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New Zealand Dubai Expo Pavilion inspires international workshop in Whanganui
Ten students from five different regions of Italy travelled with their teachers under the leadership of Dr Alberta Pettoello of the Italian Ministry of Education to join another 40 local high school students. In a three-day workshop they worked together, shared concerns and experiences, and learnt from each other how to communicate their messages across different cultures, realities, and languages.
The Italian Ministry of Education proposed the workshop after Lorenzo Micheli, the coordinator of its Digital Exchange Programme, visited the New Zealand pavilion at the Dubai Expo. He was inspired by the pavilion’s focus on New Zealand’s relationship with nature and indigenous Māori principles such as kaitiakitanga. The Whanganui River and Te Awa Tupua settlement that gave the river its own legal identity, with the rights, duties and liabilities of a legal person, was of particular interest.
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao liaised with the Italian Ministry of Education and facilitated an introduction to local development agency, Whanganui and Partners, who coordinated with Ngā Tāngata Tiaki and local schools, and also supported the trip by funding the activities and workshop in Whanganui.

A highlight of the first day was the pōwhiri for the group at Kaiwhaiki Marae. For the Italian students and their teachers, this was their first introduction to Whanganui and Te Awa Tupua.

On arrival in Whanganui the group was welcomed by Ngā Tāngata Tiaki by powhiri at Kaiwhaiki Marae.
The topic of the workshop was “Humans as Nature”, in which the students were challenged to explore and develop “Rights for Nature”. The students were guided by Ngā Tāngata Tiaki trustee Tamahaia Skinner, who helped them start to define their rivers’ values and characteristics.
The Italian students brought an international perspective to the discussion by introducing their rivers and the challenges they face, encompassing the Ticino river, the Strona river, the Piave river, the Chienti river and the Sinni river.
Students were divided into five teams of 10, with two Italian students assigned to each group. What followed was a hive of discussion, activity and collaboration as each group developed presentations proposing strategies and activities necessary to implement the conservation and care of rivers, and most importantly give the rivers a voice.

And the winners are….. Team Chienti/Whanganui won the overall team competition! Also pictured from left are: Hannah Middleton, Chief Executive of Whanganui and Partners; Lorenzo Micheli, coordinator of the Digital Exchange Programme for the Italian Ministry of Education, and Dr Alberta Pettoello of the Italian Ministry of Education who lead the delegation of students and teachers to New Zealand.

At the conclusion of the workshop the overall winner was the Chienti/Whanganui team. Strona/Whanganui were judged the most inclusive team; Sinni/Whanganui the best presented team; Ticino/Whanganui the best team spirit; and Piave/Whanganui the most creative team.
The organisation and thoughtfulness that went into the preparation and coordination of the workshop was first class. But it was the joy of the students who found new friends on the other side of the world, exchanging Instagram and FB accounts while sharing a wonderful week of discovery, that shone through as the workshop’s greatest outcome. It was this companionship and mindfulness of other lives and cultures that prompted the final defining group hug.
The week changed everyone involved, transforming perspectives and expectations of others. I’m sure they will meet up again as their travels as global citizens continue.
- Justin Barnett, Director Communications at Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao

It was hugs all around at the completion of a three-day hackathon and workshop amongst Italian and New Zealand high school students. An uplifting outcome of the workshop was the strong bond that developed between the students as they learnt about each other while sharing cultures and experiences.

