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• Māori cultural experience builds lasting bonds for international students

  Alongside courses in Māori culture, customs and language, some educational providers in New Zealand have offered an immersive noho marae (marae stay) experience. For students a long way from home, the warmth of the welcome and the sharing of knowledge, traditions, and food, gives them a lasting sense of belonging to Aotearoa.  

  One of the first educators to recognise the importance of sharing Māori culture with international students is Taituwha King, Senior Lecturer in Māori and Indigenous Development at Auckland University of Technology (AUT). For almost 20 years he has been running noho marae at the beginning of each semester to give international students a comprehensive cultural introduction to their study experience.

  Such was the success of noho marae that King developed a course around it, called International Noho Marae – Indigenous Encounters of a Māori Kind, in 2010. It covers basic Te Reo Māori, Māori history, waiata (songs), and cultural customs, and is capped off with a weekend marae stay. It quickly became the second most popular class for international students at AUT, after another of King’s classes – Te Ara Pou Leadership. More than 1500 students have enrolled in the courses since 2002.    

  “The courses put indigenous goggles on students and open them up to areas of discussion with their own indigenous people,” King says.

  Immersing in Māori culture is life changing

  This is certainly true for Native American student Hailey Suina, from the Pueblo of Cochiti and Navajo Nation. She travelled to New Zealand on the Education New Zealand Go Overseas scholarship, already curious to explore the cultural connections between the Māori people and the indigenous people of North America.

  

  She describes the time she spent immersed in Māori culture as “life-changing,” and returned home determined to use her experiences to become a leader in her community. 

  Hailey says she was amazed by the similarities between the Cochiti Pueblo and Māori peoples, which include a collectivist rather than an individualistic culture, a sense of guardianship for nature, and strong ties with ancestors. 

  “From the moment I arrived, I felt a deep connection with the Māori culture. It was like stepping from one home to another.”

  So strong was the concept of whānau and whakawhanaungatanga (kinship connections) for a number of King’s students, that they developed Whānau Councils as a way of staying connected and building on the bonds of their shared New Zealand experience once they returned home. With the first one established in 2010, there are now three - two in the US and one in Europe.

  Pre-Covid, students in Europe would meet up annually. King and other AUT staff committed to joining them, cementing the enduring relationship and ongoing commitment of AUT to its alumni.

  “Events like noho marae and the Whānau Council meet-ups also provide an opportunity for prospective international students to learn about and consider AUT as a destination to study abroad and build relationships with key employers linked to our alumni,” says King.

  Europe council co-founder Anne Heimbeig says being part of the Whānau Council is “a very emotional thing”.

  “I’ve met great people from different countries. Together, we’ve overcome lots of stereotypes and wrong assumptions, and brought Māori culture out into the world.”

  There was a sense of home, belonging, warmth, and love on the marae, says East Coast USA council co-founder Jessica Cohen.

  “Being in the Whānau Council allows us to keep that spirit alive and remember the value of our whānau even when we are far away from our beloved Aotearoa.”

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• From the CE: From planning to implementation on growing international education

  Kia ora koutou,  

  It was wonderful to see the International Education Going for Growth Plan announcement in July coincide with positive student stories from regions such as Canterbury and the Waikato. These featured the rise in international student numbers across subsectors, and local councils celebrating international student achievements and community contributions. 

  This month we have turned our minds to implementation, with the launch of our Go-To-Market Plans. These plans focus on nine markets with the highest potential for growth: China, India, the United States of America, Sri Lanka, Viet Nam, the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, and Thailand.  

  The next step for ENZ is to develop ‘lighter touch,’ tailored plans for markets where we will maintain New Zealand’s strong presence and reputation for high-quality education: Germany, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Chile and Colombia.  

  An incredible amount of cross-sector engagement has gone into progressing this work. I am grateful to education providers for the open and meaningful way you have responded over the past few weeks.   

  On 11 August, ENZ launched a new brand campaign – New Zealand Taught Me – that highlights stories of alumni of New Zealand, aiming to connect emotionally with the values and aspirations of globally-minded prospective international students.  

  Delivered at pace, this campaign is designed to reignite and heighten interest in New Zealand as a study destination, ahead of the full launch of a New Zealand global brand platform later in the year. If you have not seen the campaign hero video, you can view and reshare it off this link. 

  Next month, I will be attending the 35th European Association for International Education (EAIE) Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden, followed by the ICEF Monitor Global Summit in London, UK, where I will be sharing insights on students’ preferences for study in New Zealand and our plan to build international student enrolments over the next 10 years.   

  Ko te pae tawhiti whāia kia tata, ko te pae tata whakamaua kia tina  

  Seek to bring distant horizons closer, and sustain and cherish those that you attain 

  Ngā mihi nui,  

  Amanda Malu  

  Chief Executive 

• Update from Immigration New Zealand

  Student Visa Update: Apply early with our new online forms
  
  

  Planning to study in New Zealand in 2026?

  Immigration New Zealand’s peak visa processing period runs from October to March, so it’s important to apply early to avoid delays - ideally at least three months before you travel.

  On 18 August, applications for the following student visa types transitioned to Immigration New Zealand’s enhanced Immigration Online system:

  • English Language
  • Exchange Student
  • Fee Paying Student
  • Pathway Student
  • NZ Government Scholarship Student
  • Foreign Government Supported Student

  Applications submitted on the old form on or before 17 August will still be processed. Applicants can continue to upload documents and respond to requests until a decision is made. Draft applications on the old system must be submitted on or before 17 September, after that all applications must be submitted through enhanced Immigration Online. Paper applications will no longer be accepted from 18 September.

  We’ve redesigned the application process to make applying faster, easier, and more transparent. Applicants will get real-time updates, email notifications, and clearer guidance throughout the process. The form itself is dynamic, only showing sections and asking questions relevant to their situation. It also includes guidance and prompts to support you through the process.

  For help with the online form, visit our Applying Online help page, or contact Immigration New Zealand.

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