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• International students provide Asia perspective for Canterbury businesses

  The students had signed up to take part in the Business School’s first Global Virtual Micro-Internship Programme, providing them with real-world research and industry experience, while enabling local businesses to tap into the expertise and insights international students can offer of their home countries. 

  A total of 35 mostly Commerce students participated in the three-week programme, working in nine teams across six local businesses which were keen to be involved. They were divided into the three Chinese teams, three Malaysian teams, and one each from Thailand, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.  

  The programme had a competitive element, with the teams competing for a prize pool of $1500. They were judged on a range of criteria, with the most important factor the extent to which the research was designed, undertaken, and presented in a way that met their client’s needs. 

  Programme meets needs of students and businesses 

  Programme lead Will Shannon, also UC Business School’s Internationalisation Director, was excited to be able to develop the programme with the local business community, saying it met an unfilled need for international students wanting practical business experience, and highlighted the skills they had to offer.  

  The catalyst for the programme was the release of a report by Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono in mid-October which found that South Island businesses were keen to expand trade and investment links with Asia, but often lacked the right skills and connections to make it happen.  

  Fifty-seven percent of businesses surveyed identified language skills as a barrier to business, and 51 percent said they lacked knowledge of target markets and relevant organisations in Asia. 

  “We consistently get requests from international students wanting practical experience where they can apply their knowledge to real world problems,” Dr Shannon says. “So, when the Asia New Zealand Foundation report came out, we had the perfect combination of companies needing what international students can provide.” 

  Opportunity for international students to be involved 

  New Zealand’s border restrictions mean that close to half of the Business School’s international students are studying remotely, while others were unable to travel home for summer. This added impetus to the programme.  

  “We’d been looking for ways to engage students here over the summer break,” Dr Shannon says. “And while the offshore students have been catered for with online lectures, it can feel a bit isolating for them, so we have actively sought opportunities to involve them and get them the extra-curricular experiences that they need.” 

  He says it worked out well for all the teams, many of which were a mix of onshore and offshore students, because there were students “on the ground” in Asia who could easily talk to people locally. This added value to the insights that they were able to provide their clients. 

  The businesses represented a range of industries and included a rental car company, a business working in the motorsport industry and specialising in engine modification, a research agency looking to set up an office in Asia, a high-end safety product for the hair and beauty industry, and a truffle company gearing up to export.  

  “The enthusiasm of local businesses to be involved exceeded our expectations, as it’s the first time we’ve done this.”  

  The students had to tailor their approach to meet the varying needs of the clients, with the university providing mentors, workshops, and regular meetings to ensure it was a learning experience and to keep everyone on track.  

  For the New Zealand Truffle Company, co-founders Catherine and Matthew Dwan already knew that they offered a high-end product. They were keen for the students to help them research previously un-targeted Asian markets, likely consumer demand and, importantly, whether Halal certification would be needed in predominantly Muslim markets, as truffles are traditionally searched out by dogs.   

  Assigned to the truffle business was a Malaysian team and an Indonesian team which provided cultural and religious insights in their findings. The Malaysian team even provided a list of guidelines when engaging with businesspeople in Malaysia.  

  The programme proved to be a valuable experience for both students and clients and, based on its success, the university is already considering running it again in 2022. 

  Programme was “experience of a lifetime” 

  "The Global Virtual Micro-Internship Programme was the experience of a lifetime,” says Nuranisa Nabila Binti Zainudin, a member of the winning Malaysian team.  “It provided me with a remarkable opportunity to learn, grow, and unleash my skills both personally and professionally while working for the best New Zealand company with an incredible team.” 

  “We know that international students are crying out for practical experience and sometimes their knowledge and skills are overlooked,” Dr Shannon says. “There was a lot riding on this, but they did what we knew they were capable of, so I think it would be a shame not to build on the experience.” 

  

  As a bonus, the students have built invaluable contacts in the New Zealand business community.  

  “We know that many jobs come about through connections,” says Dr Shannon. “It is great that the students have had experience of working with local companies in a professional setting, got endorsements for their skills, and will have gained confidence to go out and build their networks.” 

  He believes the programme has highlighted the unique skillset that international students can offer the community.  

  “We have amazing people here ready to contribute.” 

