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Ministerial visits to Asia shine light on education
In China, Prime Minister John Key’s trade and diplomacy mission included the delivery of a speech at China Agricultural University in Beijing, and an interview with Hurun Report focused on the high quality of New Zealand education. This monthly publication is a leading luxury magazine in China.
Also in Beijing, Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye attended a Massey University graduation celebration at the New Zealand Embassy. The nine Chinese graduates had completed a unique World Bank-funded "One Health" programme, integrating veterinary and medical specialist topics in a single curriculum as a measure against pandemics. Four graduates completed a Master of Veterinary Medicine (Biosecurity) degree and five completed a Master of Public Health (Biosecurity), in a programme delivered over a year in New Zealand and China.
International education was a focus of Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce’s visits to Indonesia and Viet Nam in March. In Indonesia Mr Joyce opened the New Zealand Education Fair in Jakarta, met key Indonesian ministers including the Vice-Minister of Education, and hosted a New Zealand gala dinner with guests from the food, beverage, tourism, education and energy sectors.
While in Jakarta, Mr Joyce also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Auckland UniServices and the Indonesian Geothermal Association to develop specialised geothermal training courses held in New Zealand and Indonesia. This followed his delivery of the keynote speech at the Indonesia New Zealand Renewable Energy Forum.
In Viet Nam, Mr Joyce attended a seminar with education agents, and delivered a speech focused on transnational education partnerships at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City.
In the same month, Malaysia was hosting a New Zealand delegation led by Minister of Maori Affairs Dr Pita Sharples, as special guests for New Zealand Week 2014. This festival, Lima Mata Ikan, in particular celebrated the cultural linkages between New Zealand and Sarawak. The Borneo Post International Education Fair was held in Kuching during this week.
The announcement of the signing of the MOU between Auckland UniServices and the Indonesian Geothermal Association in Jakarta can be seen on the Beehive website.
The gala dinner speech in Jakarta given by Minister Steven Joyce is here.
2026 International Student Experience Survey fieldwork is now live
Fieldwork for the 2026 International Student Experience Survey (ISES) is now underway, having launched on Monday 20 April. International students across all New Zealand education subsectors are being invited to share their views on key aspects of the student journey – from choosing where to study and preparing for arrival, through to orientation, education quality, living experiences, connections, work opportunities and value for money.

Last year, more than 5,000 international students shared their experiences of studying in New Zealand.

Key highlights included:
• 87% rated their overall experience positively, with 43% rating it ‘excellent’
• 92% rated their experience of people and connections positively

These results reflect the strength of New Zealand’s international education offering and the collective effort across the sector to enhance the international student experience.

The ISES plays a vital role in building a robust, sector-wide picture of the international student experience.

We would like to sincerely thank the international education sector peak bodies and education providers who are supporting the survey and helping to maximise student participation.

Survey fieldwork will run until late May, and we look forward to sharing the insights from this year’s survey with the sector later in 2026.