Filippo Chiodini from the Daniel Crespi school in Varese (in front) follows the instructor’s guidance as he manoeuvres his virtual plane from the cockpit simulator at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy in Whanganui.
From the CE: Building back New Zealand’s international education experience
One of the highlights for me was experiencing a warm Southern welcome in Christchurch and Dunedin, in late August. It was useful to hear from a cross-section of key education providers and other education-related organisations about what’s top of mind for them. There was an opportunity to hear about their plans for the year ahead and discuss what’s being planned at Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), and how we can best support each other.
People expressed cautious optimism about inbound student numbers for 2022, saying they have adequate applications in the pipeline to be comfortable with progress (as much as 50% of pre-pandemic levels for some). They mentioned that the fourth border exception group of international students, Cohort 4, is having a positive impact on student numbers. Many of the recent arrivals had started their studies with New Zealand online in their home countries – a testament to the huge effort made by providers, with support from agents and our international teams, to continue reaching out to students and offering online study options while our borders were closed.
The visit ended with a Christchurch City Council and ChristchurchNZ mayoral welcome for around 140 tertiary international students, from across the wider Christchurch region – a memorable evening.
Another successful welcome for international students took place in September, hosted by the University of Auckland. Both Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins spoke at the event, in a clear demonstration of the government’s commitment to international students and international education.
This week I returned from a short visit to London and Barcelona, as part of ENZ’s plans to revisit all our key partner countries now our borders have reopened. The timing coincided with the annual EAIE Conference and Exhibition in Barcelona, which attracted more than 6,300 participants from over 90 countries. EAIE is the largest business-to-business conference and international education event in Europe. It provided a great opportunity to reconnect with key partners and other contacts, and to continue to let them know we are open to welcome students. You can read more about New Zealand’s pavilion at EAIE and the providers who took part in this month’s E-News.
In London, I had a series of meetings with key government and education sector contacts, including Professor Sir Steve Smith, the UK Government International Education Champion. A range of opportunities were discussed during these meetings, and we will follow up on these with the sector in New Zealand. I also met with journalists to promote a New Zealand education, including Times Higher Education and StudyTravel magazine. The final engagement of the London trip before heading off to Barcelona involved presenting an award at the PIEoneer Awards ceremony. The four awards won by New Zealand organisations that evening are covered later in this issue.
Finally, I’d like to thank everyone involved in the Asia Pacific Technical & Vocational Education and Training Forum, which took place from 14-15 September 2022. This online event, which is run in partnership between Te Pūkenga, Skills Consulting Group and ENZ, attracted more than 2,000 delegates from 60 countries, and has resulted in significant positive feedback.
In the spirit of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori I’d like to end with a whakataukī that highlights the importance of language:
Kia kaha, te reo Māori - Let’s make the Māori language strong!
Ngā mihi nui,
Grant McPherson
Showcasing New Zealand education at EAIE 2022
Held from 13-16 September in Barcelona, Spain, the 32nd Annual EAIE Conference and Exhibition attracted more than 200 exhibitors and 6,300 participants for a packed programme of sessions, networking events and plenaries. This was an ideal platform for New Zealand institutions and the ENZ team to meet with key stakeholders, including government and university partners, education agents, and study abroad and pathway providers.
New Zealand’s branded pavilion featured the kākahu (garment) created for German student Malina Grube from the I AM NEW campaign, and attracted attention from European and global education professionals.
Alongside their busy schedule of meetings and appointments, the New Zealand representatives also attended a networking event organised by ENZ, which brought together more than 100 key education partners.
Speaking at the event, ENZ Chief Executive Grant McPherson said the value of New Zealand's education relationships in Europe lies in student mobility, and in the quality of the academic relationships between New Zealand and European partners, the strong research and innovation links between us, and the ties these build beyond the education sector.
“I am proud of the many educational partnerships and connections New Zealand’s institutions have with European counterparts and globally,” he said.

LtoR: Richard Witts, Regional Manager – Africa, Middle East & Europe, Sharon Calvert, Director, International, and Alister Jones, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the University of Waikato

Ainslie Moore, Interim Director International, the University of Auckland, meets with key contacts

