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Farm Cove Intermediate and Luoyang International School: Sister Schools
International education a priority
At Farm Cove Intermediate (FCI) international education goals are included in our strategic documentation, as this is an area of high priority. We recognise the importance of our FCI community becoming Asia-equipped with our Asian neighbours now such a significant part of our lives. However, our FCI links with Asia go far beyond obligation and responsibility as we get so much enjoyment from sharing with both students and teachers from other cultures. Since our first group arrived from Japan 27 years ago, we have experienced the enormous value of celebrating cultural diversity through our hosting of international students from Asia.
Sister School relationship established
We’ve particularly enjoyed hosting students and teachers from our sister school, Luoyang International School (LYIS), which is in Luoyang City, Henan Province, China. Our relationship with LYIS began with a surprise email from their Principal, Jason Tsai, in 2012. He had visited our school when he was working in Auckland several years ago. His aim was to connect with an Auckland school and he believed that we would be a good fit to host a group of his students for short visit. We learnt that LYIS was four schools in one, from pre-school to college, and that students boarded five nights a week. This modern school of 2500 students was built only four years ago and has a focus on English language learning and using a variety of teaching methodologies. Our planning all came together and, in less than a year, 15 students arrived for a four week stay, accompanied by the principal and a teacher. The teacher spent her time working alongside our teachers, while the students mixed freely with their classmates and quickly became part of our school. The visit went so well that they visited us again in 2014, when we signed a sister school agreement to further promote teacher and student exchange and broaden our educational horizons by adding a global perspective. We agreed to join hands as sister schools and seek opportunities for purposeful, genuine and authentic communication.

Collaborative Poetry- a challenge but fun. Students were given Chinese names by the students.
Sister school visit enabled
After an initial scoping visit by four FCI teachers to LYIS, and with the blessing from our Board of Trustees we decided to take a group from FCI to China. Support from ENZ’s New Zealand China Sister Schools Fund enabled us to take two teachers on the visit.
The trip far exceeded our expectations. It provided amazing opportunities, was so much fun and changed us all. There were many high fives, welcome to China hugs, hand-made gifts and songs sung as we mixed with the LYIS students. They had spent months preparing for us. We enjoyed lessons in practical science, calligraphy, Chinese music, English, Mandarin and physical education. A night in homestays allowed our students to get a glimpse into Chinese life; the food was really yummy and the excursions to local points of interest were truly memorable.
Our trip to LYIS really advanced our sister school relationship. We have developed life-long friends and deepened our understanding of Chinese culture and the Mandarin language. Our learning flowed out across our school and the wider community, as we shared our daily experiences through social media while we were on the road, and presented to our whole school on our return.
Relationship set to grow
Planning is underway for a group from LYIS to visit us, and for a larger group from FCI to return to Luoyang in 2017. Short-term teacher exchanges are also being discussed.
Students greatly enjoyed learning the art of calligraphy.
Tips and insights
If you’re thinking of establishing a sister school relationship in China, here are some things to consider.
- Do you have the support of your school community for such a venture – including your Boards of Trustees, teachers, parents and the students? You will need all of these stakeholders to support a successful relationship.
- Are there good lines of communication between the school in China, or their agent, and your school? This is essential, so that clear understandings and expectations are established and the potential for any misunderstandings minimised.
- How easy is it to travel to the Chinese school from New Zealand and for them to travel to you, and how long will it take to complete the journey? China is vast, and it can take three or more flights plus a lengthy train or coach trip to get to some districts.
- How much will it cost each participant? The cost for families to send their child on the trip, plus the cost of sending the teachers, needs to be calculated. It is important that the group has a clear understanding of what is and is not covered by the trip budget.
- What sort of preparation is required by students, teachers and parents? Good preparation – especially on the part of the students – is a critical factor as it underpins the success of the trip. You can support the preparation for Chinese students to come to you by sharing facts, photos, videos and links through social media. At FCI we put a lot of emphasis on teaching our students to be excellent hosts. In our experience, students travelling to Chinese schools take about ten weeks of lessons and three family meetings to gain the knowledge and skills that will enable them to have a positive experience.
- Will your students feel comfortable in the Chinese school environment and vice versa? China is a very different culture, even more so as you get away from the big cities. Similarly, life in your community is likely to be a totally new experience for the Chinese student. It is our view that children need to experience cultural differences, but not be challenged to the point where they are overwhelmed.
- What does the district around your school and their school offer which would be of interest for the students? Visiting special points of interest in the local district adds significantly to the experience for the students.
We really value our sister school relationship with LYIS in China. By hosting them twice and visiting with both a staff group and later with a student group, we are recognising more and more similarities between our cultures, and learning to appreciate the differences. Future exchanges will allow us to have more fun, too, as we develop an even greater understanding of one another.
We are very much looking forward to FCI LYIS China Trip 2017.
Linda Harvie, Principal - Farm Cove Intermediate School
Grow your business with the Skills Lab
At the heart of the Skills Lab is project-based learning. These projects are designed to give you top tips and advice that you can consume in bite-size pieces. The Skills Lab also allows you to post your own comments and share your top tips so we can develop a professional community.
