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International Student Barometer Results: school sector
The results of the International Student Barometer (ISB) survey for the school sector are now in, and New Zealand has maintained very high overall student satisfaction.
ENZ commissioned the ISB survey of students at schools to investigate the decision-making, expectations, perceptions and experiences of over 2,000 international students aged 16+.
Unlike the surveys of the other sectors, there is no global benchmark, because New Zealand is the only country which undertakes the ISB survey in the school sector. However, we can compare ourselves with our own performance in 2012, which was also very high.
Ninety-four percent of school students surveyed were satisfied with their experience. This is on par with the 2012 survey. Students showing the highest satisfaction level were from France, Hong Kong, Germany, and Brazil.
This is a great result for the NZ school sector – maintaining high satisfaction levels, while growing student numbers.
Eighty-eight percent are happy with their life in New Zealand. Three out of four students would recommend their school to other students thinking of studying there.
It’s worth noting that overall satisfaction levels vary noticeably by institution and by nationality. Most participating institutions have received their own results to analyse and help inform the development of services and support for their student cohorts.
Generally speaking, the areas with lowest student satisfaction are around making friends with locals, and some aspects of arrival support – elements of which are issues for international students globally, not just in New Zealand.
Education New Zealand will be using this data to identify follow-up actions and deliver professional development support to schools.
One particular point to note is that, of those students who plan to stay in New Zealand after school (26 percent), two thirds intend to go to university. And, 26 percent of all students don’t yet know what they will do post-school – an opportunity for local tertiary providers.
A point of comparison is Australia’s International Student Survey 2014, in which 82 percent of school students were satisfied with their overall experience.
More in-depth results of the New Zealand survey are available in the ISB School Sector Summary Report 2015 and the ISB School Sector Presentation.
Competition winners and interns enjoy trip of a lifetime
A separate competition was launched in India called ‘Fashion for Fleming’, requiring fashion students to design a t-shirt for ENZ’s Brand Ambassador, Stephen Fleming. The competition encouraged students from India to incorporate creative designs showcasing the unique values of both countries. The winner received a two week internship at AUT’s Fashion School.
As well, over the past couple of months, two students from Viet Nam and India, and one each from Indonesia and Malaysia undertook all-expenses paid internships at various institutes in New Zealand.
We’ve received some outstanding feedback from the interns and the respective institutions, both during the internships and after the students returned home. Here’s a taste of what they said:
Armeet Narang, a student from Symbiosis Institute, Pune won a four-week internship at Avondale College
"My experience in New Zealand as an intern is something I will cherish in the future. The people, culture, food, and the work ethic is very much different than in India, something that left me speechless. It was robust and fresh, something I believe every student needs in their college life. Perhaps, what left me astonished was the education system over there, so much more developed. Avondale College and the staff at the International Department were so warm and welcoming I settled right in. It was too good to be true for me. My homestay parents were simply perfect. A month after my return, I still miss that place - the weather, the food and the people. Such an opportunity is sure to open many doors for me, and I cannot be grateful enough.” - Armeet Narang
“Avondale College welcomed the opportunity to host an intern from India and we were most pleased with the successful candidate when he arrived. Armeet immediately became one of the team at the Avondale College International Department, and set up his work station in the reception office - a signal to us he was here to integrate with the students, learn how a busy office worked, and to offer a new perspective.
Initial discussions on how Armeet could add value included doing a SWOT analysis, reviewing current strategies of NZ Schools active in the Indian market, and developing a marketing strategy and plan for Avondale College to implement. Having a particular interest in use of media and digital channels, Armeet launched into a review of the current Avondale College website and Facebook usage and developed a best practice model to head towards.
