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  • Summer holiday fun for Vietnamese students at the 2023 New Zealand Future Skills Camp

    At this year’s camp, in addition to NZ EdTech Code Avengers which specialises in digital skills training, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) also worked with another NZ Ed Tech company Chasing Time English, a digital platform that enhances English language learning through exclusive short films. Three local partners were involved to help promote and deliver training sessions for the students.  

    20 teams were shortlisted for the camps which ran from Saturday 24 June to Sunday 2 July 2023. The teams could participate in a variety of online and in-person group work and interactive activities, learning coding skills together with English skills for an intercultural environment. After the camps, the teams were required to work on a coding project themed “Making a creative and impressive 'Our Future Profile' Webpage introducing your team 15-20 years from now”.

    The top eight teams with the most impressive webpages were then invited to present their products, in English, to a panel of judges on Sunday 16 July. The other teams from the 20 who were shortlisted were also invited to the Awards Ceremony held on Friday 7 July to receive certificates and announcement of the final results either in person or virtually. 

    His Excellency Mr. Scott James, New Zealand Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, attended the Awards Ceremony. In his remarks, he said “All of the students here are already winners because you have not only surpassed many contestants to come this far, but you have also taken the courage to step out of your comfort zone and embark on this adventure to learn new skills.” 

    Assoc. Prof. Minh Nguyen, Head of Department Computer Science and Software Engineering at Auckland University of Technology, was one of the judges who evaluated the teams’ webpages and then the short-listed presentations. He commented: “It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of such an inspiring event. The creativity and innovation displayed by the teams was truly impressive.” 

    Ms. Karen Kemsley, Production Manager at Chasing Time English who taught students at online sessions, said: “I had a wonderful time with the NZ Future Skills Camp students. Everyone participated enthusiastically which made the classes both fun and engaging. They took every opportunity they could to share creative opinions and ideas while demonstrating excellent English language skills. They were an absolute delight!” 

    The 1st prize winning team, together with two 2nd prize winning teams went on to represent Viet Nam at the New Zealand – Asia Code Camp Day on 5 August with other students from Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand.   

    NZFSC not only provided an exciting and meaningful summer event for the participating students, but also left both students and their parents with a very positive impression of Aotearoa New Zealand as an innovative, welcoming and beautiful destination for their potential international education plans.  

  • Around the world in five

    Asia 

    India’s path to internationalised higher education 

    India's higher education system is expanding internationalisation efforts to retain students and enhance global competitiveness. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 focuses on cross-cultural understanding and fostering global perspectives. The government encourages collaborations with foreign universities and has established foreign campuses in India to offer world-class education opportunities at home. 

     

    North America 

    US sector applauds gov’t export strategy 

    The US government's National Export Strategy includes international education for the first time, recognising its importance for the country's global competitiveness. While stakeholders celebrate this move, they urge the government to take further action to protect and strengthen the US's position as the leading destination for international students. 

     

    South America 

    Agency Survey: Brazil 

    In 2022, Brazilian agencies experienced significant growth in business volumes, with language plus work programmes being highly requested by students. The total number of students placed by surveyed agencies was 7,802, and overall business growth reached 57%. The preferred destinations remained the UK, United States, Canada, South Africa, and Australia, with more students planning to study abroad for higher education. 

     

    Europe 

    Record number of international students for Spain's universities 

    Spain's international student population surged by 13.6% in the 2021/22 academic year, reaching a record 170,222 students, led by significant growth from Latin American countries like Colombia and Ecuador. The top ten markets all exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with efforts underway to improve work opportunities for non-EU international students. 

     

    Africa 

    Nigerian students rush to secure UK places before dependants ban 

    International students are applying to UK universities for September 2023 to avoid a forthcoming ban on bringing family members from 2024. Nigerian applications have surged, while some Indian students explore alternative study destinations like such as Canada and Australia. 

  • International photo round-up

  • NZ Police Ethnic Services Teams supporting international students with local safety advice

    Over the past twelve months, Aotearoa New Zealand has seen a welcome return of international students to our communities and our education providers.  NZ Police Ethnic Services teams around the country, including in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, and at Lincoln University, have been busy engaging with international students in a variety of ways.  

    In Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Ethnic Liaison Officers, Constable Takashi Endo and Constable Kevin Deng, have been delivering presentations to secondary and tertiary international students on a range of safety related topics - informing them and supporting them to have a successful time living and studying in their host city.  