If you have any questions about the survey, please get in touch with ENZ’s Senior Insights Analyst, Kyla Steenhart at kyla.steenhart@enz.govt.nz.
Education Tauranga makes first Japan visit
The delegation of 20 education providers ranged from primary school to tertiary, and were keen to establish new connections in Japan.
The three-day programme kicked off with a presentation on the Japan market by ENZ’s Misa Kitaoka. This was followed by visits by most delegates to four primary schools, arranged by the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education and the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau.
“The primary school visits provided an excellent opportunity to introduce the Bay of Plenty region including its Maori language and culture as well as the primary school experience available in Tauranga,” says Misa.
On the last day, ENZ and Education Tauranga co-hosted an agent seminar and networking reception for about 40 travel and education agents looking for new partners in the Bay of Plenty region.
Misa said the reception coincided with a visit by the director of the Maibara Board of Education in Shiga Prefecture. Maibara is a city set to act as a ‘host town’ for New Zealand while taking part in the Japanese government’s promotion of exchanges between local municipalities and nations participating in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
“The event provided a good opportunity for Tauranga and Maibara to explore future collaboration combining education and sports,” Misa said.
Misa said that, in Japan, destination marketing plays a key role when agents, students and families are choosing an overseas study destination.
“Visits by regional delegations are a good marketing practice because they combine the promotion of a region and the providers within the region.
“ENZ can provide in-market assistance by hosting an event at the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo and in other cities to gather a group of Japanese agents and educators, resulting in a wider outreach to industry partners and stakeholders,” said Misa.
She added that the City of Atsugi in Kanagawa Prefecture, another host town for New Zealand, will shortly start a programme to send high school students to Otago Polytechnic.
With the new opportunities lying ahead of Japan's major sporting games in 2020, Anne Young from Education Tauranga reported that "many new agent relationships were established” at the reception.
ENZ had been an excellent conduit for building and increasing market opportunities between Education Tauranga and Japan, Anne said.
Talking employment rights with international students
Lesley Brough, International Travel College (ITC)’s International Marketing Manager, welcomed Ms Kaloti to an international student lunch where Ms Kaloti spoke in detail about New Zealand employment rights, including contracts and the minimum wage and what to look out for to avoid exploitation.
“Ms Kaloti’s message reinforced several of our values like inclusivity, fairness, and diversity,” said Lesley.
“While ITC covers these important topics on a regular basis, it was good for international students to hear the same messages from an independent, unaffiliated organisation.
“Now our students know they can also reach out to the Migrant Workers Association if they would like further support or guidance.”
Ms Kaloti encouraged students to discuss these issues with their friends as they could be happening to someone they know.
“It’s really important that our students feel empowered about their rights in New Zealand and are compelled to share this knowledge with their friends and family,” said Lesley.
“The more we can raise awareness about these issues, the less likely it is that exploitation will occur.”
Education providers interested in having Anu Kaloti speak at their institute can email migrantworkersnz@gmail.com.
German students discuss sustainability with the Speaker

Mallard, a former Minister of Education (1999-2005), was eager to engage with students during his trip to Germany in January.

Olga Elli, ENZ’s Market Development Manager Europe, said LMU’s strong focus on sustainability research and interest in New Zealand presented a great opportunity for Mallard to discuss areas of mutual interest, and encourage young Germans to look to New Zealand to study.

“LMU is very keen to build on their existing links in New Zealand and formally partner with New Zealand universities,” said Olga.

“The Faculty of Geography, where Mallard spoke, has many links and relationships with New Zealand institutions and researchers. For Example, New Zealander Gordon Winder, Professor for Economic Geography and Sustainability Research at LMU Munich is Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Environment (The University of Auckland).”

During his visit, Mallard gave a presentation on “Sustainability, Conservation & Education in New Zealand” to geography and geology students. They asked lots of questions about sustainability, pollution, climate change, and what New Zealand’s response is to these challenges.

“Mallard emphasised that increased collaboration between our countries in areas of environmental research can create solutions to global issues. He also spoke of kaitiakitanga and the sense of responsibility Kiwis feels to protect their environment, which was really interesting to the students.”

After the presentation, the students continued the conversation with the Speaker at a reception alongside the New Zealand Ambassador to Germany HE Rupert Holborow and ENZ’s Team Europe.

