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  • Continuing the discussion on the impact of AI on education

    Since ChatGPT’s (Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer) launch in November last year, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool has featured heavily in headlines around the world, sparking conversations from boardrooms, to classrooms, and around the dining room table. Discussions on the significant impact this tool and future AI technology is having on how we teach, assess, and support our students here in New Zealand’s education system are happening in all areas of our sector, including here at Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), 

    A particular discussion during a recent EdTechNZ panel webinar on Artificial Intelligence and the impact on Education, looked at where educators may want to focus their valuable time now that generative AI platforms are available. For example, do educators want to spend their time researching topics, analysing data, and producing unique activities of work, or spend it on building meaningful relationships and place-based experiences with and for learners; gaining insights into learners’ interests, engaging in critical thinking activities and deepening learners experience of and outcomes in education? 

    Following EdTechNZ’s interesting and successful March webinar which can be viewed here; Artificial Intelligence and the impact on education, ENZ hosted an in-person seminar at our Tāmaki Makaurau offices in late April. This seminar's purpose was to look deeper at how this emerging technology is changing the way we learn, teach, and innovate. 

    Professor Ian Watson, recent past professor at the University of Auckland, spoke to a group from across the education spectrum including secondary schools, Private Training Establishments, EdTech founders, Education Publishers, Google, about AI and its impact on education.  

    Professor Watson is considered an AI pioneer with 30+ years in the AI machine learning environment and reflected on the history of AI, including that it is not a new or sudden phenomenon, and its progress over time.  

    “AI imitates intelligence and is great at the specific but not so much the general. For example, aircraft use AI to be able to perform extremely specific flight tasks, but it will never be able to suggest a recipe and cook it!”, Professor Watson said.  

    “Within education, AI will certainly provide value in routine, mundane and repetitive tasks such as grading, lesson planning, report writing but in the hard and difficult tasks such as developing a universal design for learning and differentiated or targeted learning, it has its flaws. It is not always factually correct and still needs a human to educate it”. 

    Professor Watson also talked about how important it is, critical even, to teach learners how to use these tools, so they are empowered. Such tools include the likes of AI4K12 for K-12 learners. 

    Anyone looking for more insights and conversations about AI should check out the TechWeek23 programme with over 400 in person and online events to be hosted from 13 – 20 May.  

    Techweek AI focussed online events of note include:  

  • Step up to the World, Tū māia ki te ao, a forum on global citizenship education, 11-13 September

    Educators, those who work in education or anyone with a keen interest in growing their understanding of Global Citizenship Education are invited to attend this free forum. The forum aims to bring individuals and organisations together and share some of the wonderful work being done in the education sector while also looking at how we can collaborate and champion each other's workstreams in the future. 

    The forum will also support participants to:  

    • Understand Global Citizenship Education (GCED) 
    • Explore ways to honour our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi through GCED 
    • Make links between key frameworks and strategies and the New Zealand context 
    • Explore the role of GCED in Asia-Pacific contexts and in international education 
    • Connect and share best practice with local and international experts and practitioners 

    You can register your interest for the event via this form here: https://forms.gle/NiBTqGxAzt9P2VrY8 or by sending an email to: tyler.tekiri@enz.govt.nz 

  • High-level delegation visit strengthens education relationship with India

    The New Zealand India Education Week – held from 17-22 April – included senior level participation from New Zealand universities and was designed to further strengthen the strategic education partnership with India. 

    Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) Chief Executive, Grant McPherson, led the delegation across New Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. 

    Demonstrating New Zealand’s overall commitment to India, New Zealand announced an investment of $400,000 towards internationalisation and student mobility initiatives, including the relaunch of the New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZEA). 

    The NZEA are unique scholarships designed exclusively for Indian students that are jointly funded by ENZ and all New Zealand universities. Since their launch in 2016, the scholarships have enabled more than 200 Indian students to study at one of New Zealand’s universities. 

    Another key focus for the week was to re-engage with the New Zealand Centre at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and discuss the future trajectory of the partnership.  

    New Zealand High Commissioner to India His Excellency Mr David Pine speaking at a meeting with the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

    Caption: Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao Chief Executive, Grant McPherson (right), thanking Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) outgoing Dean International Naveen Garg (left) for hosting the NZ delegation at IIT.

    Erik Lithander, Deputy Vice Chancellor Strategic Engagement at the University of Auckland, signed an MoU with IIT Delhi on behalf of all New Zealand universities to continue the relationship and further develop the New Zealand Study Centre.  