• New Zealand education brand updated for greater global impact

  ENZ developed an updated look for the New Zealand education brand, guided by research to assess the recognition and effectiveness of our brand elements.  

  The insights from this research have guided the development of an updated look that reflects the evolving story of New Zealand education and the values it represents on the world stage.  

  New logo for New Zealand education

  

  ENZ’s research identified the FernMark as a highly distinctive and recognisable symbol, strongly associated with New Zealand by global audiences. 

  See the new brand in action 

   

  ENZ Brand Lead, Nick Sinclair, said this brand uplift is more than just a visual update. 

  “This is a strategic step forward for us, with the intention to align ENZ’s brand with the quality, ambition and impact of New Zealand’s international education offering. 

  “We want to build confidence amongst prospective students and their families with a brand that is trustworthy and unmistakably New Zealand,” Nick added. 

  What’s happening next  

  • New visual identity: You’ll start to see updated branding across the Study with New Zealand digital and social media channels over the coming weeks.  

  • Refreshed brand and marketing assets: We’re refreshing key marketing collateral and event assets to reflect the new look. These include resources you can use in the outreach and promotional activity for your education institution.  

  • Videos and content: Several core videos and promotional materials have already been updated with new branding.  

  New brand collateral will be available for download on our BrandLab by the end of July this year. 

• 2425 281 OIA request for ENZ org chart

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• IEGF Successfull Applicants June 2013

• Payments made to social media influencers in return for posts

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• Massey student’s robotic gut capsule could be a game-changer

  Millions of people globally die every year from gut-related illnesses, and many more live a life of suffering, yet diagnostic tools remain quite rudimentary.  

  Arriving from Pakistan as an international student in 2018, armed with a BSc and MSc in Electrical Engineering, Rehan was excited to join the Microbiotics Lab at Massey University. There he accelerated early work on a micro capsule which could be swallowed and was able to collect samples of the microbiome in specific parts of the gut.  

  Unlike the poop in a jar method, the capsule’s targeted sampling provides a much more detailed analysis, allowing for earlier diagnosis of killer diseases such as cancer and diabetes and easier treatment of inflammatory conditions like Crohn’s and coeliac diseases.

  Early treatment of gut disease can save lives 

  Treating disease early reduces complications and saves lives. And with the capsule expected to be quite affordable to produce, developing countries could share in the benefits it would bring.  

  “It is a huge step forward. There are so many advantages and applications,” Rehan says. “The gut is still a bit of a mystery, but the micro-organisms that live there can tell us a lot about our health.” 

  While an endoscopy camera capsule can take images, it has limitations, and clinicians are excited by the prospect of having such a sophisticated but easy-to-use device to help with diagnosis, Rehan says.  

  Research project shows commercial promise 

  What started as a research-oriented project is showing commercial promise. And not just from doctors. Rehan has also had interest from the veterinary sector, and nutritionists keen to better understand nutritional absorption. 

  The next step is to hone the final details of the capsule design and apply for patents. Once he has ethical approval, he can begin testing in animals. He expects that to be within months. 

  Rehan is proud of what he has achieved since arriving in New Zealand with his young family three years ago. He says he could have gone to the UK or US, but chose New Zealand based on recommendations by friends already studying here, who described the research environment for international students as open and collaborative. He was also excited by the work being undertaken in microbiotics by his supervisor Ebu Avci and was keen to be involved. 

  Collaborative environment makes for impactful outcomes 

  “I’ve valued the network of like-minded people I’ve developed and know that I’ll have a supportive community to call on when I’m no longer in New Zealand,” he says. “The easy collaboration with other universities and organisations such as Callaghan Innovation and MacDiarmid Institute also makes the research and outcomes more impactful.” 

  Such is the life-saving potential of Rehan’s gut capsule, that he was selected to represent New Zealand last month at the International Falling Walls Lab competition in Berlin, Germany. The competition provides a platform for early-career innovators to present, in a three-minute pitch to a jury of experts from academia and business, how they might fix pressing global challenges. Rehan had to compete remotely and wasn’t the ultimate winner but says he it was a great opportunity to network and learn from other research developments going on around the world.   

  Rehan plans to spend next year writing his thesis before returning to Pakistan. Funded by his government to study internationally, he is conscious of the need to return home to share his skills and knowledge but has not ruled out returning to New Zealand to undertake further research in the future.