“We will be working closely with LMU to foster relationships with New Zealand providers.” Said Olga.
Grow your business with the Skills Lab
At the heart of the Skills Lab is project-based learning. These projects are designed to give you top tips and advice that you can consume in bite-size pieces. The Skills Lab also allows you to post your own comments and share your top tips so we can develop a professional community.
Collaboration at the heart
The Skills Lab was born of industry feedback. In the 2015 Industry Survey, you expressed a desire for more professional development support, and in particular asked for online support in order for you to access content at a time and location that suits you.
We’ve since co-developed the Skills Lab with multiple groups of industry representatives, having taken into account your advice on the structure and features of the website, as well as on key content areas. We’re already working on a range of refinements that you’ve suggested, including on individual projects and website functionality.
Helping grow your business
The Skills Lab is already proving useful. Robbie Pickford, International Director of Takapuna Grammar School, told The PIE News at the New Zealand International Education Conference that the Skills Lab helped her institution learn about new markets.
“I’ve been in the industry for a long time and there hasn’t been that go-to place that I could get intel about the market, the country or the culture. The Skills Lab also encourages industry collaboration, with users able to upload their own information and expertise. There’ll be more and more information available for the sector. It keeps us growing and thinking towards the future,” Pickford said.
Kirstyn Mawdsley, Director International of St Hilda’s Collegiate School, also told The PIE News that the Skills Lab would be of particular benefit to New Zealand’s regional and smaller providers.
“We don’t have the same budget available as bigger programmes, and often we’re working in very small departments. Trying to keep up to date with everything and find professional development opportunities is quite complicated. The Skills Lab helps with that and also alleviates the distance barrier,” she said.
Content examples from the Skills Lab

But wait, there’s more!
The current version of the Skills Lab is just the beginning. We’ll continue to roll out new content, so stay tuned for more case studies and international education-specific content over the coming months. We’re planning more detailed and useful projects that will help you in your specific organisational context.
We’ll also be partnering with individual industry experts to bring you case studies and projects based on their successes. If you have suggestions on content, or would like to offer some of your expertise and contribute to a case study or project, please email us at skillslab@enz.govt.nz.
Sign up and participate
You can access the Skills Lab at skillslab.enz.govt.nz or from the ENZ website.
Make sure you watch the introductory video to learn how you can use this exciting new tool.
Note that only approved New Zealand education providers are able to access the Skills Lab and its content.
If you are experiencing any difficulty in signing up to the Skills Lab, please email skillslab@enz.govt.nz.
Telling the story in Thailand
Sixteen journalists from local print, TV, radio and online outlets heard from New Zealand’s Ambassador to Thailand, His Excellency Reuben Levermore, who underscored the long-standing relationships between the two countries, in education, trade and other areas. “Nearly 4,000 Thais study each year in New Zealand, benefiting from the high-quality education and great lifestyle provided for international students.”
The Ambassador also emphasised that New Zealand communities are diverse, welcoming and tolerant, and that, as a young country, New Zealand is renowned for its creativity and innovation. “We are world class in many areas, including sport, tourism and education,” said the Ambassador.
ENZ’s Marketing and Strategic Relations Manager in Thailand, Chortip Pramoolpol, highlighted New Zealand’s strengths in niche courses such as agribusiness; food and textiles; hospitality; early childhood studies; film, animation, visual effects and gaming; cybersecurity; and sports management.
“These are examples of newer disciplines which are less established in other parts of the world but represent emerging job markets with good career prospects,” said Chortip
Other benefits of choosing New Zealand as an education destination promoted at the event included domestic fees for doctoral students, and the ability for these students to work full-time while studying and then gain open post-study work visas.
The media conference was also designed to promote the New Zealand Education Fair which was held over the weekend in Bangkok, by leveraging experiences of alumni and those connected to study experiences in New Zealand.
The panel included a celebrity host who was a New Zealand alumnus; a parent whose son is currently studying an undergraduate degree in New Zealand; and another alumnus who is now working in a multinational oil and gas company as a Country IT Manager.
Minister Hipkins welcomes new Board members
During the meeting, Minister Hipkins shared his views on the importance of the new International Education Strategy, ENZ’s role and how international education fits within the Government’s plans for a modern and prosperous New Zealand.
John Goulter, ENZ General Manager, Stakeholders and Communications, said the meeting was a good opportunity for the new Board members to hear directly from the Minister what the Government’s priorities are for the sector.
“Each Board member brings a great deal of experience to the Board and fresh perspectives to ENZ’s work yet it’s equally important for them to understand the Government’s position and what Minister Hipkins sees as their role.”
There was general agreement at the meeting that launch of the new Strategy reflected international education’s importance as an export sector for New Zealand, with ample opportunity for providers to grow the value of the sector around the world, he said.
Also discussed was the interface between international education and immigration, the future of the global international education market and the importance of showing how international education contributes to New Zealanders’ wellbeing.
International education’s importance to New Zealand’s bilateral relationships and the desire to see more New Zealanders studying overseas as part of their studies was also covered.
Read more about the ENZ Board members here.
Tokyo calling: new appointment
Fiona has a Master of Arts in International Relations from Waseda University, Tokyo. She is a fluent speaker of Japanese and has studied, lived and worked in Japan. Most recently the Business Education Partnership Coordinator at the Asia New Zealand Foundation in Wellington, Fiona has a solid background in the education sector.
Fiona will be based at the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo from 7 May 2014, following two weeks orientation in New Zealand. An early focus of her work will be finding opportunities to partner with the Japanese government in its push to internationalise education under ‘Abe-nomics’. This may include initiatives such as improved English capacity and delivery, and exposing young people to international perspectives.
Fiona will also be involved in collaborative efforts by New Zealand government agencies to produce products that are attractive to Japan as it gears up to hosting the Rugby World Cup 2019 and the Summer Olympics 2020. Products may include short-term English and rugby programmes, and programmes that address volunteer capacity building to support these major sporting events.
You can contact Fiona at this address: fiona.haiko@enz.govt.nz.
ENZ strengthens applied education connections in Viet Nam through targeted engagement
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) has successfully delivered a targeted engagement programme in Viet Nam for New Zealand’s ITP and PTE sector, supporting providers to build connections, raise profile and position applied education as a strong pathway for Vietnamese students.