    The New Zealand Study Centre was inaugurated at IIT Delhi in February 2020 by Deputy PM Winston Peters, demonstrating the importance of education as a key part of the India-New Zealand relationship.  

    The week was bookended by two education agent fairs in New Delhi and Mumbai respectively, both of which exceeded expected student attendance numbers.  

    Speaking at a media briefing held at the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi during the New Zealand India Education Week, ENZ CE Grant McPherson underlined the importance of New Zealand’s education partnership with India.  

    “India is one of New Zealand’s priority partner countries for collaborations, exchanges, and student mobility. We are excited that the announcements around the New Zealand Centre strengthening and the extensive package of scholarships under the New Zealand Excellence Awards scheme will further engagement with India,” Grant said. 

    ENZ Regional Director – Asia, Ben Burrowes, said with the sector’s focus on recovery and reconnections, the New Zealand India Education Week provided a great opportunity to refresh relationships with education sector stakeholders in India.  

    “India has always been a strong partner to New Zealand in the education space, and students from India consistently make up the second largest portion of international students studying in New Zealand.  

    “We are delighted for the opportunity that the New Zealand India Education Week offered us to reconnect and refresh our education links with India, and we look forward to building this relationship further over the coming years.” 

     

    Additional info –  

    To begin the week, sector representatives were provided with in-depth insights into the India-New Zealand relationship from High Commissioner David Pine, ENZ in-market staff and a consultant from EY. Representatives attended meetings with government departments such as the University Grants Commission (UGC) as well as B2B institutional networking events to support their university's global engagement. The delegation also met with two Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), IIT Delhi and IIT Madras.   

  • Introducing Sharon-May McCrostie, ENZ’s new Director Sector Engagement

    Can you tell us about your professional background including the role you had prior to joining ENZ?

    After graduating from the University of Waikato with a Bachelor of Management Studies specialising in Japanese and International Business, I joined the primary export sector. I held a range of sales, marketing and business development roles in the seafood and horticultural sectors with a focus on Asian markets, including with ENZA (the NZ Apple and Pear Marketing Board) in Singapore. My first job was in Bluff, exporting live lobster!

    Prior to joining ENZ, I spent 20 years with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise in a range of roles supporting NZ exporters to realise their international growth ambitions. In my last role there, I was Customer Director where I led a team of customer managers supporting digital technology and services exporters across the central New Zealand region.

    What are your thoughts on your new role so far?

    I feel I have joined ENZ at the perfect time as the team here comes together to co-create next year’s business plan. Early in the role, I was catapulted into focus groups with sub-sectors to understand their priorities and ensure we focus on the right opportunities and challenges to enable the international education sector to flourish. Providers were generous in sharing insights and setting expectations for ENZ, providing important input into the business planning process.

    As we work through the process, I have been incredibly impressed with the knowledge of my team and the wider  ENZ team, and admire the depth of passion and ambition to ensure we make a difference to the sector.

    What do you see as the challenges and potential opportunities for our sector?

    The market for international learners is hyper competitive, and our main competitors are driving hard to win market share in the face of ongoing global uncertainty.  New Zealand has an excellent reputation for education, but we must be smarter and nimbler to maintain an edge over our competitors and attract quality learners to NZ. 

    We must continue to build brand awareness and enable agents and providers to provide a compelling case for choosing a NZ education. As the sector shifts from recovery to rebuild, it is an opportunity to think differently about how we partner with the sector to co-create a robust, resilient, and innovative sector that meets the needs of the future learner:  I am excited to be part of that conversation.

    Outside of work, what do you like to do?

    Wellington is blessed with rolling hills that embrace the harbour, and I love running its trails and taking in the soaring views. I also love to swim – mostly in a pool, with the occasional plunge in the ocean. Otherwise, I love to read, rummage through op shops for vintage china and linen, and hang out with my daughters who are my biggest teachers.

     

  • The new Study with New Zealand study matching tool is now live

    Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) has launched this revamped study matching tool on the SwNZ website to replace the previous MyStudyNZ tool. It is a useful tool for Aotearoa New Zealand's education providers to be able to promote their courses to students online.

    Geoff Bilbrough, ENZ’s General Manager of Marketing said that with the launch of the new StudywithNewZealand website, it was important to continue with the study matching tool as feedback from the sector had indicated it was a valuable tool for providers to connect with potential students and make them aware of the courses they offered.