Armeet took every advantage of getting out and about in Auckland and the North Island. His trip culminated in attending the All Blacks game against Australia. His first rugby match he described it almost as good as an IPL match. From our perspective the internship was a huge success with learnings from both Armeet and institution. Many thanks to ENZ for the opportunity. We are solid advocates for such projects.” - Chris Klaassen, Director of International, Avondale College
Nguyen Hoai Thuong, Vietnam won a four-week internship at Palmerston North Girls High School
“What I love most about New Zealand is that people are very friendly. I didn’t feel like I was in a foreign country, but at home, as a family member. The environment in New Zealand also captured my attention, since people have good awareness of environment protection, and it did have an impact on me after coming back to Vietnam. I also learnt a lot from my colleagues, not only marketing knowledge, but also their passion. They inspired me and made me realise that once you pour all your heart into doing something, anything can be meaningful and memorable. I really hope that one day I can go back to NZ, to learn more and explore more, and most of all, to see again the people giving me the best time of my youth.” - Nguyen Hoai Thuong
Pham Phuong Lam, Vietnam won a four-week internship at Academic Colleges Group
“The one-month internship at ACG was an unforgettable experience. Auckland is a small, multi-cultural city that has made me feel welcome since my very first day. I love the people here, they are friendly, open and very kind. Working in ACG is my first working abroad experience. My colleagues always support and give me good advice to know more about international marketing. ACG has many education institutions that has helped me gain an overall view of New Zealand education, which is famous for critical thinking development and taking good care of international students.” - Pham Phuong Lam
Competition winners: Intern Edo with Vice Chancellor Stuart McChutcheon and Deputy Vice Chancellor Jenny Dixon.
Edo Dwi Prayogo, Indonesia won a four-week internship at The University of Auckland
“I was surprised how easy the Vice Chancellor was to talk to. I feel so lucky to have this whole opportunity. This is my first internship, and I’m having so many new experiences. I’m really enjoying the work environment – it’s so interesting to learn how an organisation reaches international markets, and to be involved in that.” - Edo Dwi Prayogo
“Having Edo with us for a month has been fantastic. He has made an excellent contribution to the team and we have benefitted from the insights he has provided into the Indonesian market and Indonesian culture.” - University of Auckland International Marketing Manager Shane Ball
Kong Kah Weng (Eric), Malaysia won a four-week internship at Choose New Zealand Education Alliance
Life here is completely different compared to Malaysia. What I have noticed so far, New Zealand is much more structured, less polluted, westernised, the standard of living is higher, buildings are flat, less traffic congestion, convenient public transportation and the city is filled with outrageously beautiful natural scenes.
My first day working with Novo Education was remarkable, work culture here is very different. Working hours can be flexible; capability, trust and responsibility are amongst the key qualities of being a good staff. I have been catching up and learning many different tasks as an intern. In fact the work environment moulds you towards a positive working culture.
I have got to know some friends here doing their undergraduate program at a polytechnic institution. In Malaysian’s mind, polytechnics are lousy. This perception does not apply to New Zealand surprisingly. Instead, they offer various types of programmes, well recognised locally and internationally up to postgraduate level. On top of it, they cost less than university.
Lamb and beef taste like heaven! Many other local productions like diary, chocolate, chips and wine are a must try. My honest opinion, I think I feel in love with this country and things around.” - Eric Kong
“Novo Education has been delighted to host the ENZ prize winning student from Malaysia, Eric Kong, as an intern for 4 weeks. Eric visited the campuses of Choose New Zealand members in Auckland, New Plymouth, Whitianga, Greymouth and Christchurch, and is even more enthusiastic about New Zealand education than before he arrived, and was very active in posting positive comments on social media. In turn he has provided us with some insights and research into potential niche markets in Malaysia, and we feel quite excited about future opportunities there.