    The team has seen a great response to the presentations and due to the high demand, has also developed a “Train the Trainers” programme, designed to equip education providers themselves to deliver introductory safety training to their students. The first ‘Train the Trainers' session was recently delivered by Constables Endo and Deng to staff from over 20 education providers in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. The session covered a range of topics including personal safety, road safety, family harm, hate crime/incidents, alcohol/drugs and water safety. 

    Constable Endo said that he was encouraged to see so many school representatives at the training session and they were very interested in the topics covered, following up with many useful questions.  

    He also said, "This training session is not going to be a one-off, and we will also continue to visit schools and speak with international students when required. Our aim is to ensure students and school staff have a greater understanding of safety and safety issues here in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.’ 

    Following the training day, both constables will attend education provider seminars as observers to ensure staff are supported and equipped to deliver these safety sessions. 

    Melody Hao, International Coordinator – International Business/Student Support at Unitec Insitute of Technology, expressed the gratitude of her team to the Ethnic Services Team following their presentation at Unitec’s International Orientation Day on Wednesday 19 July.  

    “The session delivered by Constable Endo was well-received by the 220 people that attended. In our post-orientation survey, 97.5% of respondents said they really enjoyed or enjoyed this presentation.  

    "Feedback from the student audience included that the session was full of useful safety information and that it was delivered in a fun and interactive way. Thank you to the team for such a wonderful presentation and for being so supportive to our international students as they embark on their international student experience with us here in Aotearoa New Zealand," added Melody.  

    Another recent safety initiative was delivered by Constable Deng alongside Massey University student representative, Jun Jiang.  Together they delivered a ‘safety’ livestream via Education New Zealand’s Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) NauMai NZ WeChat mini programme in July.  NauMai NZ WeChat livestreams are an important channel where experts and students themselves address a range of topics relevant to Chinese students living and studying in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

    Constable Deng and Massey University international student representative, Jun Jiang following the delivery of a safety focused livestream on ENZ’s WeChat mini programme platform.

    Faymie Li, ENZ's Senior Advisor, Student Experience said that the safety of our students is always front of mind.   

    “Looking after our students and equipping them with useful information that supports them during their time with us here in Aotearoa New Zealand is really putting into practice, Manaakitanga – the Māori value of hospitality, kindness, support, respect and care for others.  

    "These sessions conducted by the NZ Police Ethnic Services Teams are an important tool in helping ensure our international students have a positive experience while studying with us. The livestream had 186 people tuning in and since then it has been watched over 170 times. This demonstrates that such sessions are of great value to our students,’’ said Faymie.  

    The recording of the livestream is hosted on the mini programme and can be accessed by scanning the QR code below.  

    QR code to access ENZ’s NauMai NZ WeChat mini programme

     

    Further information on the Tāmaki Makaurau Ethnic Services Team

    The team works in partnership with ENZ, local consulates, education providers, the New Zealand International Students’ Association, and other student representatives, to support the wellbeing of international students in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.  This partnership ensures information is shared, potential issues are anticipated and responded to where possible, and shared work initiatives delivered where appropriate.

  • Malaysian Social Enterprise, The Tuyang Initiative and ENZ collaborate to present the ‘Indigenous Peoples Talk Series 2023’

    Through this programme, The Tuyang Initiative and Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) aim to provide a platform for indigenous subject matter experts to share their valuable insights and expert opinions. At the same time, they will address the critical issues impacting areas such as livelihood, sustainability, and cultural expressions of indigenous peoples in Malaysia and Aotearoa New Zealand. 

    Adopting a casual online weekend chat format, not unlike the verandah chats in the longhouses in Sarawak, the series of three talks will each explore three central themes: Education & Technology, Social Entrepreneurship, and Arts & Culture. Each panel will showcase a distinguished lineup of speakers, including indigenous academics, activists, social entrepreneurs, researchers, contemporary artists, and cultural practitioners. 

    The programme commenced on Sunday 13 August, linking with the International Day of the World Indigenous Peoples, globally observed on Wednesday 9 August. The inaugural session was opened by Juvita Tatan Wan, co-founder of the Tuyang Initiative, and featured esteemed speakers Prof. Dato’ Dr. Bahari Belaton (University Malaysia Sabah), Dr. Welyne Jeffrey Jehom (University of Malaya), Dr. James Alin (University Malaysia Sabah), and Dr. Hazel Abraham (AUT – New Zealand) discussing the Empowerment of Indigenous Communities through education and technology. The virtual event was livestreamed on The Tuyang Initiative and New Zealand High Commission in Kuala Lumpur’s Facebook pages, the recording can be viewed here. 

