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Large contingent of New Zealand education providers at China’s biggest international education events
Kicking off the series of events was the China Annual Conference and Expo for International Education (CACIE) in Beijing from 26 to 28 October. Over 4500 participants from 60 countries and regions attended CACIE 2023. This event is China’s largest annual international education conference and this year saw 16 New Zealand providers spanning all our education subsectors exhibiting at the ENZ hosted New Zealand Pavilion.
New Zealand’s representation was amongst a total of 18 national pavilions and 326 education providers from 33 countries and regions. An estimated 20,480 attended the CEE Beijing fair in person over the two days and our participation generated visibility and fostered relationships with speaking appearances, media interviews and engagement with senior Chinese stakeholders during the conference.
ENZ’s Regional Director, China, Michael Zhang said that the highlight of the government-sponsored event was having New Zealand being offered speaking slots for several keynotes, helping raise the visibility of a New Zealand education to a wide audience, especially given the level of competition from other countries at the Expo.
“The New Zealand pavilion once again secured the prime spot in the expo and during the conference, a reflection of our excellent in-market and government relationships and an important factor in helping to regain New Zealand's visibility in China’s international education sector.
“The student mobility activity in China has come roaring back this year following the pandemic. The market is huge, but competition is fierce. A few key takeaways from this major event were how student enquiries are becoming much more outcomes driven, career focused and detailed in comparison around offerings, compared to the start of the year where students had more broad questions about a New Zealand education.
“It’s also clear students in China are increasingly shopping around and applying to more study destinations before making a decision. This suggests we need to strengthen our efforts around conversion to ensure we remain competitive, and students will choose New Zealand when faced with offers from multiple destinations” added Michael.
ENZ’s Regional Director, China, Michael Zhang, undertook several media interviews, including with tier one Chinese education media channels Study Abroad magazine and China Education Television. ENZ also facilitated media interviews between Chinese media and New Zealand providers at our national pavilion.
Following the China Education Expo, a series of agent seminars were held in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou between 30 October and 3 November.
The Beijing Agent Seminar hosted 38 providers and 80 agents and school counsellors with more counsellors from the international departments of public schools attending than in previous years. New Zealand Ambassador to China, HE Grahame Morton, attended the event and four representatives of Immigration New Zealand’s Beijing office were also on hand to engage with agents and delivered a series of presentations. These in-market presentations attracted full houses across the Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou events – reflecting a strong demand for capacity building from Chinese agents. Much of the interest was focused on student visa applications and processing, decision times, and troubleshooting issues.
Attendees at the Beijing Agent Seminar
The Shanghai Agent Seminar saw over 100 agents meeting with the 40 New Zealand Education providers present, with New Zealand Consul-General Ardi Barnard providing opening remarks. An on-site livestream session reached 2,566 viewers across five platforms earning over 6,000 engagements. In total 28 NZ providers representing all sectors opted-in to undertake flash interview sessions during the livestream. Broadcasting by ENZ’s and partner agent online platforms, providers were able to introduce their institutions, programmes, and other features directly to prospective audiences online. Enquiries generated during the livestream are being followed up by ENZ who are directing them to the appropriate New Zealand education provider’s website or contact information and agents.
One of four livestream sessions that ENZ hosted featuring representatives from New Zealand universities, PTEs, Te Pūkenga and other tertiary institutions. ENZ gave advice to students and parents about how to choose study programmes based on the job market trends in both China and New Zealand.
Lastly, the Guangzhou Agent Seminar on 3 November saw 33 different New Zealand institutions meet with over 220 education agents and school counsellors. The seminar was supported by NZ Inc agencies and Rachel Crump, New Zealand’s Consul-General in Guangzhou, provided opening remarks for the events. A photo exhibition supported by MFAT, Connections through time, exhibited just outside the Agent Seminar space. Representatives from Tourism New Zealand and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise hosted a Study Tour photo booth at the Seminar while both agencies talked to interested agents about their New Zealand Study Tour Alliance.
In Guangzhou, eight local media outlets were invited to the event. They all spoke with sector representatives at the seminar about their programmes and enrolment requirements. As of 10 November, seven featured articles have appeared across these channels.
A big mihi/thank you again to all the New Zealand providers who helped make these events such a success.
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Diwali celebrations light up New Zealand campuses
It was a wonderful week of Diwali across New Zealand campuses as students and education institutions came together to celebrate the festival of lights.
