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• High satisfaction rates amongst valuable insights collected from NZIEC KI TUA 2023 post-event survey

  As standard practice for our events, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) sends out a post-event survey to help us in planning for future conferences and would like to extend a big thank you to all those who took the time to share their feedback with us.  

  Manager Global Events and Agents, Janine Huxford, said that the information we gather via these surveys is of huge value to her team as planning has already started for NZIEC KI TUA 2024.  

  “The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive and 88% of attendees reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their experience at NZIEC KI TUA 2023. We also received a net promoter score of +27 which is well above the events industry’s benchmark of +10 which shows strong customer engagement and advocacy levels.  

  “While these satisfaction rates are helpful and show that we are hitting the mark with most attendees, we really like to delve a bit deeper into the areas which haven’t quite met the delegates’ expectations. For example, satisfaction was slightly higher for those attending from the universities vs the school sector so we will be reviewing aspects of future schedules including the relevance of the sessions and making sure this is more evenly spread for all areas of the sector”.  

  “Also, there was feedback from some delegates that the app did not work as well as it could have. We have fed that information back to the developers who have confirmed that development work is scheduled to improve the mobile app. A future release is expected later this year which we expect will improve next year’s conference app.” added Janine.  

  In summary, the key findings from the survey were:  

  • Overall, 88% of attendees reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their experience at NZIEC KI TUA 2023. 3.5% reported not being satisfied with their experience. 

  • There was some variation in overall satisfaction with NZIEC KI TUA within the sector: Those affiliated with a university were statistically more likely to be very/satisfied with their experience (95%) than those affiliated with a school (86%) 

  • Despite evidence that those affiliated with a university were more likely than those with a school to report overall satisfaction with NZIEC KI TUA, the NPS for schools (+25) was higher than that for universities (14%).  

  • All keynote sessions were perceived to be of high quality by most respondents, with few responding negatively. A small proportion of attendees rated the sessions by Dr Hinemoa Elder (18%), Yemi Penn (13%), and Kaila Colbin (7%) as ‘fair’. 

  • Among networking opportunities at the conference delegates were most satisfied with opportunities to reconnect with sector colleagues (88% very/completely satisfied), followed by opportunities to meet new people (84%) and engage with partners (70%). 

  • Among experiences of the conference, delegates were most satisfied with the helpfulness of the organising staff (98% very/completely satisfied), followed by the organisation of the event (87%), quality of the sessions (74%), and relevance of the sessions (65%)  

  • The relevance of the sessions (30%), quality of the sessions (22%), and the event organisation (18%) contributed the most to people’s response to the Net Promoter Score question. This means that they are the most important factors in people’s experiences for their likelihood to recommend NZIEC KI TUA to others. 

  • Around half of the respondents felt more or much more confident that the New Zealand international education sector is ‘moving in the right direction’ (54%) and that it is resilient (53%). Only 7% felt less confident in either. 

  ENZ looks forward to welcoming you to another outstanding experience at NZIEC KI TUA 2024 in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington from 6 - 8 August 2024 at Tākina Convention Centre. See you there!  

  

• 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

• Kiwis lead NAFSA Film Festival

  The opportunity to showcase Kiwi film expertise in the NAFSA Film Festival came as part of Education New Zealand’s NAFSA sponsorship.

  Pete's Dragon is a mix of live action and CGI, and was filmed in New Zealand with Kiwis making up more than 80 per cent of the production crew. The CGI dragon, Elliot, was entirely animated by Weta Digital.

  Following the screening, ENZ arranged a guest panel with Matt Dravitzki and two Auckland University of Technology (AUT) alumni, Toiroa Williams and Atereano Mateariki – both recent graduates in communications, film and media.

  Matt gave the audience a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Pete’s Dragon, and spoke about the influence his New Zealand education had had on his career. He noted that in New Zealand people are trained to work in lots of areas within the film industry and become a ‘jack of all trades,’ which he felt gave him an advantage in his LA-based role for Weta Digital. By contrast, filmmakers in the US tend to remain very specialised.