    Speaking about the collaboration with The Tuyang Initiative, Ben Burrowes, ENZ’s Regional Director (Asia) states that the effort reflects our commitment to fostering cross-cultural understanding and knowledge exchange, providing a platform for indigenous voices from Malaysia and Aotearoa New Zealand to come together.  

    “Through these engaging panel discussions, we aim to celebrate the rich diversity of indigenous cultures, explore innovative ways to empower indigenous communities, and promote sustainable practices that ensure the preservation of their invaluable heritage. We believe that this series will contribute significantly to enhancing global awareness and appreciation for the unique contributions of indigenous peoples in shaping a more inclusive and interconnected world."  

    The second panel discussion on Social Entrepreneurship will be held on September 24, 2023, while the final discussion on Arts & Culture is scheduled for October 29, 2023.  You can view these here.

    About The Tuyang Initiative: 

    The Tuyang Initiative is an accredited, community-led social enterprise working with Dayak (Borneo indigenous) communities in the inclusive development of talents, products and services in areas of cultural heritage through strategic industry partnerships. Its goals are to empower the communities in generating meaningful livelihood and driving cultural continuity. The organization is based in Miri, Sarawak (Borneo -– Malaysia). 
     
    More info www.thetuyang.com  

     
     

  • From the CE: 12 months on from the borders reopening

    Kia ora tātou,

    Twelve months ago, New Zealand’s borders reopened to international students. From a standing start the international education sector has, alongside Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) and our New Zealand Inc partners in government, worked enormously hard.

    The first challenge was to get New Zealand back “on the map” as a high-quality international education destination. One of our ENZ teams tells me that we were involved in a minimum of 27 events including NAFSA, ANZA, EAIE, agent and student fairs over the last 12 months. There have been at least 11 senior ministerial and sector delegations covering China, India, Viet Nam, Japan, South Korea, US, Canada, Chile, Brazil, and Thailand. This is only the tip of the iceberg of all the effort expended by New Zealand providers, with our partner agents, providers and Government agencies – offshore and onshore.

    And as students started to apply for their visas and arrive in New Zealand, we cannot underestimate the amount of effort that has been required to get the infrastructure that supports the sector up and running. Reviewing applications, delivering offers of place, processing visas, finding accommodation, pastoral care; the list goes on. Lots of unseen and unheralded effort that goes on behind the scenes to ensure international students receive a high-quality experience.

    Yet this is just one part of what we do. Onshore and offshore, the sector has also supported the Prime Minister’s and Manaaki Scholarships, and worked closely with ENZ to explore opportunities to innovate and make the sector more resilient.

    It isn’t easy and while we all know that there is more to do on all fronts, it is worth taking a moment to acknowledge just what has been achieved together.

    Turning our attention to the next 12 months, in June the ENZ Board approved our business plan for this financial year (1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024). The plan has four clear priorities:

    1. Grow inbound student mobility for Aotearoa New Zealand
    2. Support sector capability development
    3. Build global connections
    4. Encourage and support innovation in the sector

    Within these priorities, close to 75% of our discretionary budget is focused on the first one. This is completely aligned with Focus Area 1 of the New Zealand International Education Strategy, which is to help providers of international education to build back onshore offerings. We know there is more to do and over the next 12 months the priority is to build on the good start we have made and cement the recovery and rebuilding of the sector.

    That’s not to say we aren’t investing in the other areas; we are. We will continue to build global connections. These connections go hand-in-hand with our first priority and in some countries, they are essential to achieving it.

    We will also build on the lessons of the past 12 months around innovation. In the first week of August, we organised a series of events facilitated by Professor Martin Bean, a recognised leader in discussions around the future of education. His brief was to provoke and encourage discussion on what the future could look like and what it might take to get there. You can read more about his visit in our E-News story here.

    And when it comes to building sector capability this week’s NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE KI TUA is an immediate opportunity to listen, learn, discuss, contribute, and network with specialists and colleagues. It will be great to be able to meet in person for the first time in close to three years and to celebrate the 30th time that we have joined together as a sector. I look forward to meeting and talking with many of you over the next few days.