    "The sector told us that the previous matching tool, MyStudyNZ, had been positively received and tended to generate leads that were more engaged.

    “We believe this new tool will continue to provide significant benefits to education providers and prospective students as it guides international students to study options that match their personal interests and past qualifications.

    “To get the most out of the new tool, it is important that education providers’ profiles and course listings on the SwNZ site are up to date and accurate. This will help present your institution and your courses to the right students”, he added.

    While ENZ does carry out a major data upgrade for all institutions twice a year (via our partner IDP), now is a good time to check your information is displaying accurately on our Study with New Zealand website.  Education providers will have recently received an email with information on how to do this. It is a very straightforward process, and ENZ encourages providers to check their profiles and ensure that the name of your institution or school is correct and that your profile makes the most of all the features the system offers. Make sure your keywords are relevant and your profile includes full descriptions and photos to help you stand out to potential students.

    Tertiary providers are being asked to check course study mode, start dates, costs, venue, and the duration as this information is used in the new study matching tool and the SwNZ search tool. The link to the admin platform to be able to check these details is available here:  www.idp-connect.com/sign-in

    If you did not receive this email, do not currently have access to the admin platform, or have any questions about the tool, you can email: info@studywithnewzealand.govt.nz.

    A how to guide for tertiary providers has been developed and is available here.

    A how to guide for schools is available here.

  • NZ strengthens education ties in North America

    The visit was an opportunity to form relationships with international ministerial counterparts and key stakeholders, lead and participate in policy dialogue, and promote understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand’s education system and reforms.

    Minister Tinetti began her action-packed week of engagements in Ottawa, Canada where she hosted a round table lunch on international indigenous education at the New Zealand Official Residence. This was attended by Patty Hadju, Minister of Indigenous Services and representatives from Indigenous Services Canada, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, the Canadian Ministry of Education, the Canadian Bureau of International Education, and Global Affairs Canada.

    In between formal engagements, Minister Tinetti took time to visit York Street Public School where, as a former teacher and Principal, she enjoyed connecting with local students and teachers.

    Following a busy few days in Canada, Minister Tinetti and her delegation moved on to Washington D.C for the International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP). The ITSP conference brings together 22 countries to discuss how to strengthen the teaching profession and ensure all students have access to quality education.

    ENZ’s Director of Engagement, Americas, Middle East and Europe, Dubois Jennings said Minister Tinetti made it clear that New Zealand valued the potential opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration, and her interest in developing these relationships.

    “Minister Tinetti used her time at ISTP to make important connections with other countries, several senior US education officials and experts in specific areas of interest for New Zealand. Those interests include national policies around compulsory education, teacher training, professional development, higher education and vocational training” he said.

    Minister Tinetti with China Education Vice Chancellor Chen Jie

    Whilst in Washington D.C, Minister Tinetti also met with China Vice Minister of Education, Chen Jie. This bilateral meeting between New Zealand and China adds to the list of engagements at the Ministerial and Officials level over the past few months adding value to the strong education relationship between our two countries.

    Later in the week Minister Tinetti attended the ANZAC Dawn Service where she had the opportunity to meet with Australia's Minister for Education Jason Clare.

    Left: Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Lee Satterfield and Minister Tinetti at the US Department of State.

    Minister Tinetti meeting with US officials at the Department of State

  • Survey shows that New Zealand is among top destinations for Brazilians who study abroad

    Belta’s annual survey, sponsored by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), was conducted between December 2022 and April 2023 with 763 students and 317 international education agents from all regions of Brazil surveyed to assess their perceptions of international education. The survey results were shared at a recent event in Sao Paolo with dozens of agents and media attending, in person and virtually, to hear about the survey’s latest findings.  

    ENZ’s Market Development Manager in Brazil, Bruna de Natale, delivered a short speech ahead of the results release. She said it was positive to see so much interest in the release of the survey results, especially when the results revealed that New Zealand continues to rank strongly as an international education destination amongst Brazilian students. 

    “In this most recent survey, New Zealand moved to seventh position on the list of top education destinations sought by Brazilians who studied abroad, compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic when it was in eighth place. The main reason driving country choice for the students surveyed is the quality of life – New Zealand ranks very well for the quality of life, education, and the protection of civil rights.  