AUT lights up for Diwali
The sights, sounds and colours of Diwali were on full display at AUT’s recent Diwali Festival.
With the largest cohort of international students from India in New Zealand, AUT’s Diwali Festival celebrated the incredible contribution Indian students make to life at AUT.
Pro Vice-Chancellor International, Professor Guy Littlefair, said the event enriches their campus culture and showcases the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
“Our incredible Diwali event was a wonderful opportunity for our entire university to celebrate our Indian students and the richness and joy of Indian culture,” Professor Littlefair said.
“We are proud of our growing reputation throughout India for our wide range and quality of study programmes, for being the university of technology in New Zealand, and for our great student support, accessibility to academic staff, employability, and student success.
“India is an extraordinarily important partner country to us, but more importantly our Indian students are an extremely valued part of our AUT family and the unique perspective and rich culture they bring to us are treasured by all our staff and students.”
Students lead Diwali celebrations at Wintec | Te Pūkenga
Diwali 2023 performers, organisers, volunteers, and audience all enjoyed the celebrations at Wintec | Te Pūkenga City Campus, including International Student Services Advisors, Unmesha Veetil (far left) and Li Li (front row with orange sari).
This year, the Diwali celebrations at Wintec | Te Pūkenga City and Rotokauri campuses were completely ākonga (student)-led, making them even more special than usual. Although facilitated by the International Student Support team, the events were entirely hosted by ākonga, from the MCs to all the entertainment.
Unmesha Veetil, International Student Services Advisor, said the events were vibrant and high energy and a real testament to the students.
“The MCs did a great job of engaging the audience and getting them singing along, the dance performances and magic tricks were stunning and there were even talented students doing henna designs. On the request of the audience there was a final open dance floor which got many from the audience dancing too and proved lots of fun.”
A crowd enjoying a Diwali dance performance at Wintec | Te Pūkenga
The true spirit of the festival was also on full display as a diverse, multicultural communities organised the festivities with much generosity and kaitiakitanga.
Members of the Chinese Postgraduate Society who volunteered as ecowarriors for the Auckland Diwali Festival.
The Chinese Postgraduate Society volunteered for the Auckland Diwali Festival as eco warriors, helping make the celebration as eco-friendly as possible.
“It was a great experience for us to immerse in a different culture and make valuable contributions,” Wilson Pan, President of the Chinese Postgraduate Society said. -
Strong interest in NZ from Filipino students at the Te Pūkenga Agent Workshop and NZ Study Workshop 2023
55 education agents representing 27 agencies from across the Philippines attended the one-day workshop on 27 October. The workshop provided a valuable opportunity for the four Te Pūkenga representatives, including Bipul Das, Kerry Clarke, Prashanth Nallur Puttaswamy and Richard Cao, to share their most recent updates and developments, including information on Te Pūkenga’s vocational education offerings.
ENZ’s Market Manager – Philippines & Thailand, Chortip Pramoolpol, supplied an update on ENZ’s activities and showcased the array of tools and resources available to empower education agents in promoting New Zealand as a study destination. Joining the workshop remotely were key figures from Immigration New Zealand. Celia Coombes, Manager of International Education, Dolores Hyde, Senior Advisor for International Education, and Philippa Lee, Immigration Officer, Visa Operations, delivered a comprehensive briefing on student visa applications and post-study work rights. If any education agents would like a copy of the slides delivered by ENZ, they are available on IntelliLab here - ENZ Philippines.
Bipul Das from Te Pūkenga’s International Team said that it was incredibly valuable to be able to meet face to face with education agents and prospective students in the Philippines.
“It was wonderful to see the education agencies are excited to promote New Zealand as the preferred study destination for vocational education and we are grateful for the support from ENZ, our Education Agents and INZ on the work being done in the Philippines market. We will continue to focus on growing our international student population from the Philippines, " said Bipul.
Following on from the workshop, ENZ and Te Pūkenga welcomed over 170 visitors to the NZ Study Expo 2023. The event provided a unique platform for attendees to explore the breadth of opportunities in New Zealand including specific courses, scholarships, and post-study opportunities and discuss these personally with the NZ representatives on-hand.
From left to right: Prashanth Nallur Puttaswamy, Bipul Das, His Excellency Peter Kell, New Zealand Ambassador to the Phillippines, Kerry Clarke, Chortip Pramoolpol, Richard Cao and Joel Miranda Angon.
