30 October 2025 at 10:30 am
New Zealand universities on show at NACAC annual conference
From 18–20 September, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) represented New Zealand at the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) annual conference, showcasing the strength, diversity, and global appeal of New Zealand’s tertiary education sector at its exhibitor booth.
Representatives from six universities – Massey University, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Otago, University of Auckland, Lincoln University, and University of Waikato joined forces to engage with hundreds of US high school counsellors.
The New Zealand booth was a standout attraction, drawing heavy foot traffic thanks to the ever-popular ENZ Kiwi plush toys, four of which were raffled off to attendees. But while the Kiwi drew people in, it was the conversation about undergraduate study opportunities in New Zealand that kept them engaged.
Over 100 high school counsellors expressed interest in learning more about New Zealand universities, with many requesting in-person visits to their schools for student and family information sessions.
The universities and ENZ held an intimate reception for conference attendees at a local flower shop. High school counsellors had the opportunity to learn about New Zealand education offerings while doing crafts with New Zealand ferns.
ENZ also hosted an intimate reception during the conference, where attendees had a chance to learn about New Zealand and take a part of it home with them, through crafting New Zealand fern boutonnieres (similar to a corsage)
ENZ Director of Engagement North America, DuBois Jennings, said that many of the guests were Hawaiian high school counsellors.
“This event has continued the strong relationships built during ENZ’s Hawaii Roadshow earlier in the year,” he said.
“All New Zealand universities have reported a notable increase in applications from Hawaii following this roadshow,” DuBois added.
Participation in NACAC is a strategic move for ENZ, providing a vital platform to strengthen connections with US high school counsellors who are some of the key influencers in students’ college decision-making.
By deepening this stakeholder network, New Zealand universities are better positioned to attract more US students to pursue full undergraduate degrees in New Zealand.
