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  • International students cap off education experience with Mural

    Three students have rounded off their international education experience in Aotearoa New Zealand by teaming up with respected artists and local iwi to create a large street-side mural which celebrates the culture and diversity of Tāmaki Makaurau, their host city.

    In the first collaboration of its kind, international students Nikita Sharma from Unitec, and Celia Lee, and Jenny Zhong from Auckland University’s Elam School of Fine Arts, were chosen to design and paint one panel of a three-panelled mural after Study Auckland invited art students from tertiary institutions across the city to join the project.

    Nikita, who came from India to study in New Zealand, enjoyed working on the project along with Chinese-born New Zealander Jenny and Taiwanese international student Celia. “Our panel depicts diversity, inclusion and culture,” she says. “The project has given us the chance to give something back to the city and to the people who have welcomed us. We hope people feel a sense of connection to the artwork.”

    International students were given the opportunity to connect with local iwi

    The aim of the Study Auckland panel was to give international students the opportunity to connect with local iwi and work with respected local artists, including Hana Maihi of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, to explore what it means to make public art in New Zealand.

    To help with the design process, the students joined Hana in a three-day wānanga at Ōrākei Marae to immerse themselves in Māori history, and learn about the significance of the mural’s location in Te Tōangaroa, on Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei owned land.

    Study Auckland business development manager Beth Leyland, who led the project, is thrilled with the outcome and says the students are too.

    “Auckland Unlimited’s Head of International Education Henry Matthews says the project truly reflects the principle of hospitality amongst the diverse cultures that make up our collective world right here in Tāmaki Makaurau.”

    The students’ panel was funded through a $20,000 grant from the Ministry of Education’s International Student Wellbeing Fund. The other two panels were designed and painted by Hana and Te Whetū Collective member Poi Ngawati to bring awareness to the rich Māori heritage and taiao (environment) on which the city was founded.

    Collectively, the three panels depict the importance of welcoming different cultures and diversity in Tāmaki Makaurau.

    The vibrant 12-metre-high mural, incorporates elements of biodiversity which were once part of the landscape of the area. The students’ panel includes the poutama, a well-known step-like pattern seen in tukutuku panels adorning the walls of wharenui.

    In 2019, 115,713 students from 180 countries enrolled to study in Aotearoa New Zealand, and became part of our communities. This injected $4.9b into our economy and supported more than 48,000 jobs. Just over 63,000 of those students were based in Tāmaki Maukaurau. The city currently hosts just under 13,000 international students.

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  • New Zealand providers show global leadership at NAFSA 2025 

    Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), alongside representatives from eight tertiary providers wrapped up a high-impact week at the NAFSA 2025 Annual Conference in San Diego at the end of May.   

    Under the conference theme ‘People, Place and Partnership,’ New Zealand’s delegation was in amongst over the 8,000+ global education leaders, strengthening institutional ties and driving new collaboration opportunities.  

    Representatives from the University of Auckland connecting with conference delegates in the New Zealand pavillion.

    The New Zealand pavilion comprised of University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, University of Waikato, Massey University, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Canterbury, University of Otago and Whitecliffe College. 

    ENZ Chief Executive, Amanda Malu, said being present at the world’s largest international education conference is not just about visibility—it’s about leadership.  

    “New Zealand’s education providers have a unique perspective to offer the global education community, and NAFSA is where those voices can shape conversations, forge partnerships, and spark ideas that transcend borders,” she said. 

    ENZ worked with NAFSA to host two sessions in the New Zealand pavilion. Both sessions were well attended, sparking discussions among conference delegates about reimagining higher education. 

    The University of Waikato panel session. From L to R: ENZ Director of Engagement, DuBois Jennings; Unviersity of Waikato Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori, Dr. Sarah-Jane Tiakiwai; University of Waikato Associate Director Global Experiences, Jaydene Meadows and ENZ Acting Regional Director, Natalie Lulia.  

    The first session moderated by ENZ Director of Engagement North America, DuBois Jennings, featured a panel discussion titled ‘Te Ao Hurihuri Indigenous Internationalisation: Perspectives from Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato – The University of Waikato’.  The session explored the concept of indigenous internationalisation, focusing on the unique approaches and programmes delivered at The University of Waikato. On the panel was Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori Dr. Sarah-Jane Tiakiwai, Associate Director, Global Experiences Jaydene Meadows from the University of Waikato, and ENZ Acting Regional Director, Natalie Lulia.  

