their formative education experience in New Zealand.

  The series not only seeks to celebrate already well known alumni personalities, but also to recognise the humble, quiet achievers. The project is designed to reflect the diversity of New Zealand’s connections across ASEAN, to tell transformative human interest stories about people galvanised by their education experience in New Zealand and to promote alumni as key influencers and  ‘ambassadors’ for New Zealand education.

  Having received outstanding nominations from across all 10 Southeast Asian countries, the team is now finalising the 40 individuals who will be interviewed for 50 profiles (10 broadcast and 40 written).

  The interviews are set to get underway towards the end of this month, with the project to be completed by the end of June. From then on, ENZ will own the written and filmed content to use across multiple channels throughout the anniversary year.

• 80 more ‘Penguins’ to visit

  Education New Zealand will contact all eligible schools in the coming weeks to seek and confirm interest to participate in the programme. The scheme’s criteria stipulates candidate schools must be co-educational, non-religious and located within a close radius of the city centres in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.

  The group will be the fourth to study in New Zealand through the scholarship programme, which aims to expand the international outlook of young Chilean students and improve their English language skills.

  Known as ‘Penguins’ because of their distinctive black and white uniforms, 237 Chilean students have studied in New Zealand since the programme began in 2013.

  When announcing the programme from Chile last week Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce said the visit will enable more Chilean students to experience Kiwi life, and that more New Zealanders will learn about Chile by hosting a student or studying alongside the Penguins.

  “International students make a significant social, cultural and economic contribution to New Zealand while they’re here and remain connected as ambassadors for New Zealand when they return home.”

  Mr Joyce has been visiting Chile, Brazil and Colombia for the past eight days, leading a delegation of university representatives to the region to deepen education and trade links.

• A million-plus in a month

  As part of our support for the Christchurch Rebuild Programme, ENZ partnered a delegation of six institutions led by Canterbury Development Corporation (CDC) to promote the region across six Indian cities.

  Agent training sessions in each city reinforced the range of opportunities offered by the Canterbury region. ‘Showcase Christchurch’ events in New Delhi and Mumbai, included visits to prominent Indian institutions, a business development round table and networking session. A highlight was announcing the second annual ‘Christchurch Educated Skills Scholarships’ worth more than NZ$100,000 which received an excellent reception from students, agents and Indian media.

  Also this month, through partner ENZ Recognised Agents (ENZRA), Think New branded fairs were held in Pune, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Kochi. More than 20 New Zealand institutions participated in the fairs which collectively attracted some 1000 pre-screened potential students for New Zealand.

  “Working with recognised agents on these fairs enables us to have a wider geographical reach and retain two rounds of New Zealand education fairs in India (in April and August). The fairs all comply with ENZ brand guidelines ensuring consistency in messaging and agents also pre-screen students so a quality turnout is assured,” says Ziena Jalil, ENZ Regional Director – South and South East Asia.

  

  Above: The ENZRA fair in Kochi saw a good turnout of quality students

  Amidst the fairs and Christchurch Educated events, Stephen Fleming continued to bat for New Zealand education, connecting with more than 2,200 enthusiastic students through high profile institutional visits in Chennai, Mumbai and Bangalore. In addition to raising awareness for New Zealand education the visits opened up a range of engagement opportunities for New Zealand institutions such as student and faculty exchanges and twinning programmes.

  

  Through a variety of media initiatives, Stephen reached 1,702,218 active readers and listeners across India to convey New Zealand education messages.

  Building on this momentum, ENZ has launched two student competitions in India, again aimed at targeting high quality students and raising interest and preference for New Zealand as a study destination.

  For more information please email: india@enz.govt.nz 

• 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.

• Christchurch - Sichuan partnership deepens

  The visiting group consisted of representatives from provincial government, business, tourism, education and the arts. The event was formally opened by the Vice-Chairman of the Sichuan Provincial People’s Congress, Mr Li Xiangzhi and Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Hon Louise Upston.

  In her address, the Minister noted: “the two regions also have a passionate interest in education, which is my particular area of focus.  We both value the contribution international education makes to enrich the diversity of our respective communities.  We also know that as the world becomes ever more inter-connected, learning about people from other cultures and environments is critical.”

  Education was a particular focus of the visit, building on agreements developed since 2013 between the Sichuan Education Department and Christchurch Educated.

  During “Splendid Sichuan” the parties signed an implementation plan for 2015-16, confirming plans for future inbound exchange activity. Sichuan Education Department presented Christchurch Educated with 15 full scholarships for Christchurch students to study in Sichuan. 

  During a Tertiary Education Forum leaders from both regions discussed plans for developing closer partnerships. 

  Sichuan and Christchurch share common experiences in recovering from major earthquakes and some of the future education opportunities will be focussed on this. Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel led a Christchurch delegation to China last month and in her visit to Sichuan emphasised the developing close relationship between the regions, evidenced by the progress made in developing education alliances.