    Mauri tū, mauri ora, an active soul is a healthy soul.

    Ngā mihi

    Grant

  • All Covid-19 requirements removed

    Changes that take effect from Tuesday 15 August 2023

    • Confirmed Covid-19 cases will no longer be legally required to self-isolate
    • Masks will no longer be mandatory in any locations

    This means that tertiary education providers can operate as normal, and set their own policies and procedures to ensure they meet their obligations to staff and learners, including under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, and the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021.

    Advice for tertiary providers and students

    The Ministry of Education recommends that tertiary education providers follow COVID-19 health advice, and support staff and learners to do so.

    Full COVID-19 health advice can be found at: Unite against COVID-19.

    The Ministry of Education will also be updating advice for tertiary providers and students on the Te Mahau COVID-19 website following this announcement.

    The latest health advice on COVID-19 includes:

    • Stay at home if you are feeling unwell - if you, or someone in your household develops one or more of the following symptoms, you should take a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for COVID-19: a runny nose, sore throat, cough, fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, loss of smell or taste, shortness of breath.
    • If you have tested positive for COVID-19, it is recommended you isolate for 5 days, even if you only have mild symptoms, starting at Day 0, which is the day your symptoms started or when you tested positive, whichever came first.
    • If you do need to leave your home during your 5-day isolation period, it is very important you take precautions to prevent spreading COVID-19 to others. You should wear a mask whenever you leave the house. You should not visit a healthcare facility (except to access medical care), an aged residential care facility, or have contact with anyone at risk of getting seriously unwell with COVID-19.
    • If you are in isolation at the time of the setting change announcement, we recommend you continue isolating until you have completed 5 days. If you have already been isolating for 6 or 7 days, and are well, you can return to your normal activities.
    • After completing 5 days isolation –
      • If your symptoms have resolved and you feel well, you can return to your normal activities.
      • If you still feel unwell, we recommend you stay home until you have recovered.
      • We recommend you wear a mask if you need to visit a healthcare facility or an aged residential care facility, or you have contact with anyone at risk of getting seriously unwell with COVID-19 up until 10 days after your symptoms started or you tested positive. This is because some people are infectious for up to 10 days.

    Mask wearing remains an important way we can prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses

    Free masks are available for pick up with free rapid antigen tests (RATs) from participating collection sites. 

    RATs will remain free for everyone throughout 2023

    You can find out participating pick-up points for RATs and masks at COVID-19 Testing • Healthpoint or by calling 0800 222 478 and choosing option 1.

     The Government's media release can be found here. 

  • ENZ Chair optimistic for the future of international education sector

    The New Zealand international education sector should be optimistic about its future. 

    This was the message the Chair of Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), Tracey Bridges, delivered to members of the sector attending the New Zealand International Education Conference Ki Tua in Christchurch (New Zealand) today. 

    The conference is the first in-person gathering of the sector since 2019 and attracted more than 590 guests and sector representatives. 

    Speaking at the opening plenary session of the conference, Ms Bridges said that just as the sector had much to celebrate in the shared endeavours and achievements of the past 30 years, there was also cause for optimism looking forward. 

    “I’m optimistic about the future of this sector, and the contribution it can make to all the people in Aotearoa (New Zealand) and beyond.” 

    Ms Bridges said this optimism was underpinned by the diversity and strength of the sector that spans schools, polytechnic institutions through Te Pūkenga, universities, private training establishments (PTEs), English language schools, Education products and services, and Wanaga. 

    Another key strength was the industry’s ability to adapt. 

    “In early 2020 our world changed forever, and in the three and a half years since, we have all had to – time and time again – prove our ability to adapt.  

    “I want to acknowledge the work that everyone has done in recent years, and to acknowledge the fact that you continue to adapt to meet these challenges. 

    “Your presence here today is testimony to your resilience and commitment to ongoing change. So I’m optimistic not because everything will now return to the old normal, but because I know that together we will find ways to forge a new approach that’s right for the time we are in: we will continue to seek our ‘pae tawhiti’(distant horizon)”.   

    Ms Bridges said ENZ had also refocused and confirmed its approach for the coming 12 months by concentrating on Focus Area One of the refreshed 2022 New Zealand International Education Strategy, “helping providers of international education build back their bases through inbound student mobility growth”. 

