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From the CE: Welcoming back our international students
Many of these students have travelled to New Zealand for the first time, leaving their families and friends behind to explore a New Zealand education experience. It’s a big deal for them, and for us. Normal student visa processing only just resumed a few weeks ago, and so most of the students are here thanks to the cohort processes that you supported, or as short-term visitors from visa-waiver countries with strong links to New Zealand.
Thank you for making them so welcome, and for sharing their stories through the media. Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao has been pleased to support these welcomes by providing Tū Ngātahi pins to share with the students. The pins were created to welcome and demonstrate our support for international students – Tū Ngātahi is a te Reo Māori phrase calling us to ‘stand together’. The Pikorua twist design is inspired by the pikopiko fern, whose fronds curl around one another, which is a symbol of the connection of cultures and the importance of friendship.
You can read about the recent international student welcome at Waitangi in this edition of E-News, and I’m looking forward to meeting students in Christchurch later this week.
Our 29th international education sector conference, NZIEC KI TUA 2022, finished on Friday – what a great event! There were some exceptional speakers, fascinating discussions, not to mention a few funny moments behind the scenes. The virtual conference, with its themes of Reflect, Reconnect and Renew broke previous records by attracting 1,065 attendees. Thank you to all of you who took part and helped make this such a successful event. All the sessions were recorded, and they will remain available to you on the event portal until 16 September 2022.
As I mentioned at the conference, ENZ has recently made some changes to our leadership team, to ensure we are well placed to work with you on the rebuild of international education. We now have two new roles in ENZ’s senior leadership team that are specifically focussed on meeting your needs as a sector: GM Sector Engagement, and GM Sector Services. The newly appointed GM Sector Engagement is Wendy Kerr, who will join us in October. Sahinde Pala, who will already be well known to many of you from her work at ENZ since 2016, has been appointed GM Sector Services. In addition, the role of Ed Tuari as our Manukura - Chief Advisor Māori is now also part of the senior leadership team. This change reflects the importance of our work to transform the understanding of international education and ensure the education system delivers with, and for, Māori in the international context. Wendy and Sahinde are both profiled in this edition of E-News, and you can see the full senior leadership team on our website here.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the work done by our international teams every day around the world, on behalf of New Zealand’s international education sector. There are numerous stories in E-News each month that provide a glimpse of some of their activities. In this issue, you can read about new scholarships, digital exchanges, workshops for education agents, education cooperation agreements, and more.
He rā ki tua
Better days are coming
Ngā mihi,
Grant McPherson
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US roadshow sparks interest in New Zealand universities
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), together with Victoria University of Wellington, Lincoln University, the University of Auckland, and the University of Otago recently completed a successful tour of high schools across Hawaii. The aim? To inspire local students to think of New Zealand not just as a beautiful place to visit, but as a world-class place to study.
Across a week-long series of classroom presentations, university fairs, and dedicated sessions for school counsellors, the New Zealand delegation engaged directly with more than 300 students and families and connected with 25 high school counsellors.
Representatives from New Zealand universities talking to students and their parents about their study offering.
Director of College Counseling at Le Jardin Academy, Scott Liedtke, said face-to-face conversations are powerful.
“When New Zealand educators come to Hawaii, it helps demystify studying overseas. Students and families can ask questions directly about cost, safety and credit transfer, and hear answers from the source,” he said.
ENZ also partnered with the New Zealand Consulate in Hawaii to host two events for local school counsellors. A breakfast at the New Zealand Chancery and a brunch at the Consul General’s residence allowed for deeper discussions and relationship-building within the education community.
Dan Cairns, Administration Manager at the New Zealand Consulate, described the events as more than just informational.
“Each gathering was designed to reflect different kaupapa, from celebrating international education to acknowledging our shared Polynesian connections – these moments created space to build people-to-people ties that go far beyond the classroom,” he said.
The impact of the roadshow was immediate. Each of the attending universities reported that at least two students had begun applications to study in New Zealand.
Director of Engagement, North America, DuBois Jennings said for ENZ, the roadshow represents a step towards long-term engagement in a region with shared cultural values.
“The clear appetite for New Zealand study options, shows there is real value in continuing and expanding this mahi,” he said.