    Associate Director of Global Experiences Jaydene Meadows said the outcomes for the University of Waikato well surpassed previous years at the conference. 

    “This year was significant for us, deepening the roots of current relationships, while promoting new programme offerings and working to develop new business opportunities.” 

    The University of Otago presented the second session titled 'Indigenising our university’s name and brandmark: Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka | University of Otago'. Deputy Vice-Chancellor, External Engagement Professor Jessica Palmer and Manager, Indigenous Internationalisation, Karamea Pēwhairangi reflected on a year since the global launch of their new brandmark, the journey to being gifted a Māori name, and how the University of Otago includes indigeneity in the University’s Internationalisation Strategy.  

    ENZ Acting Regional Director Natalie Lulia said both sessions showcased New Zealand’s unique approach to education that integrates indigenous knowledge, and she looks forward to building on the momentum of the conference. 

    “NAFSA certainly set the ball rolling for increased student mobility, enhanced research linkages, and stronger people-to-people connections between New Zealand and our international partners,” she said. 

  • New Zealand Global Competence Certificate programme proves a hit

    What is New Zealand’s Global Competence Certificate programme?

    The customised cultural exchange programme, which started as a pilot partnership last year between New Zealand’s international education agency, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao and AFS Intercultural Programs, Inc. has proved so successful it is now being extended and taken up by schools and tertiary institutions around the country, connecting them with students in Asia and Latin America.

    The “Kiwi way” has much to offer the world, and international education has much to offer New Zealanders at a time the world needs people with cross-cultural competencies. The New Zealand Global Competence Certificate, delivered through Massey University, develops cultural self-awareness, emotional resilience, and build bridges across cultures. It also piques the interest of students offshore in coming to New Zealand in better times.

    The programme delivers animated videos, quizzes, assignments, and weekly live facilitated dialogue sessions for learners to talk with each other online in real time and learn about life from perspectives other than their own.

    What have students been saying about the NZGCC programme?

    “Not only have I learned to become a better communicator, empathiser, and global citizen, but also how a group of like-minded individuals can come together to form something bigger,” says Jack Hittle, of Northland’s Springbank School.

    “I found the programme life-changing,” says Vaagisha Kanwar, a Year 11 student at Indus International School in Bangalore, India, who connected with the Northland students. “We learned about conflict, empathy, inequality, different communication styles, how different people adapt to new situations, and about suspending judgement. I know that I’ll use the skills we’ve learned for the rest of my life, not just when I travel abroad but also in daily life.”

    "You see the way a culture greets each other or the way they dress, but then there are things like relationships, gender roles, and health,” says Whanganui Girls College student Tilda Donson.

    What have educators been saying about the NZGCC programme?

    Whanganui Girls College Principal Sharon Steer is delighted with the NZGCC programme, which she says will help students build their understanding of global cultures, and other critical “soft” skills which will prepare them for life as they enter the workforce.

    “An important part of our curriculum is developing strong communication skills and setting our students up for success in the workplace. The NZGCC programme will add another dimension to our lessons by teaching our students how to develop meaningful relationships with one another despite language and cultural differences.”

    Educators say that with the borders closed, the programme now forms an important part of the reshaped international education experience.

    “It is so important that our students don’t miss out on the enriching life skills that are gained when we interact and connect with people from around the globe,” says Whangarei Girls High School International Director Amelia Morrison, who has students working with peers in India.

    "Global competence is mission-critical for our world," says AFS Intercultural Programs President and CEO Daniel Obst. “Educating more young people to become global citizens is crucial if we want to create a more just and peaceful world.”

    The expansion of the GCC programme reflects the diversification of education in new virtual forms fit for a globally connected world, says Education New Zealand Chief Executive Grant McPherson.

    “As well as helping to develop the global citizens of tomorrow, this programme demonstrates the reciprocal benefits of international education, giving our rangatahi a chance to learn with high school students from around the world, and giving their offshore peers a chance to learn ‘with’ New Zealand and our unique way of thinking.”

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