Delivered from 29 March to 5 April 2026, the eight‑day programme spanned four key cities and marked the first sector‑specific, ENZ‑led initiative focused on applied and work‑integrated education in Viet Nam.

Strengthening sector visibility and connections

The programme was strategically designed to lift awareness of New Zealand’s applied education offering and to support providers to engage more deeply with the local education system. ENZ led a structured programme of in‑market activity, including:
- networking sessions with education agents and applied education partners
- targeted school visits, reaching around 350 students through career‑focused engagement
- student‑facing outreach activities
- a country briefing and a high‑level meeting with the Department of Vocational Education under Viet Nam’s Ministry of Education and Training.
ENZ also worked closely with selected market partners to amplify reach and impact, with partner‑led activity including additional agent meetings, student engagement events and education workshops.

Above: Representatives from New Zealand education institutions provided career guidance to students at various high schools

Strong market response and growing awareness outcomes

Market response throughout the programme was consistently positive, with strong interest from education agents, schools and students in applied and work‑integrated programmes. Key areas of interest included scholarships, tuition affordability, updated entry requirements for Vietnamese students, and post‑study work opportunities that support longer‑term career outcomes.

The programme also delivered strong media results that significantly strengthened awareness of New Zealand’s applied education offering and reinforced positive perceptions of its education quality and experience in Viet Nam.

Building momentum in Viet Nam

ENZ’s Market Manager – Viet Nam, Van Banh, said the programme is helping build momentum and setting New Zealand’s vocational education sector up for sustainable growth in Viet Nam.

“The response we have seen in Viet Nam has been very encouraging. Education agents, schools and students are showing strong interest in New Zealand’s applied and work‑integrated education, particularly around scholarships, affordability and clear pathways to employment,” Van said.

“The strong media coverage from this programme has also helped lift awareness of what New Zealand offers, reinforcing its positive attributes around quality, employability and accessibility. We’re looking forward to building on this through targeted digital activity and local storytelling.”

Building on this momentum, ENZ will deliver a follow‑up digital campaign featuring local influencers and stories from alumni and current students to further amplify the visibility and impact of New Zealand’s ITP and PTE sectors.