  Toiroa and Atereano are now based in LA, having won AUT internships to Sundance and Paramount Recording studios, respectively. They gave an incredible account of how their New Zealand education has opened up doors they could never have imagined.

  Toiroa said that his studies had given him the chance to enter the film world and to tell Māori stories that mattered to him and his whānau. “Education is key,” he said.

  As a trainee within the Sundance Institute’s Native American and Indigenous Film Program, Toiroa said he is involved in everything from administration to script reading and strategic planning.

  He and Atereano also spoke about the New Zealand ‘network’ in the film industry, with Taika Waititi and Cliff Curtis reaching out to help them settle into their new city.

  Kaylee Butters, ENZ’s Director – Student Engagement, said the film festival was another unique and engaging way to show New Zealand’s strengths in creativity and innovation.

  “Having high-calibre New Zealand alumni share their experiences helped to reinforce the positive outcomes of a New Zealand education,” she said. 

• GP practice for international students

  Caring Clinic is focused on meeting the needs of international students and migrants from Asia, providing services in Cantonese and Mandarin as well as English, and offers innovative services including Skype consultations after hours and e-prescriptions.

  The new clinic has been welcomed by the Auckland Agency Group (AAG), a cross-agency collaboration of central and local government agencies formed to lead communication with international student groups, ethnic communities and providers in Auckland. 

  Hayley Shields, ENZ’s Director of Student Experience and Chair of AAG, said the new clinic reflects the shift to make support services more attuned to students’ cultural needs.

  “More than 60 per cent of international student enrolments are in Auckland, and it’s important for students to be able to access culturally appropriate healthcare services.

  “This is one of the key objectives in the New Zealand International Student Wellbeing Strategy.”

  Dr Jessie Liu and Dr Ruoh Sim, the two principal doctors at Caring Clinic, came to New Zealand as teenagers and both studied medicine at Otago University.  

• Leadership and Global Citizenship Programme 1 10x

• Girls in Tech

• ECE 2

• New student forum for NauMai NZ WeChat mini programme

  Education New Zealand’s NauMai NZ platform is designed to inform, support and empower international students.

  A WeChat mini programme – an app designed for the WeChat ecosystem popular with Chinese students – has extended NauMai NZ’s reach, attracting over 12,000 users in its first year.

  The NauMai NZ WeChat mini programme helps students make the most of their New Zealand experience, with advice on everything from finding a part-time job and knowing their rental rights to looking after their wellbeing and understanding Kiwi English. There are also stories from students about their lives – for instance, people sharing ideas on what to do during their summer in New Zealand.

  “We know that Chinese students prefer to connect with each other in their language, on the WeChat channel they trust,” says Faymie Li, Senior Advisor for Student Experience at ENZ.

  “We’re delighted to see how much they enjoy this digital platform and how quickly it’s growing. It’s great to be able to connect Chinese students to each other and to people who’re willing to help them out.”

  The WeChat mini programme has now run six livestreams hosted by experts, alumni and current international students on topics including employability, how to grow your network, and mental health and wellbeing. Students tuning in to watch can use the chat feature to ask questions.

  The livestreams have attracted a total of nearly 3,000 live views with over 18,000 engagements during the live events and, so far, more than 1,000 views afterwards.

  The WeChat mini programme has now added a new forum so that Chinese students and alumni can better share their life and study experiences and support one another. The text-based, moderated forum allows students to have their questions answered by their peers.

  A group of international students have signed on as ambassadors for the WeChat forum, including alumni from the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia programme. One of the forum ambassadors, Mengdi Zhang, says she’s looking forward to connecting with newer students.

  “I am excited to be a student ambassador so that any students with unresolved questions can reach out. I can see my own past in the students’ questions, and I hope to help them through to a better experience in New Zealand,” she said.

  If you would like to know more about the NauMai NZ WeChat mini programme, contact faymie.li@enz.govt.nz. You can share it with others using the WeChat QR code.

• ENZRA fairs in India

  To register, select the event you want to attend online, click ‘Contact Us’ and enter your details. An email will go directly to the agent who will provide you with a registration link. Registration for ENZRA fairs will be on a first in first served basis.

  Register here

• Around the world in 21