New Zealand Ambassador His Excellency Peter Kell presided the event and shared his remarks, encouraging Filipinos and their families, to choose New Zealand as a destination to continue their education journey.
Ambassador Kell told the audience “This event is more than just a fair; it is a bridge that connects aspirations with opportunities. It is a platform for our Filipino students to explore and embrace new horizons, to acquire skills and knowledge that will empower you to become leaders in your chosen fields.
“New Zealand’s education system is often highly regarded and ranked in the world for preparing students for the future. Our education providers often have strong connections to industry and the business community. This facilitates internships, work placements, and real-world experiences for students, preparing them for the workforce,’ he added.
ENZ Market Manager – Philippines & Thailand, Chortip Pramoolpol, was excited to have had the opportunity to speak face to face with interested students and their families following the pandemic.
“There is certainly a lot to be said for being able to explain in-person to prospective students and their families, why they must consider New Zealand as a destination for future study and we were so pleased to see such genuine interest.
These events generated dozens of leads which has helped drive a significant increase in in visits and enquiries from Filipino students to the Study with New Zealand website,” added Chortip.
If any education providers or agents would like any additional information on marketing to students in the Philippines, please contact Chortip Pramoolpol – chortip.pramoolpol@enz.govt.nz
Bipul Das from Te Pukenga International Team presented on their programme offerings.
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Auckland hosts Voice of The Oceans round the world expedition
Just over two years after leaving Brazil on the sailboat KAT to sail around the world, the Voice of The Oceans (VOO) initiative arrived in Auckland, New Zealand, at the beginning of November.
One of the initiative's leaders, David Schurmann, is an alumni from New Zealand – he studied Cinema at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and at the South Seas Film & Television School in the 1990s. And since then, he was inspired by the ecological awareness of Kiwis. Throughout his career as a filmmaker, in addition to fiction films, David produced documentaries about the importance of preserving the environment.
Eloisa and David Schurmann at Viaduct Harbour in front of the Voice of the Oceans sailboat KAT. Photo credit @annupam @withjane
VOO’s mission is to examine and record the environmental state of the oceans including plastic pollution so that this data can raise awareness and inform education, science, and innovation that improves the health of our oceans. It has the global support of the United Nations Environment Programme.
The VOO arrived in Auckland to mark the end of the first stage of their journey, after traveling for two years and visiting more than 100 destinations, recording the levels of plastic pollution they see as they go.
The arrival in Auckland featured the event “Brazil and New Zealand: Sustainability & Innovation” – guest panelists discussed how their businesses are innovating in the sustainable space. The event was organised by the Latin America New Zealand Business Council (LANZBC), the leading organisation focused on promoting business growth opportunities and collaborations in Latin America. Support for the event was provided by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te AO (ENZ), the Latin America Center of Asia Pacific Excellence (CAPES), and Viaduct Harbor Holdings (VHH).
Host and panellists at the at the Brazil and New Zealand: Sustainability & Innovation event included from left to right Guiliana Silveira, LANZBC CEO, Heloisa Schurmann, VOO, David Schurmann, VOO, Colum Rice, Mint Innovation, Phil Matheson, BioFab, Rachel Williams, Viva Expeditions Ltd , and Dhanya Herath, Climate Club. Photo credit @annupam @withjane
David and the VOO crew. Photo credit @annupam @withjane
Giuliana Silveira, CEO Latin America New Zealand Business Council (LANZBC) said that it was a privilege to work with Voice of the Oceans and these amazing NZ businesses to showcase what each of them is doing to innovate in the sustainability sector.
“We have to join forces to fight the climate crisis. We hope events, such as this, help to raise awareness and create a dialogue within the business and education communities to share our kaitiakitanga responsibilities," said Guiliana.
Following the panel discussion, attendees had the opportunity to mingle with the VOO crew and panelists. Photo credit @annupam @withjane
Wendy Kerr, ENZ’s General Manager Sector Engagement, and Ed Tuari, ENZ’s Manukura – Chief Advisor Maori, with David Schurmann, VOO during the event which was supported by ENZ along with the Latin America Center of Asia Pacific Excellence and Viaduct Harbor Holdings. The Latin America New Zealand Business Council organised and hosted the event.
Part of the arrival programme, also included over 70 children from Stanley Bay Primary School joining an environmental afternoon with talks by the Voice of The Oceans crew about the importance of taking care of the marine environment.
