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- ICEE no 5
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PIF Recipient: Virtual Medical Coaching
In the United States alone, approximately 800 women die each year during pregnancy and within 42 days after delivery. More than 60% of those deaths are believed to be preventable. In developing countries, the rate of pregnancy-related deaths is up to 300 times higher.
An important part of the solution is education. Globally, midwives are in high demand, with the UK’s NHS increasing their places for student midwives by 3000, starting this year. Australia is also planning to increase numbers, while in New Zealand, a funding boost will increase the number of Māori and Pacific students training in midwifery.
While the demand for midwifery training is growing, education offerings haven’t kept up. Childbirth is deeply personal, and feedback from mothers – validated by hospital staff – is that they do not wish to have extra staff or students in the room for training. With no effective opportunities for face-to-face learning, there is a global need for a realistic and scalable childbirth simulation.
That’s where Virtual Medical Coaching’s vision comes in, supported as a recipient of the International Education Product Innovation Fund. Virtual reality (VR) software will provide a safe and controlled environment for students to see and assist in childbirth simulations, both with and without complications and in a range of different scenarios. As the student improves, the simulations they encounter increase in difficulty. A machine-learning algorithm enables fast and accurate feedback to both the learner and any tutors.
The simulation will be interactive and responsive, meaning that any action taken by a student creates a life-like consequence and reaction. The outcome is that learners are taught to effectively make decisions and problem solve.
Existing options for midwifery training include a physical mannequin simulator, but this can be prohibitively expensive, out of reach of many training providers, and doesn’t offer students maximum learning hours. In addition, existing options don’t include the ability to witness mechanisms like rotations/restitutions or the ability to have back and forth conversations. By contrast, the VR simulation will be available to students wherever they are, and whenever they need to practice. The nature of the VR experience means that modern learning styles, such as asynchronous and remote learning, are well catered for.
With support from the International Education Product Innovation Fund, Virtual Medical Coaching’s childbirth simulation is on track to become fully released by the end of 2024. A beta-version is already used by some educators globally. The Product Innovation Fund is a New Zealand Government-funded initiative to reimagine what a New Zealand education can look like and mean for global learners.
Managed by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), New Zealand’s government agency for international education, the fund is supporting a range of pilot projects from existing and emerging New Zealand education providers. Together, the projects rethink how an education experience from New Zealand can be delivered, and create impact, for global learners.
For Virtual Medical Coaching, it’s about finding a better solution to a serious issue. Like many other innovative Kiwi education technology companies, Virtual Medical Coaching is designing technology that will create positive impact around the world. It’s already successfully developed an x-ray simulation for healthcare professionals which has won multiple national and international awards. Now, with the support of ENZ through the International Education Product Innovation Fund, Virtual Medical Coaching is set to respond to a clear need for better midwifery training options and develop another cutting-edge learning product for both New Zealand and offshore markets.
More information:
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Appreciating our education agents in Japan
JAOS stands for Japan Association of Overseas Studies and is a peak body for Japanese education agents. JAOS President Yukari Kato, Councillor Chairman Yasuo Sone, and Executive Secretary Tatsuo Hoshino and other members attended the event, which was hosted by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) in partnership with the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo and Air New Zealand.
New Zealand’s Ambassador to Japan, Hamish Cooper, said education had played a key role in bilateral relations between Japan and New Zealand over the past 70 years, and this was highlighted in the successful visit by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earlier this year.
Yukari Kato, who is also Executive Vice President of Ryugaku Journal,spoke fondly about her experiences living in New Zealand. She also welcomed the opportunity to work with ENZ to feature sustainability-related courses and degrees offered by New Zealand tertiary institutions in Ryugaku Journal Magazine’s September issue.
Misa Kitaoka, ENZ’s Director of Education based in Tokyo, says this event will be followed by a series of networking events in October 2022, to build on the positive brand that New Zealand has in Japan and connect Japanese stakeholders with New Zealand regions and education providers.
Prior to Covid-19, JAOS members sent around 6,000 students to New Zealand each year, mostly to secondary schools, followed by English language schools.
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Education New Zealand nominated for three upcoming awards
ENZ recognised for Gilman Scholarship mahi
Education New Zealand has been selected as a finalist in the 2021 AmCham - DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards. The awards, run by the American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand, celebrate the success and innovation of companies doing business with the United States.
ENZ is a finalist in the Bilateral Connections category and our entry focusses on how our Gilman Scholarship funding and other initiatives underway with US federal agencies and education institutions are helping build lasting connections between New Zealand and the United States through education. The winners will be announced at a function in Auckland on 26 August.