    While prioritising its resources and targeting its efforts, ENZ had not lost sight of the need to build long term resilience and stability, and had a number of initiatives in this area, consistent with Focus Area Two.  This had involved hosting a visit earlier in August of Professor Martin Bean, and work through the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund (CRRF) to explore the diversification of products, services and modes of delivery.  

    ENZ was also looking forward to working alongside Ōtautahi, Christchurch to bring the ICEF Australia New Zealand Agent Conference to Christchurch in April next year. 

    Ms Bridges also acknowledged the importance of leveraging diplomatic engagement and Ministerial travel to enhance New Zealand’s reputation as a partner for international education.  

    “The value of these initiatives is shown in the response to recent promotional trips to India, the US and Canada. More recently, education was a significant part of the Prime Minister’s visit to China where its importance as part of our bilateral relationship was mentioned in almost every major engagement.” 

    This had continued with the conference welcoming the People’s Republic of China as the Country of Honour, with the Minister for Education, His Excellency, Huai Jinpeng joining the conference as a keynote speaker on Friday. 

    A full transcript of the speech can be found here.

     

    For further information:  

    Justin Barnett | Director of Communications, Education New Zealand   

    justin.barnett@enz.govt.nz  

      +64 21 875 132  

      

    Notes to Editors:  

    About Education New Zealand (ENZ) https://www.enz.govt.nz/   

    Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is the government agency responsible for taking New Zealand’s education experiences to the world. ENZ promotes a New Zealand education as one that teaches students to be critical thinkers, problem solvers and lifelong learners, which will help them succeed in their future careers and create a positive impact on the world.   

    With approximately 100 staff in 18 locations around the world, ENZ works closely with New Zealand’s diverse education sector including schools, English language providers, Private Training Establishments, Te Pūkenga (Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics), universities; and internationally with NZ Inc agencies, Government agencies and education providers to encourage sustainable growth and identify opportunities.     

  • From the CE: A celebration of energy, optimism and human spirit

    Kia ora tātou,

    NZIEC TI KUA – the pathway forward, was a celebration of the energy, optimism, and the human spirit of the international education sector in New Zealand. 

    It was great to see, and be among, more than 590 delegates reconnecting in person, sharing experiences, discussing the future, and listening to a remarkable range of quality speakers. All the presenters were inspiring and all clearly outlined some the challenges and the opportunities as we move forward. 

    First among these was the visiting Minister for Education in China, His Excellency Huai Jinpeng whose warm outgoing personality was clear to all who met him. It was enormously positive that Minister Huai emphasised China’s was willing to work together with New Zealand to “promote win-win cooperation” and “to unite for mutual benefit”. I hope many of us accept his open invitation to visit China. As he said “Better to see for oneself than to hear from others”. 

    From the New Zealand side it was a great to have Minister for Education, Hon Jan Tinetti, attend the Gala dinner, and reinforce that “education is one of the key pillars of the New Zealand-China relationship and a foundation for enduring links between our countries”. China was the Country of Honour for this year’s conference and is an important long-term partner. 

    After a break of four years since the last NZIEC was held in-person, the friendship and happiness amongst conference delegates was tangible. 

    Certainly, there are challenges ahead as we continue to rebuild the sector. Several of the conference presenters highlighted the changes in global demographics, workplace demand for skills and technological developments as key drivers for a different future in the next 30 years. But the progress achieved in the year since the borders reopened was also cause for celebration and highlighted the adaptability and resilience of education providers throughout the sector. 

    I’d like to thank officials from the Ministry of Education, New Zealand Qualifications Authority and Immigration New Zealand who attended the conference and gave insights and answering queries relating to the impact of policies and practice. International education is a team sport and it was great to see their commitment to the future of the sector. And a very special thanks must also go to the ENZ organising team and supporting cast who delivered a remarkable and uplifting event. 

    As the curtain came down at the outstanding Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, and delegates said final farewells before returning to their homes and communities, my lasting impression was that of an industry re-enlivened by the human contact we have all missed so much.  

    As our Chair, Tracey Bridges commented in her opening welcome, we have good cause to be optimistic about the future of the sector and the contribution it can make to all the people of Aotearoa and beyond.  

    It is now our responsibility to act on this optimism and to move forward. As Peter Drucker once said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it”. 

    Ngā mihi,

    Grant

  • NZIEC KI TUA 2023 photo feature

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