Scott Liedtke echoed that sentiment. “New Zealand feels like a home away from home for many of our students. With its island lifestyle, cultural familiarity, and globally recognised education, it’s a natural fit,” he said.
“Here in Hawaii, we say the ‘coconut wireless’ — word of mouth — is strong. Once a few students head to New Zealand and love it, that news spreads fast,” Scott added.
For New Zealand study providers looking to find out more about the Hawaiian market, you can contact DuBois Jennings directly via email: dubois.jennings@enz.govt.nz
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Building on momentum from 2025 for steady growth in 2026
Kia ora koutou,
As 2025 draws to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on what we’ve achieved together, and to thank you for the incredible support you’ve shown to grow international education in New Zealand.
This year has been one of big wins:
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New Zealand now has 83,535 international students enrolled between January and August, a 14% increase on last year, already surpassing 2024’s total.
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Education-related travel exports hit $4.52 billion, making international education among New Zealand’s top 10 exports.
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87% of international students rated their experience in the country positively, with 77% of New Zealanders agreeing that international education benefits the country.
These results are a testament to the strength of our partnerships and the commitment of everyone in this sector. Thank you for working with us on our Go-to-Market Plans, we are excited to keep building on this momentum in 2026 as we deliver on the International Education Going for Growth Plan.
And it’s not just our sector shining, New Zealand continues to stand out globally on several counts, which make us even more appealing as a high-quality study destination.
We are globally ranked:
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fifth for overall higher education quality (QS World University Rankings 2026)
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second on the Sustainable Trade Index
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third-most peaceful country in the world (Global Peace Index 2025)
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first for work-life balance (Global Life Work Balance Index 2025)
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tenth for overall prosperity and wellbeing (Legatum Prosperity Index 2025).
Finally, I want to acknowledge Amanda’s outstanding leadership as ENZ Chief Executive. Amanda has strengthened relationships across government and the sector, represented New Zealand internationally, and delivered an organisational reset that sets ENZ up for the future.
We’re immensely grateful for her contribution and wish her every success in her next role.
The ENZ Board has started recruiting for a new Chief Executive, and we’re working closely with Amanda and the leadership team to ensure a smooth transition. In the meantime, business continues as usual, and our team remains focused on achieving the growth goals we have set for international education.
On behalf of the ENZ Board, thank you for everything you’ve done to help international education grow and thrive this year.
Wishing you a safe and happy festive season filled with relaxation, good cheer and time with loved ones. We look forward to connecting again in the New Year and continuing this important work together.
Ngā mihi nui,
Tony Gray
Chair, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao -
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ENZ hosts first agent-led fairs in Viet Nam
The fairs, held in in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, attracted more than 500 prospective students and parents and featured 35 New Zealand providers.
Tam Le, ENZ’s Marketing & Strategic Relations Manager for Viet Nam, said the new agent-led fairs were part of ENZ’s wider efforts to work in close collaboration with one of our top education agents in Viet Nam during key recruitment seasons.
“Agent-led events such as these play a key role in raising the awareness of New Zealand education in during September/October, one of Viet Nam’s key recruitment seasons for international education.
“We are very happy with the quality of students who visited the fairs as well as their genuine enquiries about New Zealand and its education system.”
The fairs were a great opportunity for New Zealand education providers to showcase their internationally-recognised qualifications and to highlight the strong education links between Viet Nam and New Zealand, said Tam.
“It’s fantastic to see New Zealand emerging as a popular education destination for international students from Viet Nam.
“There has been a 62 percent increase in the number of Vietnamese students choosing to study in New Zealand in the first eight months of 2017, compared to the same period last year.”
A growing number of students are also choosing to study at New Zealand’s universities, with an 88 percent increase in the number of Vietnamese students in the first eight months of this year compared to 2016.
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Saudi event for education exporters
Ta’leem 2016 is a Ministry of Education-sponsored event focused on connecting providers of goods and services solutions to Saudi education buyers. Alongside an exhibition hall is a forum on education. This year’s theme for the event is Investment in Education.
The event offers providers an opportunity to gain insight into the opportunities available in Saudi Arabia’s education sector, as well as meet potential buyers and distributors of products and services.
Several New Zealand organisations are already committed to attend Ta’leem. You can find out more at www.iefe.sa
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