16 April 2025 at 10:06 am
Positive outcomes for education from PM’s trade mission to India
Education was recognised as a significant part of New Zealand’s bilateral relationship with India during the recent trade mission.
Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon led a high-level visit to India from 16–20 March, accompanied by one of the largest New Zealand delegations to date. The delegation included representatives from the business, community, media, and government sectors, along with a cultural delegation, Te Kapa Haka o Te Whānau-a-Apanui.
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) Chief Executive Amanda Malu joined the trade mission as part of the education component of the delegation – alongside University of Auckland Vice Chancellor, Dawn Freshwater; Vice Chancellor, University of Waikato, Neil Quigley; Te Pūkenga/NZIST Chief Executive, Gus Gilmore and Whitecliffe College Executive Chairman, Feroz Ali.
The mission saw a number of key education initiatives announced that aim to strengthen New Zealand’s education ties with India, including the signing of the refreshed bilateral Education Cooperation Arrangement (ECA).
These initiatives mark a significant step forward in deepening New Zealand’s collaboration with India around joint research, student exchanges, academic innovation and fostering long-term institutional partnerships.
The original ECA was signed in 2010 with the objective of strengthening bilateral cooperation between New Zealand and India and fostering collaboration and the exchange of information on individual education systems.
The ECA refresh builds on this foundation and aims to foster further cooperation in education specifically through information exchange, collaboration between institutions, and sharing best practices in curriculum development, digital transformation, and sustainability.
A key education engagement during the mission was the ‘Shared Visions and Connected Futures’ event on 18 March, co-hosted by ENZ and New Zealand Centre partner IIT Delhi. Key education and government stakeholders were brought together to celebrate education, innovation, and the strong ties between New Zealand and India.
Six new memoranda of understanding (MOU) were signed on the day, with an additional four signed across other events and cities. The New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZEA) scholarships were officially launched by Prime Minister Luxon and ENZ Chief Executive Amanda Malu - this is a joint initiative between ENZ and all eight New Zealand universities offering a total of 29 scholarships valued at NZ $260,000.
An exclusive virtual internship programme was also launched – this initiative will provide opportunities for 30 IITD students to intern virtually with New Zealand organisations. The event also witnessed the announcement of the inaugural New Zealand Centre Innovation Fellowship which aims to enhance collaboration between New Zealand and India in innovation and entrepreneurship by providing a two-week immersive experience in India's innovation ecosystem.
The Prime Minister in a Fireside Chat with New Zealand alumni, Shirley Setia, University of Auckland alumni and Ashwani Batla, University of Waikato alumni.
To round off a packed programme, the Prime Minister hosted a "Fireside Chat” with celebrity alumni from University of Auckland and the University of Waikato, where they showcased their experiences studying and living in New Zealand.
ENZ Chief Executive Amanda Malu said the event was a testament to the strength of New Zealand’s educational relationship with India.
“India and New Zealand share a longstanding education relationship. Our collaborations bring enduring benefits to both nations. We look forward to continuing to work together to innovate, grow our skills and co-create education solutions for our future,” she said.
From L to R: Director of IIT Delhi, Professor Rangan Banerjee; the Prime Minister; Dean of Research and Development, Professor Naresh Bhatnagar; and Dean of International Programmes Professor James Gomes.