Collaboration at the heart
The Skills Lab was born of industry feedback. In the 2015 Industry Survey, you expressed a desire for more professional development support, and in particular asked for online support in order for you to access content at a time and location that suits you.
We’ve since co-developed the Skills Lab with multiple groups of industry representatives, having taken into account your advice on the structure and features of the website, as well as on key content areas. We’re already working on a range of refinements that you’ve suggested, including on individual projects and website functionality.
Helping grow your business
The Skills Lab is already proving useful. Robbie Pickford, International Director of Takapuna Grammar School, told The PIE News at the New Zealand International Education Conference that the Skills Lab helped her institution learn about new markets.
“I’ve been in the industry for a long time and there hasn’t been that go-to place that I could get intel about the market, the country or the culture. The Skills Lab also encourages industry collaboration, with users able to upload their own information and expertise. There’ll be more and more information available for the sector. It keeps us growing and thinking towards the future,” Pickford said.
Kirstyn Mawdsley, Director International of St Hilda’s Collegiate School, also told The PIE News that the Skills Lab would be of particular benefit to New Zealand’s regional and smaller providers.
“We don’t have the same budget available as bigger programmes, and often we’re working in very small departments. Trying to keep up to date with everything and find professional development opportunities is quite complicated. The Skills Lab helps with that and also alleviates the distance barrier,” she said.
Content examples from the Skills Lab

But wait, there’s more!
The current version of the Skills Lab is just the beginning. We’ll continue to roll out new content, so stay tuned for more case studies and international education-specific content over the coming months. We’re planning more detailed and useful projects that will help you in your specific organisational context.
We’ll also be partnering with individual industry experts to bring you case studies and projects based on their successes. If you have suggestions on content, or would like to offer some of your expertise and contribute to a case study or project, please email us at skillslab@enz.govt.nz.
Sign up and participate
You can access the Skills Lab at skillslab.enz.govt.nz or from the ENZ website.
Make sure you watch the introductory video to learn how you can use this exciting new tool.
Note that only approved New Zealand education providers are able to access the Skills Lab and its content.
If you are experiencing any difficulty in signing up to the Skills Lab, please email skillslab@enz.govt.nz.
Letter from the CE: $4.28 billion valuation a great result
This places international education (onshore and offshore delivery) as New Zealand’s fourth largest export industry, and puts us well on the way to achieving our goal of a $5 billion economic value by 2025.
This achievement belongs to our education providers for delivering high-quality education programmes, the government bodies who work together and keep student well-being at the heart of the industry, and the Kiwis who welcome young people from around the globe into their homes and communities. This is what keeps bringing students to our shores.
As we know, economic contribution is just one aspect of international education, with the social and cultural benefits (though harder to quantify) being equally important.
International education connects New Zealanders with the world in a personal and meaningful way, and provides a global perspective to our institutions and communities. International students bring a rich cultural diversity, and allow Kiwi students to learn about the world by bringing the world to them. Students are exposed to different ways of thinking and looking at things, helping them to become more outward-looking and accepting of other cultures.
Of course, international education is a two-way flow. While New Zealanders are increasingly aware of the benefits of having international students here, there is ample opportunity for young Kiwis to go out into the world and experience the benefits of international education for themselves. This, I hope, will be a growing focus for the industry.
The new valuation is a clear reflection of New Zealand’s successful approach for both providers and students. It also demonstrates that great things that can happen when we work together. Let’s keep working together for the benefit of all.
Grant McPherson
Chief Executive, Education New Zealand

The Economic Impact of International Education Report for 2015/16 and its key findings can be found here.
Wellington's international students raise funds for local charity
Local Wellington businesses donated items to the auction, including Vodafone, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Embassy cinema, Flight Coffee and Havana Coffee Works. In a true spirit of generosity, many students also pitched in to donate what they could, giving both financial contributions and items to be auctioned.
Together with a little help from its Auckland campus, The Campbell Institute raised over $2,000 for DCM.
“It’s a great chance for international students to contribute something extra to the community that is hosting them,” says Tim Mahren Brown, CEO of The Campbell Institute.
“It’s also a valuable language learning exercise in itself as students need to listen very carefully to follow the bidding!”
The Campbell Institute charity auction is an annual event and, in 2015, also raised funds for Sir Edmund Hillary’s Himalayan Trust to help rebuild Nepal after the earthquakes.
New website address reflects government endorsement
Our research demonstrated that websites which are clearly identifiable as government-endorsed have a distinct advantage in the international marketplace.
The studyinnewzealand.govt.nz address lends legitimacy and credibility to the website. The .govt url can’t be faked, and our audience understands this.
It is invaluable in building trust in our brand and the information we provide for international audiences. It is also in line with the practice of our nearest competitor: www.studyinaustralia.gov.au
Expense disclosure 1 July 2025 to 6 February 2026
Saudi event changes
The 2016 International Exhibition and Conference on Education (IECHE) – traditionally the key recruitment event for the year – has been cancelled by the organisers.
To ensure New Zealand continues to be promoted as an education destination to prospective students in 2016, ENZ is considering participating in IGEC’s upcoming International Educational Expertise Forum (IEEF) events in Jeddah and Riyadh on 24 - 27 April 2016.