We wish him very well in his continuing studies. Thank you to Education New Zealand for the opportunity to participate in this internship programme, and we can certainly recommend it to any other institution in the future. ” - Bruce Cleland, Chairman, Choose New Zealand Education Alliance
Somsurvo Chatterjee, a student from NIFT, Kolkata won a two-week internship at the AUT University’s Fashion School
“I am learning new, innovative ways of garment designing at AUT, which will help me incorporate new design elements when I go back to Kolkata. I am enjoying the student life and culture in Auckland, people on campus have been very friendly and the students from the fashion department organised a surprise picnic for me at the studio which means a lot considering I am in a new country. I will cherish my time and learnings at AUT for life. - Somsurvo Chatterjee
Winner of the ‘Fashion for Fleming’ design competition Somsuvro Chatterjee with his winning design for Stephen Fleming inspired by the Christchurch Cardboard Cathedral.
Hawke’s Bay groups collaborate for growth
The group of education providers and partner agencies are making sure their “shop front” is as attractive and welcoming as possible. E-News caught up with Education Hawke’s Bay Business Development Manager, Steph Kennard, on the approach.
Who makes up Education Hawke’s Bay?
Education Hawke’s Bay is a voluntary member organisation made up of local government, schools, our ITP and PTEs. We were formed approximately two years ago with the common goal of doubling the value of international students to the region by 2025.
What was the motivation behind the re-brand and new website?
We wanted to create an identity for Education Hawke’s Bay that served multiple purposes, with a brand that would give our members a sense of belonging. We wanted to showcase Hawke’s Bay as a study destination at the same time as promoting the special characteristics of each education provider. By developing a website, and removing the dependence upon printed brochures, we have reduced our overall costs.
Based on this brief, we developed a new brand called ‘Learning Hawke’s Bay’ and new website www.learninghawkesbay.nz. The use of the word ‘Learning’ represents both the study and leisure experience – students come here to study in a classroom, but they will also gain experience – learn – outside of it, through our culture and local tourism.
Our logo operates on several levels – acting as a pointer to direct the viewer, resembling an open book and also an open laptop. This works well with our ‘Learning’ brand.
The website works as a stand-alone site, but can also be incorporated within individual members’ marketing collateral. Our website uses large format imagery to “paint a picture” of Hawke’s Bay as pictures require little, or no, translation! These images have been chosen to appeal to both students and parents alike, and regardless of country of origin.
Our website ensures we can respond quickly to queries and can be updated within moments.
What part does the rebrand and new website play in your overall strategy?
The website and brand are an integral component of our strategy and give us the tools to promote Hawke’s Bay to students overseas. Building the website has meant we can work more smartly on our international promotions. The next steps are to incorporate a social media presence and build on our communication plan.
Are there any particular successes or learnings you’d like to share from the rebranding exercise?
It was important to ensure that our design, including colour and brand, represented our members and was functional. We also required the website to be built with an easy content management system so that we could make changes quickly in-house, without incurring extra costs. The framework also needed to be flexible enough to enable us to develop the website and make additions to pages without the need for a full re-design.
You recently took part in a regional cluster pilot with Hastings District Council. How has this gone?
The Agent tour was our first real taste of regional clustering in practice. It certainly had its challenges as each member had a different view of which country we should be targeting. In the end we settled on Japan, which meant that not all members participated.
The other project in the pilot, is to develop a revenue monitoring framework. This is still in the planning, as it requires data which the Education Hawke’s Bay team can’t yet access. Our stakeholders are keen to know just what revenue is generated by our international students, so we want to ensure accuracy.
What part has ENZ’s Regional Partnership Programme played in the development and operationalisation of your strategy?
The support and advice from the ENZ Business Development team has been hugely appreciated, as it can be quite isolating being based in a region and trying to please each of the members. Of course, the financial support has enabled us to employ someone to help us deliver on our regional strategic goals for growth.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Our region has just taken part in a poll which proposed that all five councils amalgamate. The proposal was turned down by the community. Although this has been challenging for our region in general terms, the regional education cluster we have established is a great example of how collaboration among members from both Hastings and Napier can work!
Enhancements to Study In New Zealand website
As the audience has been steadily building, we’ve also been working to enhance the student experience, by adding more relevant content and improving the navigability of the site.
