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• Felix Loh: kūwaha a symbol of enduring ties to New Zealand

  Now chief executive of the stunning and expansive botanical attraction that is Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay, Felix is delighted that it was selected as the site for a Māori kūwaha, or carved doorway, which feels personally symbolic to him.

  Recently unveiled by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the kūwaha celebrates the long-standing friendship between Aotearoa New Zealand and Singapore. “New Zealand has a special place in my heart, and I am honoured to host this precious Māori artefact. I hope the kūwaha will be a symbol of our friendship for many years to come.” 

  New Zealand now feels like a second home to Felix, but he shocked his parents and perplexed the scholarship selection committee back in 1988 when he told them he wanted to study horticulture at Massey University.  

  “I knew that Massey was well-known as an agricultural centre of excellence, and that horticulture was a very popular course,” he says. “But they were puzzled and asked me why I wanted to be a farmer in an urban city state like Singapore.

  “My Dad did not speak to me for a few years, because Asians all want their kids to be lawyers, engineers, and doctors, and I chose to be a plant doctor instead. But I never regretted that decision.”

  Felix says he felt welcome from the moment he arrived in New Zealand and enjoyed his four years as an international student so much he would have stayed on if he could. But the terms of his scholarship meant he needed to return to Singapore.

  

  The Māori kūwaha recently unveiled at Gardens by the Bay.

  No such thing as a stupid question 

  A less formal approach to education, with an emphasis on inquiry and collaborative learning, proved an initial challenge for Felix but ended up being one of the reasons he rates his New Zealand education experience so highly.  

  “At my first class we were told that we were expected to ask questions. This was the first time that I heard the phrase ‘there’s no such thing as a stupid question’,” he says. “That shook me, because in Singapore in those days nobody answered a question in class unless they were sure they had the right answer. For the first time, someone was willing to explore an alternative point of view.” 

  He turned up to English classes thinking it would simply be language tuition but discovered it was all about writing for your audience, with essays to be critiqued by classmates. “I initially questioned why fellow students would judge my work, but I quickly understood the value in taking on board a diversity of views to refine an idea or get a better product.” 

  And group project work certainly provided a life lesson for Felix, who had been conditioned to individual success based on exam results. “Not only did we have to work in groups, but we couldn’t choose our project partners,” he says.  

  “I’ll never forget the lecturer telling us that when we get to the workplace, we cannot choose our boss or even our colleagues, so we need to be able to work with different people. I learned that New Zealanders place people at the centre of what they do, and that we need to learn to appreciate the input of others.”

  “I learned that New Zealanders place people at the centre of what they do”

  Felix says his New Zealand education set him up for life-long learning which has helped to drive his career success. “You’ve got to learn and unlearn throughout your whole lifetime. It’s not so much about the content, but about being curious and knowing where to go for the answers.”

  Friendships lead to enduring ties 

  It is through the people he met that he has forged an enduring relationship with New Zealand. Fellow churchgoers and schoolmates became life-long friends and “a moral and emotional support base” over the years. He has returned to New Zealand many times and stays in touch with former lecturers and teaching staff, some of whom are now plant suppliers for him in his role at Gardens by the Bay.

  

  Felix at Gardens by the Bay.

  “When I took on this job, one of my first trips was to go back to New Zealand to source new plants for our temperate Flower Dome. I visited a number of nurseries, just knocking on their doors, and I was made to feel so welcome. It just felt like I was at home.”

  The world is a very different place from what it was in the 1990s, but Felix says the value of international education remains as important as ever.

  “International education helps us to understand other perspectives better and demystify misconceptions we have about each other.

  “In today’s uncertain world it is always good to have friends in other places. You discover that we have more things in common than set us apart.”

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• Hong Kong student wins Wellington award for unstinting community service

  The Year 12 student from Wellington Girls’ College has been named a winner at the annual Wellington International Student Excellence Awards for her contribution to the city’s international student community and her tireless community service.

  She was among a group of 24 high-achieving secondary and tertiary international students recognised at the event for excelling academically, in the arts, sport, community, or online.

  As the only child of a teacher and a primary school assistant, Jasmine came to New Zealand in November 2019 to complete her education. Leaving behind a competitive school environment, and a tense and complex political environment, she arrived in Wellington ready to embrace the open and culturally diverse environment she found herself in.

  Jasmine says that she had always wanted to get involved in community activities, but until arriving in New Zealand she lacked both the confidence and the opportunities.

  “As an international student here, I have been given so many opportunities. I want to treasure all of them and get involved.”

  Jasmine quickly understood the value of participation and leadership.

  “Arriving in a new country where you don’t know anyone can be a lonely experience, and it’s easy to just hang out with people from your own country, but I have made great friends, both from New Zealand and around the world, and gained support through the organisations I’m involved with.”

