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  • Patrick Au: a champion for international students in New Zealand

    Disclaimer: This story was originally published on New Look, which was also operated by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao. It has been republished here to ensure wider access and visibility.

    He has spent more than two decades working with international students and Asian migrants in primary and tertiary healthcare settings, understanding their mental health needs and advocating on their behalf. 

    Patrick is a registered psychiatric nurse and counsellor who migrated from Hong Kong in 1991, completed his Master’s in Education in 1999, and has worked tirelessly to support Asian communities in New Zealand. He is now stepping down from his role as Asian Mental Health Coordinator for the Auckland District Health Board to commit more time to private practice. 

    It was Patrick’s emerging reputation for specialty expertise which led to the International Education Association ISANA asking him in 2010 to prepare a presentation to international education providers about the mental health needs of international students. This was quickly followed by a contract with the Ministry of Education to present a series of workshops nationally.

       

    “I was overwhelmed by people calling me and asking me for advice,” Patrick says. “This is where I seriously started my work with international students.”  

    In more recent years, Patrick has been a key player in the Auckland Agencies Group, which brings together multiple organisations with the common goal of enhancing student wellbeing.  

    The issues which international students can face vary, depending on their age and stage of education. For younger school students it can be homesickness and lack of parental guidance. Older students also face settlement issues but can have the added pressure to succeed.  

    “People come here to study and so they need to be successful,” he says. “From an Asian perspective, we are a collectivist society. Your success is not just for yourself, the grades and glory are for your family too. If you are successful at your study you are acknowledged as a successful person, but what if you’re not able to finish your study? The pressure is on you.” 

    Prevention and awareness key to mental wellbeing

    Patrick is a great believer in the importance of awareness and prevention when it comes to mental wellbeing and says New Zealand has made good progress with the availability of resources which students can access on campus, through workshops, and online. Support services are widely established, and the International Students Wellbeing Strategy ensures government agencies work together to support international students to feel safe, well, and welcome in New Zealand.

    “Most Asian cultures believe the body and mind are not separated. So we need to address the root cause of problems in behaviourial terms - how to adapt to the new environment, how to get better sleep, how to cope with exam pressure, how to eat well, rather than talking about mental health. When they hear these two words they will withdraw from you,” he says.  

    “There is very limited mental health education in the students’ home countries, but with all the online resources available here students are researching the issues. There is much wider awareness, and sometimes it is friends who recognise issues and offer peer support in seeking help.” 

    Patrick knows that some students come up against cultural intolerance and misunderstanding but says that New Zealanders have come a long way since the early days of the international education sector in understanding the challenges which international students can face, but also the contribution they make to society here. 

    International students talented and motivated to contribute

    “International students bring cultural diversity and increase cultural awareness among New Zealanders,” Patrick says. “The students who come here are quite talented and motivated to contribute. Once they have completed their education, they can contribute in many ways."

     “International students bring cultural diversity and increase cultural awareness among New Zealanders” – Patrick Au, mental health expert and international student advocate 

    International students can be the bridge between their home country and New Zealand. If you want to do business in these countries, international students can play an important role as they often act as informal ambassadors for New Zealand and can open doors to business.  

    New Zealanders are also contributing to their success by creating a nurturing environment for them to complete their studies. Over the years we have seen lots of successful international students who have started working and contributing to the New Zealand economy after completing their education.  

    “If they have a positive experience, they are also instrumental in encouraging other students from their home country to come to New Zealand. I think it is a win-win situation.”

  • Prime Minister's Scholarship shakes up geology student's plans

    Soltice Morrison was only 15 when that earthquake happened, but she is part of a new generation of students and researchers wanting to equip themselves with the latest knowledge and technology to better understand New Zealand’s vulnerability to quakes. The best way to achieve this is through international collaboration with other countries which face the same risks.

    Having already completed a BSc in Geology and Oceanography from Otago University, Rotorua-born Soltice secured a Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia during her Honours year in 2018, which allowed her to enrol in a post-graduate short course in geology at Hokkaido University in Japan and stay on to complete most of her Honours research.

    Prime Minister’s Scholarship allowed joint research

    Under the guidance of her supervisor, Dr Virginia Toy, she was involved in a project which studied the characteristics and behaviours of New Zealand’s Alpine Fault and Japan’s Median Tectonic Line to better understand what causes earthquakes in both countries.

    "We’re both very seismically active countries but Japan is much more advanced in its use of technology. We were able to bring some of that knowledge back to New Zealand."

    Soltice says that without the funding she received through the Prime Minister’s Scholarship (PMS), she would not have been able to study abroad.

    The scholarship programme to Asia was established in 2013 and extended to Latin America in 2016. To date, 2400 students have been given financial support to study abroad. While currently on hold due to Covid travel restrictions, the programme is poised to restart once borders reopen.

    Importance of New Zealanders studying abroad

    Funded by the government and administered by Education New Zealand, the programme recognizes the importance of giving New Zealanders the opportunity to have an international education experience in countries where we have key trade and business relationships.

    There are few restrictions on study options, with the programme having broad goals to enhance understanding of other cultures and business practices; establish new friendships and networks; and upskill the New Zealand workforce through overseas experience.