The New Zealand pavilion, with Brett Armstrong, Study Abroad Manager, Auckland University of Technology, in the foreground and the kākahu on display beside the welcome desk.
Important update: passport requirements for temporary visa applicants offshore
Immigration New Zealand has announced a change to passport requirements that affect a number of temporary visa applicants offshore. This change is in effect now.
The change means that people applying from offshore for a student, visitor or work temporary visa only need to send Immigration New Zealand a high-quality scan of their passport, not a physical copy.
An Immigration Officer may still ask for a physical passport if they consider it necessary for the application. This will be on a case-by-case basis.
This is a temporary measure to help with visa processing. People applying for a student visa or group visitor visa through the Immigration Online form will currently receive an automated letter asking for a physical passport to be submitted. This is not required, and Immigration New Zealand is working to update the letter to reflect the change in requirements.
Visit Immigration New Zealand to learn more about passport requirements.
Latest recipient of innovation funding will strengthen indigenous links
Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi (TWWOA) is the most recent recipient of support from the International Education Product Innovation Fund, administered by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ).
TWWOA’s pilot project ‘Iwi taketake: an Indigenous postgraduate curriculum’ will see the co-construction of an international Indigenous curriculum from post-graduate certificates through to doctoral studies.  
The new curriculum will be developed and delivered with Indigenous college graduates based at Hawai’i, Washington State, Canada and Australia, and will strengthen relationships with and between Indigenous communities and education providers in the United States. The pilot project will demonstrate how applied Indigenous postgraduate education can deliver value for Indigenous communities who are more used to being the subjects of research, rather than the beneficiaries of it.  
The first ‘co-badged’ qualifications, awarded jointly by TWWOA and partners offshore, will be offered to learners from 2024 onwards.
The International Education Product Innovation Fund is a New Zealand Government-funded initiative, managed by ENZ, to reimagine how an education from New Zealand can be delivered and create impact for global learners. Learnings from this stream of work will be shared for wider benefit to the sector in late 2023.
Visit the Product Innovation Fund page to learn more and discover all the pilot projects the Fund is supporting.
Study abroad promo in US
Study Abroad Month, led by our Washington DC-based team, targeted the study advisors at United States universities, who support students with their study abroad plans. A series of videos were published each week and sent to key contacts, including a closing video from Education Minister Chris Hipkins.
Lewis Gibson, Field Director North America at Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao, says study abroad students are our main source of international students from the US.
“Pre-Covid-19, around 350,000 tertiary students each year spent a semester overseas as part of their degree. We’re looking to increase our share of this group.
“In normal times, US institutions and study abroad advisors rely on the voices of New Zealand alumni, who can share their experiences with other people on campus and build interest in a New Zealand study experience,” he says.
“We needed to do something different this year, because our borders had been closed so there weren’t the alumni students available on campus. We also needed a good way to remind study advisors about New Zealand’s unique education offering.”
Lewis says feedback from institutions in the US has been very positive, and they are looking forward to seeing students travel again to New Zealand. Some of the comments received included the following:
- “Thank you so much for letting us know about this exciting project! I just shared the New Zealand Study Abroad Month YouTube channel with our spring 2023 applicants... We are thrilled to nominate over 15 students to our outstanding partner universities in New Zealand ...for the first time in over two years!”
- “Thank you for sharing this information. I watched Fiona’s video for VUW and I am sharing it with several students who are deciding which NZ institution to attend for Term 1 via TEAN. I’ll be certain to watch future videos and do the same with those.”
- “We are so grateful of the opportunities you provide our students, and our tight partnership together.”
“In case anyone is wondering, we initially intended to run the promotion for four weeks, hence the name, ‘Study Abroad Month’. But with the participation of so many universities, and the inclusion of additional videos reflecting the voices of students, it made more sense to expand the promotion to six weeks.”
Before our borders closed, the US was our sixth largest source of international students, with most students seeking to enrol in university-level study here. Study Abroad Month aimed to attract students to New Zealand from the US spring semester 2023 onwards.
Appreciating our education agents in Japan
JAOS stands for Japan Association of Overseas Studies and is a peak body for Japanese education agents. JAOS President Yukari Kato, Councillor Chairman Yasuo Sone, and Executive Secretary Tatsuo Hoshino and other members attended the event, which was hosted by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) in partnership with the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo and Air New Zealand.
New Zealand’s Ambassador to Japan, Hamish Cooper, said education had played a key role in bilateral relations between Japan and New Zealand over the past 70 years, and this was highlighted in the successful visit by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earlier this year.
Yukari Kato, who is also Executive Vice President of Ryugaku Journal,spoke fondly about her experiences living in New Zealand. She also welcomed the opportunity to work with ENZ to feature sustainability-related courses and degrees offered by New Zealand tertiary institutions in Ryugaku Journal Magazine’s September issue.
Misa Kitaoka, ENZ’s Director of Education based in Tokyo, says this event will be followed by a series of networking events in October 2022, to build on the positive brand that New Zealand has in Japan and connect Japanese stakeholders with New Zealand regions and education providers.
Prior to Covid-19, JAOS members sent around 6,000 students to New Zealand each year, mostly to secondary schools, followed by English language schools.
Graduation for Girls in Tech Indonesia Scholarship recipients
Selected from applicants from more than 50 universities across Indonesia, the women received training in either product management or data analytics, supported by mentoring sessions, before presenting their final projects in TECHTalk series to the public.
Internships are next on the agenda, as the scholarship recipients are entitled to internship opportunities at Qasir, an Indonesia-based point of sales start-up.
ENZ worked with Girls in Tech Indonesia to deliver the programme, as well as with Code Avengers, a Hamilton-based EdTech company focussed on digital learning, and with Indonesia-based training provider, Remote Skills Academy.
ENZ Regional Director for Asia Ben Burrowes says there are always new things to learn in the world of technology.
“Our goal is to build international relationships and we can achieve this by promoting New Zealand’s education products and services. Through this particular initiative we are also supporting more women to take the leap into technology or continue to develop their tech career.”
Code Avengers Head of Australasian Distribution Steve Budd says digital literacy is becoming more and more important in the global job market.
“Being able to provide an opportunity for these remarkable students to kick-start their careers is a great honour.”
NZ’s updated Code of Practice – caring for international students
The following article is based on a presentation by Julia Moore from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) at NZIEC KI TUA 2022 in August. NZQA is responsible for administering the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 (the Code), which came into effect in January this year.
All domestic and international tertiary students, and international students in schools, are now covered by the Code. Offshore learners are also covered, with updated guidance from NZQA explaining what is expected, and what pastoral care might be provided for people studying offshore.
Wellbeing is closely connected with success in education, and this is recognised in the updated Code. The Code signals a new way of thinking about success for learners which includes wellbeing and acknowledges that being heard and responded to is part of wellbeing.
“International learners should be able to have their voices heard and heeded,” Julia said.
The Code sets a framework for the relationship between providers and students. It acknowledges solutions are best found locally, so the Code requires providers to work out what is appropriate in their own setting, and for meeting the needs of diverse learners. Learners and their communities need to be included in the design, review, and improvement of practice. Taking care of international learners has become an organisation-wide responsibility for the education provider, rather than the sole responsibility of pastoral support teams or the international office.
“We aim to support providers’ continuous improvement in taking a whole-of-organisation approach to pastoral care, honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and responding appropriately to the diverse voices and wellbeing needs of their learners,” Julia said.
You can listen to NZQA’s full presentation at the link below.