Expanded translations
One of the exciting recent developments has been content translation, with students from China, Viet Nam and Thailand now able to access translated versions of most of the site in their native language. The global home page and ‘Get Started’ sections will be updated and translated soon.
The translated content is accessed by selecting the drop down menu under the ‘International’ tab at the top right of the website, as per the screen grab below.
We’re sharing the good news via our hugely popular agent and social media channels, so how about doing the same and giving your Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese students the opportunity to get the lowdown on studying in New Zealand in their own language?
We’ll keep you updated when further translations are rolled out.
New content
Another enhancement to studyinnewzealand.com is our recently-established blog.
Having a modern audience-driven blog is a highly-effective way of connecting with our audiences in an authentic and trustworthy way, and will be one of the cornerstones of our content marketing strategy.
The blog gives prospective international students the chance to explore what it’s like to study and live in New Zealand, through the eyes of current and former students.
To make it as easy as possible for students to identify and access the content that’s of most interest to them, the experiences are arranged in the following sections: ‘Student Life’, ‘Travel and Adventure’, ‘Working while Studying’, and ‘How-tos and tips’ .
We’re aiming for 90 percent of the blog content to be student-generated, with additional content coming from key influencers, such as guest lecturers, our NZ Inc partners where appropriate and ourselves. We’ve seeded the blog with a range of articles to kick off with, and will expand the content as more student experiences are captured.
Our Marketing and Channels team is currently working on a content marketing strategy, which will include a blog content calendar. If you have access to great student-generated content you think might interest our target audiences please feel free to send it through to: blog@studyinnewzealand.com.
Sharing the international student experience
In August, ENZ and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade brought together 30 international tertiary students representing all ten ASEAN countries, and ten New Zealand students who had participated in the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia Understanding South East Asia programme. The purpose? To celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and ASEAN by strengthening connections among students, and to provide the students with a platform for sharing their views on the international student experience in New Zealand.
Over 100 nominations were received from a range of New Zealand’s universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics, and private training establishments for students from ASEAN countries to participate. Each nominating institution had at least one representative at the two-day programme in Wellington. Participating students were enrolled in a range of programmes from Level 4 certificates through to doctoral level.
Many of the nominating institutions created online media content around Student Voice and the students themselves set up a Facebook page especially for the event which attracted media attention both in New Zealand and overseas.
The students heard from industry experts on the importance of alumni networks, the value of a New Zealand education, and the importance of ASEAN-New Zealand links in business.
Lester Khoo from AUT University engaged the students on how a New Zealand education can launch careers in ASEAN, with one student responding:
“The launch pad was really useful and changed my perspective of being an ASEAN student. I used to think very selfishly about my own career not about the development of my country and other ASEAN countries. The launch pad makes me realize there might be something that I can do to improve my country and the relationship between New Zealand and ASEAN countries.”
In the key download session of Student Voice 2015, the students employed “Design Thinking” methodology to share their international student experiences and to think creatively together to reframe any challenges as opportunities.
There was lots of discussion around the quirkiness of New Zealand life which the students rated as very appealing. This included getting to understand and use Kiwi slang, and the relaxed and welcoming way everyone treats each other. Life in New Zealand is “sweet as”.
Integration in New Zealand was a topic that was very important to the students. They collaborated to develop a range of solutions to improve the integration process for international students in New Zealand. These included initiatives for New Zealand institutions but also advice for international students themselves. Some of the ideas for initiatives focused on campus events, and social media activity, to encourage an appreciation of cultures, and for international students to actively look for opportunities to engage with their New Zealand peers.
ENZ will be sharing further detail directly with the New Zealand institutions who engaged in Student Voice.
One student commented on the integration process by saying, “independence especially in a foreign country is a challenge, making it more difficult when homesickness strikes and adaptation is hard. But I think it’s all part of the process, because in a brighter perspective, New Zealand offers a wide opportunity to search for new paths in expressing yourself and adopting to different cultures and people.”