Eloisa Schurmann talks to the Stanley Bay School children about the importance of taking care of the ocean. Photo credit @annupam @withjane
As part of the sustainability tour, the children from Stanley Bay School were taken to the Viaduct Harbour Marina to view the sailboat Kat. Photo credit @annupam @withjane
“It's always a special moment to be back in New Zealand! We have a very close relationship with this country, which has been an important stop on all our major expeditions. My youngest sister Kat was born here, and I decided to stay in New Zealand during my families first expedition around the world, to study film making and start my career as a director”, said David Schurmann at the events in Auckland.
The VOO crew will spend the next few months in New Zealand to raise awareness about the state of Earth’s oceans before setting sail again to continue their trip around the world.
More information on VOO and their expedition can be found here - Voice of the Ocean - we turn people's attention to the ocean.
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New Zealand Passenger Arrival Cards to be phased out
Customs New Zealand | Te Mana Ārai o Aotearoa has announced that Passenger Arrival Cards will be phased out, to be replaced by New Zealand Traveller Declaration | Whakapuakanga Tangata Haere ki Aotearoa cards by early 2024. There will be a transition period between 1 December 2023 and 31 March 2024, during which both Passenger Arrival Cards and New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) cards will be accepted. However, after 31 March 2024, only NZTD cards will be in circulation. These will be available through the NZTD mobile app or website. Paper forms will continue to be available for travellers who cannot complete the form online and will be accepted as a paper-based version of the digital NZTD at the air border. Passengers travelling by sea are not currently required to complete a digital declaration.
For more information on the traveller declaration process, please visit this page here - About | New Zealand Traveller Declaration.
- International photo round-up
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Around the world in five
Asia
The government of Hong Kong has announced ambitions to become an international hub for post-secondary education with measures including an increased quota for international undergraduates at public universities, more scholarships and work rights for postgraduate students.
North America
Canada is set to introduce a “recognised institution” framework, through which colleges and universities with a positive record of vetting and supporting international students may be eligible for fast-track study permits. This comes after over 100 Indian students faced potential deportation earlier this year after their admission letters to Canadian colleges were found to be fake, which the students were unaware of.
Middle East
A British school in Abu Dhabi that has been rated outstanding by the emirate's school regulator for promoting the UAE's national identity said it has weaved elements of the country's culture, history, heritage and, Arabic language into its UK curriculum. The British International School Abu Dhabi is home to 2,080 pupils from 96 countries, with one in five pupils at the school being Emirati.
Europe
According to the Irish Higher Education Authority (HEA), In 2022/23, Ireland set a new all-time high for the number of international students studying at Irish universities. 33,480 students were enrolled at Irish universities last year, an increase of nearly 12% compared to 2021/22, according to the report. Furthermore, India’s student population in Ireland has grown by a significant 17.8%, reflecting a surging trend.
Africa
South African business schools are a higher education success story and champions in terms of higher education on the African continent. Though competing for students, they display a strong ethos of collaboration, generated by a sense of shared purpose to upskill a “new” country. These schools show the power of collaboration, common purpose, and internationalisation outlook.
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Increased flight connectivity between NZ and China
Hainan Airlines has announced a new route from the Hainanese capital (Haikou) to Auckland. The flight schedule will include flights three times a week with the first flight taking place on 8 December.
Hainan’s new link means that Haikou becomes the sixth city in mainland China to be served nonstop from Auckland International Airport, joining Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen.
By mid-December, Air China will be offering daily flights to Auckland International Airport from Beijing Capital International Airport, while China Southern Airlines will fly double-daily from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. China Southern Airlines also resumed its Guangdong to Christchurch flights on Friday 10 November.
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Recognising Manaaki and Prime Minister Scholarship Programme milestones
ENZ took over operational management of the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships Programme (MNZSP) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 1 November 2022. The MNZSP is a key pillar of New Zealand’s International Development Cooperation commitments (formerly New Zealand Aid) and is the Government’s single-largest investment in international scholarships. The programme has a 70-year history and approximately 1,100 scholarships are awarded each year, to scholars from 112 developing nations.
Manaaki Scholarships Manager Julia Moore says the first 12 months has had a dual focus on bringing enhancements to the programme and ensuring it has a seamless transition into ENZ for scholars and providers.