    “It’s very important to connect with students and colleagues internationally in order to get ahead,” says Soltice. “We can get caught up thinking that the New Zealand way is the only way. Studying overseas helps you broaden your horizons, your knowledge, your understanding of different cultures, and the way things can be done.”

    In geophysics, Soltice says international collaboration is essential.

    “We’re able to learn a lot from Japan and the advances they have made in technology and monitoring.”

    The time Soltice spent in Japan ended up taking her career in a new direction. “While I was there, I was able to understand the effects of seismic activity on buildings and how we can strengthen our cities to ensure they’re resilient, so I’ve ended up in the engineering space working for Aurecon.”

    But her work also has an environmental focus and she is currently part of the multi-disciplinary team working on the Lakes 380 project, which seeks to combine best scientific thinking with mātauranga Māori (traditional wisdom and knowledge) to better understand the social, cultural, and environmental history of Aotearoa’s lakes. “It’s rewarding work and I love it.”

    Reawakening of cultural identity

    Soltice says her time in Japan prompted a reawakening of her own cultural identity. “I had always tried to blend in at home, but the questions I was asked about my background while I was away made me realise I was proud of my Māori ethnicity and also taught me the value of indigenous knowledge.”

    Building on this confidence, she has set up a Māori strategy group with colleagues at Aurecon “looking at ways we can weave cultural understanding with scientific knowledge into the work we do.”

    Soltice says she made life-long friends during her time in Japan and built a valuable network of contacts. “I work closely with the geophysicists here at Aurecon and sometimes when we have questions, I will reach out to my contacts offshore.”

    Three years on, she remains a passionate advocate for Prime Minister’s Scholarship programme. “The overall experience – the research, the culture, the living situation, I would 100 percent say it was one of the best times of my life.”

    Students value flexibility, networks, and personal growth

    The positivity of Soltice’s experience was echoed by other scholarship recipients in a recent survey conducted by Education New Zealand. Close to 300 students participated, with 98 percent saying they would recommend PMS to others. Benefits they identified included the unique flexibility of the programme, the networks they built, the opportunity for personal and professional growth, and the chance to better understand New Zealand’s place in the world.

    As for life after the programme, 57 percent said they would become involved in global causes, 50 percent would become involved in political or policy issues, and 44 percent would become involved in their local community or iwi.

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  • Vanessa builds digital skills to help drive change in PNG

    She had a diploma in computer technology and a good job with a major telecommunications company, but she also had big ambitions and knew that an international education experience in New Zealand would take her where she wanted to go.

    “I saw that there were many areas where digital solutions could really make a difference. It was one of the driving forces which motivated me to study in New Zealand.”

    As Vanessa was searching for a university where she could study computer science, her friend returned home from Auckland University of Technology. “She told me so many wonderful stories and I was just so inspired to go and experience New Zealand and AUT for myself.”

    “She gave me an idea of what to expect and I knew I would be going into a supportive community. It was only when Covid arrived that I truly experienced how supportive it really was.”

    Vanessa came to New Zealand on a Manaaki Scholarship, funded through the New Zealand Aid programme. “It was the reason I could come and I’m grateful for the opportunity.

    The value of a Manaaki Scholarship

    “The scholarships allow students who are passionate about creating a brighter future in their home countries to gain expertise in their field of our study,” she says. “It also provides exposure to new perspectives and the chance to build life-long relationships with like-minded professionals, which is something I really value.”

    Although Vanessa’s father and brother both travelled overseas for education, not many of her friends have. “So now I’m trying to be the influence on my friends, encouraging them to take up that pathway.

    “I tell them that in New Zealand you get a fantastic study environment and will meet people from many different backgrounds.”

    Vanessa considers that a real bonus to her study experience was the opportunity to take up a summer internship.

    “It was optional for my programme, but it was provided through the Pacific Cooperation Foundation for students who were part of the Manaaki scholarship programme. I applied so that I could gain experience working in a large multi-cultural organisation.”

    Securing a role at Watercare in Auckland she not only gained valuable work experience, but also professional networking opportunities which have resulted in lasting connections with many of her former colleagues. “I had an amazing manager and I reach out to him from time to time. He has really helped me a lot and he’s one of the life-long contacts I’m going to be holding on to.”

    Boosting confidence and career

    With her Bachelor of Computer and Information Sciences completed last year, Vanessa is now back in Port Moresby working as a Digital Transformation Associate with PwC and loving her new role.

    “Studying in New Zealand grew my confidence as a person and has allowed me to progress my professional career,” she says. “It broadened my horizons and gave me a different mindset.”

    Deciding to become an international student takes drive and commitment, but the rewards are worth the effort, Vanessa says. “I spent months researching the options and needed to stay motivated during the year it took to secure my scholarship and place at AUT. It took a lot of planning, but it was something I had my heart set on.

    “I knew a degree would give me better opportunities and New Zealand was just such an amazing place to study. It has had a very big impact on where I am now.”

    If she had another opportunity, Vanessa says she would head offshore again to pursue a Master’s in Data Science, but for now she is busy convincing her peers of the value of a New Zealand education.

    “I tell them this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss. Don’t only go to study, go to really experience New Zealand, the culture, and the people.

    “They ask me, what if I don’t get the scholarship and I say you’ll never know if you don’t try, so just go for it. Expect to embark on an adventure of a lifetime.”

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