The students also listed some of their “top fives” on a range of topics.
Reasons for picking NZ as your study destination
- Overseas graduates are inspirational and exceptional
- Experience new things and independence
- Higher quality of education
- Financial support i.e. scholarships
- To fulfil my fly fishing obsession
Things I hope my NZ education will provide for me
- Change
- Professional development
- Friendship network
- World class education
- Personal development
Things that influenced my decision to study abroad
- Safe, clean and student friendly environment
- More job opportunities and linkages
- Multicultural environment
- State of the art technology and top notch quality of education system
Things that surprised me about NZ
- You can take a banana to the exam room
- Slang is the new English
- You can banter with professors – no more ‘yes sir’
- Four seasons in one day
- Ethics approval is required for animal studies – even for mussels!
Things I would tell my friends about studying in NZ
- Surprising kindness – a kiwi high school teacher decided to pay for my studies overnight
- To see people go to school bare footed
- NZ institutions offer a world class standard of education and you will definitely change as individuals to become a well-rounded person
- Explore – do outdoor activities
- The freedom of expression
Things I would say to recommend NZ to potential students
- Come to one country and see the whole world
- Number 1 place to experience study and witness the best of nature
- The best place for study and family life
- It is really safe here – 2nd safest county in the world. Low crime rate, Low accident rate.
- Mixed religion – freedom to practice our beliefs
Inaugural Japan Fair a resounding success
It wasn’t just about the numbers though – the level of interest and engagement between visitors and exhibitors was palpable. Many visitors spent a few hours at the fair, taking their time to explore study options in New Zealand. Participating New Zealand providers enjoyed both the quantity and quality of their consultations with potential students, parents and schools.
Much to the keen interest of their New Zealand counterparts, representatives from some of Japan’s universities also attended, with a view to seeking partnerships.
Frances Little, Director, International Centre at AUT University, remarked, “Congratulations on an extremely successful agent workshop and student fair in Tokyo. These were the best supported events organised by ENZ I have attended in my years working in the industry. Team Japan you are a credit to the organisation and deserve every accolade you get. Thank you for everything, AUT will definitely be at the Japan events next year.”
In conjunction with the fair, ENZ hosted two education seminars and alumni networking events in Osaka on 8 October and Tokyo on 9 October. More than 65 education agents and institutions in total attended the seminars, and more than 150 guests were welcomed at the networking events.
ENZ is grateful for the support of Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand at the fair, as well as that of entrepreneurial New Zealand companies, Cookie Time and Allpress Espresso, that provided cookie and coffee samples to the guests.
As part of ENZ’s Business Plan for 2015/16 Japan was prioritised as a ‘promote’ market and will see a corresponding increase in the number of promotional activities. With the Japanese government’s goal to double the number of Japanese students studying overseas to 18,000 by 2020, and with the upcoming Rugby World Cup in 2019 and the Olympics in 2020, we are seeing Japanese schools and universities have be increasingly proactive in exploring international partnership opportunities.
ENZ looks forward to hosting an education fair, agent/industry seminars and alumni networking events again in October 2016.
Announcements to support industry growth
Here’s a round-up of recent news:
$2.7 million for international education in regions and new markets
An additional $2.76 million of funding is being invested through ENZ to strengthen key market relationships, support diversification into new markets and build on our Regional Partnership Programme.
The Regional Partnership Programme will receive $2 million to help grow international education. The investment is focused on growth in the regions, and will enable more regions to join the Programme and further regional development initiatives to be supported. For more information on the Regional Partnership Programme, contact Greg Scott, Business Development Manager.
Efforts to diversify growth across more markets continue, with an additional $700,000 invested in stepping up marketing and promotional activity in Colombia, the USA and Viet Nam, the Philippines and Indonesia.
Here’s a link to the press release.