  From helping to reinvigorate the International Club at school, Jasmine went on to be a key player in the establishment of the Wellington International Students’ Association, which not only connects international students across city schools, but also seeks to build relationships between domestic and international students.

  Domestic and international students learn from each other

  She believes there is much that domestic students stand to learn from international students.

  “They get to see a perspective from another part of the world. Coming here to study has allowed me to immerse myself in New Zealand's culture and learn far more about the country than I would if I was a tourist.

  “I’m sure the same applies to New Zealand students who haven’t had the opportunity for exchanges or travel. Through encouraging domestic students to get involved in our events we have built stronger connections.”

  But Jasmine hasn’t stopped there. From Mary Potter Hospice to Conservation Volunteers New Zealand to the Student Volunteer Army (SVA), she has put in the mahi. She recently earned her SVA Silver Service Award pin for clocking up more than 250 volunteer hours working to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

  Taking her community service to the next level, Jasmine has been selected to represent Wellington Girls’ College in the National Ambassador programme. She will join other like-minded students from around the country working to connect, support, and empower international students.

  All of this while juggling studies, sport, mentoring, and music. However, she insists that she has gained more from her community service than she has given.

  Volunteering builds skills and network

  “Volunteering gave me the opportunity to get out there and build a strong network with experienced people. I’ve gained important inter-personal skills like customer service and communications, and I’ve also learned a lot about New Zealand culture.”

  Jasmine says being an international student in New Zealand has also allowed her to appreciate some of the important issues which other communities, such as the LGBTQIA, face.

  “I appreciate the inclusiveness towards gender minorities here. In Asia, people are much more reserved about their beliefs and opinions but here we can have open discussions and everyone can be passionate about sharing their thoughts. It has had a powerful influence on me.”

  Global citizen skills important

  The global citizen skills acquired through international education are so important for the current generation of students heading off to Uni or into the workforce, Jasmine says.

  “It’s important to know people from other parts of the world, understand some of the issues they face, and appreciate their culture and beliefs. Building relationships in-person is so much more valuable than learning from the internet.”

  “The diversity of ethnicity and cultures, religious and political opinions here in New Zealand has really enhanced my worldview.”

  Jasmine is delighted to have been recognised for her contribution to the community, and says her parents were thrilled when her name was announced at the awards ceremony. “Not only are they proud of my own achievements, but they feel that I am representing Hong Kong well in New Zealand.”

  Jasmine’s parents were among 214 friends and family of recipients who joined the livestream of the awards ceremony from around the world.

  As for the future, Jasmine is looking forward to completing Year 13 and being a member of the student executive next year, striving for the SVA Gold Award for volunteering, being a National Student Ambassador, and ultimately heading to the US to study Computer Science.

• International education drives soft power in offshore markets

  Former Ambassador to Brazil Caroline Bilkey knows this only too well. She says our strong reputation in international education is a “success story” which pays dividends down the line, as former students happily help to build our profile globally.

  In her role progressing New Zealand interests offshore, Ms Bilkey has seen first-hand the benefits of working within networks of local people who studied in New Zealand.

  “Not only is their experience in New Zealand a great conversation starter, but it also means you are more likely to be given the benefit of the doubt, and the person may be more willing to advocate your issue with their peers, because they know and like New Zealand, having studied there.”

  Trade and business can benefit from link to international education

  With more than 30 years’ experience with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and multiple offshore postings, Ms Bilkey knows of countless instances where trade and business have benefited from a direct, or indirect, link to a former international student’s New Zealand education experience.

  

  One such example is an Argentinian-Brazilian woman who returned to Brazil after studying in Auckland, to work for Fonterra and Zespri. Ms Bilkey describes the woman as “able to talk enthusiastically about the New Zealand story behind the products coming in”.

  She believes there is something “quite special” about the links built through international education, largely because students are usually young, and their experiences are intense and formative.

  Whether it is international students coming to study in New Zealand or Kiwis studying abroad, Ms Bilkey believes that there are many benefits associated with international education, beyond diplomacy, international trade, and the obvious economic benefits.

  Positive international education experience opens hearts and minds

  There are higher-level, public good benefits, she says. “A positive international education experience contributes to the global good, as it opens hearts and minds and encourages tolerance.”

  Other benefits for all of us include the exposure to cutting-edge thinking and breakthroughs resulting from research collaboration between New Zealand and international students’ home countries. “The idea that if you get outside the box and have people coming in with a different approach, that can sometimes generate really positive, new and innovative ideas.”

  Ms Bilkey is in no doubt that a positive international education experience in New Zealand boosts our connectivity with the rest of the world by building long-term relationships, enhancing business, opening doors to trade opportunities, and helping shape global citizens, all badly needed in a world facing unprecedented challenges.

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