ENZ's digital China ecosystem recognised in China Business Awards
ENZ is a finalist in the 2021 HSBC NZCTA China Business Awards, New Zealand's preeminent awards for recognising business success in China. ENZ is nominated for the United Media Solution Award for Digital Excellence in Business between China and New Zealand, for our China digital ecosystem and experience work.
Tū Ngātahi nominated in prestigious marketing awards
ENZ's Tū Ngātahi campaign, delivered by Special Group, has been selected as a finalist in the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards. Tū Ngātahi calls for New Zealanders to stand together with our international student community and send a message of empathy and support. It is nominated in the Public Good category.
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Reconnecting New Zealanders to the world
Where does international education fit in?
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a plan to reconnect New Zealanders to the world in 2022.
This framework is based on being able to maintain the elimination strategy, alongside a high coverage of vaccination, strong confidence in our system and a phased approach to opening the border.
Read the Prime Minister’s announcement in full | Reconnecting New Zealand to the world on Unite Against COVID-19 site
The key points of this plan are:
- To continue to speed up New Zealand’s vaccination rollout, and move to six weeks between doses so that more New Zealanders have immunity sooner.
- Phased approach to reopening border in the second half of 2021, and set up of new testing and vaccine checking systems at the border.
- Move to new, risk-based border settings that will establish low, medium and high-risk pathways into the country.
New Zealand’s ability to reconnect with the world depends on these factors being successful.
At this early stage, we can’t provide detail or any degree of certainty for students looking to apply for study in or book travel to New Zealand.
Many New Zealand institutions are now offering new ways to study. If you’re wondering which study option might be right for you, visit Study With New Zealand New Ways of Learning.
We suggest that agents, students and their families wait until policy announcements are made before booking any travel to study in New Zealand. We could expect to see more clarity on this later in the year.
FAQs
When will New Zealand open up to the world?
Work continues on developing the requirements for a phased approach to Reconnecting New Zealanders to the rest of the world in 2022. We could expect to see more clarity on this later in 2021.
Read more about the next steps to reconnecting New Zealanders to the world.
What do we know about timeframes for international students returning to New Zealand?
While we are pleased to note that a number of international students have been able to return to New Zealand under the current class exceptions, we aren’t able to provide exact timeframes for a large-scale return for international students and providers.
Managing our border doesn’t mean conditions will stay exactly as they are now, but it does mean that there are likely to be restrictions and requirements in place until at least December 2022.
Can students apply for semester 1 2022 study?
We would currently advise students not to plan for study in New Zealand for semester 1, 2022.
Please note offshore temporary visa application lodgements are currently suspended till February 2022 and this may be extended.
International student class exceptions are a key priority for the Government, but we can’t predict timing on when a further cohort might be announced, or what MIQ capacity may look like at the time.
Will the phased border approach outlined in the Reconnecting New Zealanders to the World announcements affect the temporary suspension of offshore visa application lodgements?
The Government continues work on developing the requirements for a phased approach to Reconnecting New Zealanders to the rest of the world in 2022. As such, no decisions have been made yet on how the border plan might affect offshore visa application lodgements.
What is the Government’s position generally regarding international education?
Despite the severity and complexity of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our ongoing commitment to its elimination strategy, the New Zealand Government remains committed to a thriving international education sector.
In a recent meeting with the international education sector, the Minister of Education highlighted the New Zealand Government’s support for the continued safe return of international students to New Zealand, when the time is right.
How does the border approach affect the students coming into New Zealand under the border exception classes?
It doesn’t. Existing processes for students to enter the country under existing border exception classes (the 250 PhD and postgraduate cohort and the 1000 bachelor's degree and above cohort) will remain in place.
How will New Zealand determine which countries are low, medium or high-risk?
The government is currently working through how it will determine this.
How will the phased border approach affect Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ)?
Vaccinated travellers from low-risk countries will not be required to go through managed isolation facilities.
Vaccinated travellers from medium-risk countries will have modified isolation requirements, the details of which are still to be worked through.
Unvaccinated travellers and all travellers from high-risk countries will need to undergo 14 days in MIQ.
Read more on the next steps of reconnecting New Zealanders to the world
Would lockdowns in New Zealand affect the timing of the phased border approach?
The New Zealand Government is committed to the elimination strategy and the successful rollout of vaccines. New Zealand’s border approach depends on our ability to stamp out clusters of COVID-19 as they arise, so there is some possibility that further lockdowns may delay the border approach.
Will international students in New Zealand continue to receive free COVID-19 healthcare?
Yes. Vaccines are available to everyone in New Zealand (12 years and over) free of charge. This includes international students.
Read more about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout on the Ministry of Health website.
All publicly funded COVID-19 related care – including testing, treatment and vaccinations – is provided to anyone who needs it, free of charge.
- Education New Zealand quarterly report from 1 October to 31 December 2018
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