School ties with China
Twenty-five schools across New Zealand received funding to build their sister school relationships with China. Recipients include Marlborough Girls’ College and Marlborough Boys’ College, which received funding of $5,000 to develop a sister school partnership in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, one of China’s leading wine-producing regions. The colleges are also working with the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology to encourage Chinese student enrolments into courses relevant to New Zealand’s wine industry.
Here’s a link to the press release.
Read the article in the Marlborough Express here.
Study Abroad growth
A new scholarship for European Union students will target Study Abroad growth at New Zealand universities.
Total funding of NZ$100,000 for scholarships, co-funded between ENZ and universities, will be offered as part of a marketing campaign being prepared to grow the number of Study Abroad student arrivals from Europe to New Zealand. The announcement came during Prime Minister John Key’s visit to Europe to advance the bilateral and trade relationship between EU and New Zealand.
Here’s a link to the press release.
Scholarships bring Korean students to New Zealand
New Zealand’s profile as a study destination was further raised in Korea during Minister Joyce’s recent visit. In Seoul on 19 October the Minister awarded four aspiring Korean golfers scholarships to spend a month in New Zealand receiving intensive English language teaching and top quality golf coaching, under the Game On English - Golf edu-sport programme.
Here’s a link to the press release.
And, for those of you who read Korean, here’s some of the coverage the event received in Korea:
Ilgan Sports ‘Education New Zealand provides golf training opportunity in New Zealand to four aspiring Korean golfers’
Business Korea ‘New Zealand Educates Korean Golfers’
Segye Ilbo ‘New Zealand ‘Game On English-Golf’ providing opportunity to four recipients’
Teaching the world about New Zealand
To better market New Zealand as a study destination, we’ve added hundreds of high-resolution images, videos, infographics and case studies to the New Zealand Story toolkit.
What is the New Zealand story?
New Zealand Story is an initiative that brings together expertise from the private sector and Government agencies, including NZTE, Tourism New Zealand, Education New Zealand (ENZ) and more. Our purpose is to help define the things that make us unique as a country and give us a framework to share our New Zealand story with the world. Our toolkit is a big part of this. The New Zealand Story business toolkit resources are consistent with and support the resources available to you in ENZ’s Brand Lab.
How the toolkit can help
When people choose to study overseas, they leave behind their friends, their family and their comfort zone. So when deciding on a place to go, they’ll want somewhere that’s not only tolerant of foreigners, but welcoming and friendly. The toolkit is packed with resources that highlight our open hearts and open minds.
Chances are they’ll also be keen to experience a new culture and way of life. There’s nowhere quite like New Zealand for a unique cultural experience, and again, the toolkit has a huge range of images, videos and case studies that showcase our open spaces and can connect your brand with our country’s great lifestyle and rich culture.
Lastly, it’s important to remember that they’re coming to study. New Zealand is world-class in many areas, including sports, tourism and education. Combine that with our reputation for creativity, innovation and ingenuity and we really are an ideal destination for those looking to kick start their career. Our toolkit features more than just pretty landscapes – it’s also packed with resources that highlight our expertise in these areas.
Craft your own New Zealand story
Stories bring ideas to life in a way that makes them both memorable and shareable. And whether you’re a school, a tertiary institution or another education provider altogether, that’s exactly what you need to stand out from the crowd. The toolkit can help you tell your story in an engaging and compelling way.
Go check it out
Register at nzstory.govt.nz for free access to all of the assets in our toolkit. You can also subscribe to the New Zealand Story newsletter to keep up-to-date with new content, research and case studies.
Korean education relationship strengthened
Minister Joyce took part in three key education-related events while there.
NZ/Korea joint qualification recognition one step closer
Minister Joyce and Republic of Korea's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Hwang Woo Yea (left) exchange gifts following the bilateral meeting.
Minister Joyce met the Republic of Korea's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Hwang Woo Yea, on 19 October, and announced the completion of a research project which confirmed the comparability of the two countries’ senior secondary school curricula and qualifications. They also discussed other bilateral cooperation matters, such as increasing the two-way flow of students and Korean language teaching in New Zealand.