NZQA holds regular workshops on the Code, and you can find out more here
Links to further information:
Read the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021
Code resources for tertiary providers
Code resources for school signatories

If you have any questions, please email the code team at NZQA: Code.Enquiries@nzqa.govt.nz
October update from Immigration New Zealand
Update on student visa processing*
Since the borders reopened on 1 August 2022, we have received 7,710 student visa applications from international students outside New Zealand. We have decided 4,885 of these applications with over half of these decisions being made in less than 4 weeks and 95% being made within 7 weeks.
*Figures current as at 17 October 2022.
Submit your student visa application for early 2023 study now
Thank you to everyone who has followed our guidance around waiting to submit applications for a student visa for 2023 study. We now encourage students who are intending to begin their studies in New Zealand in early 2023 (up to the end of March) to submit their applications. If you have all your documents ready (including your offer of place and up to date financial evidence) then apply now to give enough time for your application to be processed before your intended travel date. Follow the checklists on the INZ website Student visa information | Immigration New Zealand for guidance on what to provide with your application.
Sending your passport to INZ
We have changed the rules for when you need to send us your passport. Now, if you are applying for a student visa you only need to send us a high-quality scan of your passport, you will not usually need to send your actual passport to be scanned at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) or an Immigration New Zealand office. This is a temporary measure to help with visa processing. Please note applicants may still receive an automated letter asking for a passport to be submitted. This is not required. We are updating the letter to address this issue.
More information: Sending your passport | Immigration New Zealand
Post-study work visa eligibility
Changes have been made to the Post-Study Work Visa eligibility requirements and visa conditions, to reflect the government decisions announced on 11 May 2022. For more information check the INZ website:  New Post Study Work Visa requirements announced | Immigration New Zealand