These events are expected to attract industry participants from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Turkey and South Africa, as well as New Zealand.
The IEEF events have received approval from the Saudi Ministry of Education and organisers are able to issue invitations for visas.
To coincide with the IEEF events, ENZ will host an Agent Seminar at the New Zealand Embassy in Riyadh, and will support in-market networking with key scholarship sponsors.
IEEF event registration
Registration for IEEF is made by emailing the registration form directly to the organisers. The form is available on the Saudi events page, accessed via ENZ’s Event Calendar.
ENZ’s Agent Seminar registration
Registration for the Agent Seminar can also be done via ENZ’s Event Calendar.
Please email questions to middleeast@enz.govt.nz.
Asia comes to Marsden School
With funding from the Asia New Zealand Foundation, Marsden Head of Humanities, Fiona Crawford, organised a full day of activities for students, with the aim to increase their cultural awareness and educate them on a region with increasing ties to New Zealand.
"We want our students to thrive and contribute towards putting New Zealand on the map, so it is our responsibility to equip them for their future relationships with Asia," Crawford said.
Marsden students dressed up for Experience Asia Day.

The day included a range of activities and sessions that represented 11 Asian countries, starting off with a Tai Chi session in the gym, and ending with an inter-house KPop (Korean Pop) dance competition. In between, students broke into groups to take part in Judo, Kung Fu and Bollywood dance classes, sushi, dumpling and curry making, language learning and haiku writing, as well as origami, henna painting, sari dressing, lantern making, calligraphy, kite making – and much more.
“The students really enjoyed themselves, but also gained valuable insights into the many Asian cultures on show. Many commented on how fun it was, and hope to do it again next year,” Crawford said.
Amanda Cundy, a former Marsden student who went on the school’s first exchange to China back in 2010, stopped by Asia Day to share her experience with students. She spoke about the impact that Chinese studies had on her life, and the importance of understanding other cultures in an increasingly globalised world.
Marsden students tried their hand at sushi making, Diwali art and calligraphy.
University of Waikato announces pioneering international partnership
In September 2017, the University of Waikato will launch a joint Institute with Zheijiang University City College [ZUCC], offering Chinese students the opportunity to enrol in one of three undergraduate degrees in China with the University of Waikato providing the degrees and teaching staff.
On completion, the Chinese students will receive a degree from both universities.
University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor, Professor Neil Quigley, says the initiative complements other joint programmes the University has been running in China over the past 20 years.
"The University is committed to growing its off-shore delivery, and transnational education plays an important role in the University’s internationalisation strategy," said Professor Quigley.
Education New Zealand [ENZ] supported the preparation of the bid for initial submission to the Chinese Ministry of Education and the redevelopment of the Academic English part of the programme.
Grant McPherson, ENZ Chief Executive, says that in a global context transnational education is not only a growth area, but an important contributor to supporting the international reputation and brand of the provider, and New Zealand.
“We are delighted to see the University of Waikato expand offshore, with an approach that builds on an existing relationship and seamlessly aligns with the University’s offering,” said Mr McPherson.
The application process for approval of the institute was rigorous, including examination by the Provincial Ministry of Education and the Chinese Ministry of Education in Beijing.
The first intake of students will be able to study for degrees in finance, media and creative technologies, and computer graphic design.
The programmes included in the partnership were selected based on demand. The finance degree has been available to ZUCC students since 2008 but the students were required to complete the qualification in New Zealand. The partnership with the University of Waikato was established in 2002.
"The finance degree was a popular choice with students when we began our partnership with ZUCC,” said Professor Quigley.
“The addition of media and creative technologies and computer graphic design relates well to the location of ZUCC in Hangzhou, which is a hub for technology and creative practices."
Get involved in INZ’s Pathway Student Visa pilot
Invitations to take part in the pilot were sent to over 500 primary, secondary and tertiary providers on the basis that they have a student visa application approval rate of 90% or higher for the 2014/15 financial year.
INZ has not received replies from all the providers that were invited to participate in the pilot, and would like to encourage all eligible providers to get involved.
INZ will resend invitations to eligible providers that are not already participating.
If you think the previous invitation was sent to an incorrect email address, please email pathwayvisasfeedback@mbie.govt.nz to advise.
What is a Pathway Student Visa and why should I offer it to my students?
A Pathway visa allows a student to undertake up to three consecutive programmes of study on a single visa. The visa can be granted for a maximum period of five years.
The programmes of study can be at a single education provider (e.g. Years 11-13 at a secondary school), or can be at up to three different providers (e.g. English language studies, followed by foundation studies, followed by a degree programme).
In terms of funds, INZ needs to see that tuition fees have been paid for the first year of study or first course of study (whichever is shorter). Students must also prove funds to maintain themselves for the same period (the first year, or the first course).
INZ does not need to see liquid funds for the subsequent years/programmes of study, but does need to be satisfied that the student will be able to fund the rest of their stay, e.g. their parents have a regular and stable income.
More information on Pathway visas, including a list of providers that are already participating in the pilot, can be found on the INZ website.