“Working towards joint recognition of secondary schools qualification will encourage more Korean and New Zealand students to study in each other’s country, particularly as New Zealand and Korea are set to become even closer partners as we implement our new Free Trade Agreement,” said Minister Joyce.
Game On English - Golf scholars and Minister exchange swing and putting tips
Minister Joyce demonstrates his putting prowess
Four aspiring Korean golfers will get the opportunity to walk the footsteps of world-famous Kiwi-Korean golfers thanks to a Game On English - Golf scholarship awarded to them in Seoul on 19 October by Minister Joyce. Game On English - Golf provides intensive English language classes and top quality golf coaching to talented young Koreans who want to become professional golfers.
ENZ’s Regional Director for Japan, Korea and the Americas, Lisa Futschek, explained, “‘Game On English - Golf’ brings together New Zealand’s expertise in golf coaching with our education system that consistently ranks amongst the best in the world.
Fifteen year-old scholarship recipient, Ms Lim Hee Jeong, commented at the awards ceremony, “I am honoured to be the first Game On English - Golf scholarship winner. I will train very hard at New Zealand’s best golf training academy, the Institute of Golf, and study very hard at Unique New Zealand, and [one day] become a top professional golfer!”
L-R, scholarship recipients: Kim Beom Soo (age 17), Jung Teayang (age 15), Lim Heejeong (age 15). Absent: Kim Sojung (age 17)
Kiwi Alumni Association supporting New Zealand graduates in Korea
There was a warm and friendly atmosphere at the Kiwi Alumni reception
More than 100 graduates of New Zealand education institutions turned up to the second networking event organised by the Kiwi Alumni Association and held at the New Zealand Residence on 19 October.
The Kiwi Alumni Association was launched in March 2015 during the Prime Minister’s visit to Seoul as a way to tap into the growing number of New Zealand-educated Koreans who are returning to Korea. Maintaining contact with the alumni, who go on to work in diverse industries, helps build a constituency of supporters for New Zealand across Korea.
“The Kiwi Alumni Association provides opportunities to develop and grow partnerships between New Zealand and Korea. The networking opportunities offered by the Kiwi Alumni Association are hugely important, providing a strong basis on which partnerships and other collaborative prospects can be formed,” said Minister Joyce.
Game On, in Japan
Among the over 60 guests who attended the event, were New Zealand’s Ambassador to Japan, Mark Sinclair; Senior Adviser to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Shinichi Yamanaka; Vice President of the Japan Rugby Football Union, Masayuki Takashima; and Fonterra Japan President, Yasuhiro Saito.
Those GOE student participants who were present spoke, in English, of how fulfilling an experience it was, and of their desire to come back to New Zealand for further study.
Twelve male high school students from institutions that belong to Kanto Super League spent time in Hamilton from mid-July to early August this year, receiving high level rugby coaching care of the Waikato Rugby Union as well as undergoing an intensive English language programme at the University of Waikato Pathways College.
Ten female rugby players selected by the Japan Rugby Football Union spent time in Auckland in August, participating in a similar programme run by the Auckland Rugby Union and the New Zealand Language Centres.
Fonterra Japan sponsored the Hamilton programme while Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology provided financial support for the Auckland programme.
Both groups of students stayed with local families while in New Zealand.
GOE Rugby was launched by Prime Ministers Shinzō Abe and John Key in July 2014 in response to the Japanese government’s goal to improve the English language skills and increase the sporting capacity of Japan’s young people in the lead up to Japan’s hosting of the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Olympics.
Led by English New Zealand in partnership with the Essentially Group, GOE Rugby includes five top provincial rugby unions and selected premium English language providers based in locations throughout New Zealand.
From November, the GOR Rugby will be available to high school groups from across Japan.
For more information on the details of the programme, please contact Misa Pitt, ENZ Japan.