    “The quality of teaching is another reason given by those surveyed when choosing New Zealand and 60% of participants rated the quality of our English schools and language programmes as good or excellent. It is fantastic to see that New Zealand continues to attract attention as a quality international education destination and it is certainly on the radar as a desired destination for future exchange students,” said Bruna. 

    Of the international education agents who were surveyed, 52.9% reported that the demand for students interested in New Zealand has remained stable since the borders reopened, while 20.6% recorded growth in interest. This group projects that the numbers of Brazilian students travelling to New Zealand will return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 and 2024, with the highest flows expected for the first (35.3%) and second quarters of 2024 (32.4%), with demand increasing gradually from the first quarter of 2023. 

    For a copy of the full survey in English, please email belta@belta.org.br.  

    Bruna delivering an introductory speech at an event which released the results from Belta’s survey on international education.

  • Celebrating the University of Auckland’s 140-year journey in China

    The University of Auckland recently commemorated its 140-year journey in China with a series of events held in six major cities across China, including Beijing, Guangzhou, and Chengdu. The celebrations took place from the 12th to 22nd May and were co-hosted by the University of Auckland, the University of Auckland International College (UP Education) and the University of Auckland English Language Academy. Education New Zealand’s Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) China based team provided on-the ground support throughout the ten days of events.

    Michael Zhang, ENZ’s Regional Director for Greater China noted the success of the commemorations in showcasing the study experience at New Zealand’s biggest university while fostering connections with agents and prospective students in China.

    “Marking this anniversary milestone for the University of Auckland in China was a special occasion and proved a good opportunity for the University to rebuild international education connections with its Chinese stakeholders, highlighting its programmes and offerings.

    “ENZ enjoyed being part of the celebrations, helping facilitate reconnections, and it was a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness for New Zealand amongst agents and parents. This was the largest New Zealand provider-hosted series of events in the post-Covid era in China,” said Michael.

    Beyond providing updated information about academic programmes, the events also featured inspiring testimonials from alumni in China who shared their study experiences at the University of Auckland. Promoting such narratives helps to further strengthen New Zealand and the University’s reputation and influence in China.

    The resounding success of the events and the positive response from attendees reflect the strong recovery of the international education sector, including for New Zealand as a destination, in China.

    Standing room only at the Beijing students’ information session

  • Market webinar for Schools: Monday 24 July

    Nau mai haere mai,

    Schools are invited to hear from Education New Zealand’s Manapou ki te Ao in-market specialists in Japan, China, Korea, Viet Nam and Thailand on Monday 24 July from 2pm to 4pm (NZT). The team will provide updates on the latest market information, trends and advice. There will also be time for questions. This is good timing for those travelling to events from August to October.

    Please email mary.camp@enz.govt.nz to request the meeting details. This will be held via Zoom.

    For those who cannot make this time, the webinar will be recorded. A link to the recording will be available following the seminar, by request to Mary.

     

  • Thai delegation signs MOUs with two NZ universities

    Education New Zealand’s Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) Programme Manager, Jaruwan Pongjaruwat, led the Thai delegation from Rajamangala University of Technology (RMUT) and Silpakorn University (SU). The delegation visited several universities and Te Pūkenga business divisions across both the North and South islands in the last week of May.

    Jaruwan said that the main aim of the visit was to facilitate a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing between RMUT and the University of Otago and between SU and the University of Canterbury. It also proved a good opportunity to further develop the relationship that these offshore partners have with Te Pūkenga.

    “It was an absolute pleasure to accompany this group of senior officials from RMUT and SU around New Zealand. The visit gave the RMUT delegation members an opportunity to revisit institutions which they have previously partnered with for student and teacher mobility projects, including Wintec, Weltec and Otago Polytechnic.

    RMUT and SU delegates see how Wintec manages engineering material and resources across different disciplines.

    “It also provided an opportunity for our delegation to visit new education providers such as the University of Waikato and the University of Canterbury to learn more about the areas in which these institutions excel. They particularly enjoyed learning more about what each institution has to offer and seeing how New Zealand education providers link research to commercial products and services. On top of that, delegates also had the opportunity to visit Weta Workshops and have dinner at Bellamy's restaurant in The Beehive whilst in Wellington," said Jaruwan.   

    Thai delegates visiting the University of Canterbury’s Faculty of Engineering

    It is hoped that this visit will lead to future projects in the areas of teacher development, articulation programmes, student mobility and a joint foundation programme. The joint foundation programme will now be extended to cover students studying science and health science, allowing students a pathway to all eight New Zealand universities.

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