“ENZ is working closely with tertiary education providers to understand their needs, build relationships and identify areas for improvement. As part of this mahi, we recently brought together providers for the first ENZ run Tertiary Education Providers workshop. It was a great opportunity for all parties to come together, track progress in the past year and plan for the future” she says.
ENZ is also working jointly with providers to bring the programme forward after disruptions that took place as a result of COVID-19 border closures, including clearing a pipeline of scholars who had been selected pre or during the pandemic and had been unable to start their programmes in New Zealand.
A suite of branded digital collateral and assets has also been developed for partners in the Manaaki Programme with easy-to-use tools and assets for their marketing efforts, which they can find on ENZ’s BrandLab.
Find out more about Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships Programme by visiting the website.
Prime Minister’s Scholarships
In April 2022 ENZ was delighted to award group Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia and Latin America (PMSA/PMSLA) to Māori whānau trusts for the first time in the 10-year history of the scheme. This is part of a wider programme of work to ensure the scholarship programme delivers on our Te Tiriti obligations and is more accessible to all New Zealanders over the age of 18.
The Prime Minister’s Scholarship programme aims to strengthen New Zealand’s ability to engage with key Asian and Latin American trading partners, improving the internationalisation of indigenous communities, New Zealand tertiary institutions, showcasing the strength and quality of New Zealand's education system and enhancing inter-cultural awareness and connections between New Zealand and other countries. The scholarship offers flexible funding to support both short and long-term programmes including study exchange, internships, postgraduate study, and language programmes.
The Erana Kaunga Tuhura Whānau Trust was one of the 2022 group scholarship recipients. The group travelled to Indonesia to learn about sustainable living systems and building techniques, they produced a video to capture their time there.
Director Scholarships Carla Rey Vasquez says she’s humbled to see the video the trust put together.
“It is a great demonstration of how ENZ is effectively partnering with whānau Māori to achieve global citizenship outcomes and transform the way that international education delivers with and for Māori” she says.
ENZ is eager to continue partnering with iwi, marae and whānau groups to raise Māori participation in the Prime Minister’s Scholarship programme. The next round of Prime Minister’s Scholarships will open for group applications at the start of next year.
Find out more about the programme and sign up for updates by visiting the Prime Minister’s Scholarships website.
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AUT international students connect with senior citizens
A uniquely engaging initiative supported by New Zealand Police and AUT recently brought together international students and local senior citizens to connect in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
The initiative was an outcome of a meeting of the Auckland Agency Group, of which Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao is a member and enabled international students to understand and start to integrate into local culture guided by senior residents and members of the wider Auckland community.
As the last 12 months have seen the welcome return of international students to our campuses and communities, New Zealand Police Ethnic Services teams around the country, including in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, have been busy engaging with international students in a number of ways.
Around 18 students met with 10 senior citizens at the Northbridge Residential Village.
The event helped international students engage with their local community, establishing intergenerational bonds, helped them access support networks, engage in cultural exchange, and actively participating in community affairs.
The event included a panel discussion involving members of Northbridge Residential Village, AUT international students, and New Zealand Police. The panel discussion unfolded in two key segments: the initial part addressed the dynamics of culture shock, while the subsequent portion revolved around the overarching themes of diversity and inclusion.
AUT Students Association, International Affairs Officer, Yun Ke, said that the AUT international student interaction with local senior citizens event was a great success.
“We have received immensely positive feedback from students about the event, which is exciting.
“This interaction saw double the participation by international students, as compared to a previously held event in September,” Ke said.
San Winkyi, an international student from Myanmar, was grateful to New Zealand Police for the way they supported the event.
“The police’s presence and assistance contributed significantly to the event's success, and we deeply appreciate their commitment to international student safety and wellbeing,” San said.
For Huabiao Xiao, an international student from China, the interaction was a wonderful opportunity to appreciate cultural differences while enjoying communicating with an open and inclusive local community of senior citizens.
“Spending time with local seniors and police officers was an amazing experience, far beyond anything I could have imagined. These elders are simply the epitome of local cultures and society, and I deeply appreciate their differences and uniqueness. At the same time, I appreciated how New Zealand police officers are committed to promoting a community culture,” Huabiao said.
Education providers with international students who are interested in organising a similar event are welcome to contact Faymie Li, faymieli@enz.govt.nz or Ross Crosson, ross.crosson@enz.govt.nz.
