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• Improving orientation programmes 

  At NZIEC 2018, a number of breakout sessions talked about the need to reconsider current approaches to orientation and student support in order to improve the student experience and increase their intercultural competence.

  

  Izzie Guo

  In the Inspiring global citizens panel discussion: How can we make a difference? Izzie Guo, ChristchurchNZ’s Student Experience Coordinator talked about their Student Ambassador programme, and how positive student experiences are often shaped by the social and extracurricular space, not the academic.

  “Student Ambassadors are involved in events and activities around the city, some volunteer, some organise and MC big events like our Student Welcome. It’s a way to improve their interpersonal skills and make new friends. It helps them settle in and build connections,” said Izzie.

  Student Ambassadors are also the first connection that new international students make – they run the airport welcome and support orientations at institutions, welcoming and greeting new students in their own language, asking them about their home and breaking the ice.

  Education Tauranga has taken a similar approach. In Redefining orientation programmes, Anne Young talked about how Education Tauranga has redefined its orientation programme by holding events throughout the year to mitigate ‘culture shock’ and help students achieve a smooth transition to life and study in Tauranga.

  

  Education Tauranga's international student orientation in February 2018

  “For most people, orientation means the first two weeks a student arrives, but that’s really an induction to their education provider and region. Orientation should go well beyond that, because the transition to a new setting takes more than two weeks.

  “The key is continual engagement. Throughout the year, you need to build relationships with international students and their families and show you have a continued offer.”

  AFS research supports this approach. In her presentation, Global competence development in international education: Tools to make it happen, Marcela Lapertosa, AFS Director of Education and Intercultural Learning, said skilled facilitation and regular reflection is the answer.

  

  Marcela Lapertosa

  “It is not enough to make one phone call to a student each month asking yes or no questions, “do you like your homestay,” “do you like your school” – there needs to be an attempt to unpack differences, challenges and perceptions.”

  AFS has undertaken research in this area to develop the AFS Student Learning Journey Curriculum, which includes a variety of one-on-one and group activities to help students reflect and understand their new surroundings and how best to navigate it.

  “For example, you could ask the student and their host family to draw a picture of the floorplan of their home and use questions to learn more about each other: Where does your family spend the most time? What does a closed door mean? Does it mean someone is mad at you, or that they want privacy?” This kind of exercise shows how different cultural values are reflected in a building and can help students and their host family understand one another,” said Marcela.

  “It can also make it easier for students to open up who are not natural reflectors, especially when done in a group with their homestay family or school peers.”

• ENZ event activities for 2018

  There are two key student recruitment seasons. Depending on the market, these are March/April and September/October.

  Confirmed events and dates will be published on the ENZ event calendar on 31 October. Event registration will open shortly after for events taking place during the first six months of 2018.

  Please note: This is an overview and is subject to change. As such, it should only be used to help with high-level planning.

  

  Global conferences/other major events:

  

• Reports memos discussion papers advice plans or policies created since 1 January 2017 concerning climate change

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• Brazilian champions Māori world view to design students globally

  So transformative was the experience, that the former international student is determined that design leaders globally learn from AUT’s success embracing Māori knowledge in tertiary design studies.  

  Marcos came from Sao Paulo to study for his PhD in Design at AUT in 2015. He always felt that Aotearoa was “calling” him and was drawn to the concept of practice-led research, which allows students to be assessed by their creative work alongside a supportive piece of writing. 

  “This means that your practice is your contribution to knowledge,” he says. “I was fascinated by the idea.” 

  Practice-led research has been around for many years but is still not widely used. AUT, now considered a world-leader in its implementation, developed the approach under education “disruptor” Professor Welby Ings, who believes thinking outside the box can be the key to success for many learners. 

  Embracing the natural world from a Māori perspective 

  While Marcos enjoyed the early months focusing on his photography, it was an introduction to respected Māori scholars Professor Hinematau McNeill and Professor Robert Pouwhare late in his first year which really rocked his world.  

  “They shared their love and knowledge and introduced me to Māori views of the natural world. Their way of thinking and seeing the world completely resonated with me. I understood how ignorant I was in terms of expecting to be able to explain the world through a Western perspective. I learned from them that there is so much beyond it that we cannot see.” 

  “I learned how the world can be seen from an indigenous perspective, and I felt really bad that my own culture has more than 300 indigenous tribes and we never learn anything about them.” 

  He says he became really connected with Māori epistemology (theory of knowledge) and committed to understand and incorporate Māori elements in a substantial part of his thesis. “I try my best to captivate the complex Māori concept of mauri (life force or essence) in my work.” 

  Incorporating the Māori view of the natural world in practice-led research is attracting and retaining students who might not otherwise thrive in a university environment, Marcos says.  

  At AUT’s Manukau campus, the majority of students are Māori and Pasifika. “These students have natural storytelling talents, and they love graphic design, photography, street art, and all forms of contra-culture expression (outside mainstream media).  

  Māori and Pasifika students feel sense of belonging 

  “They feel a sense of belonging to the university with this approach. ”Last year saw the biggest increase in the number of students continuing from undergraduate to postgraduate study in Communication Design, using the practice-led approach.  

  Driven to promote this diversity of thought and boost the status of indigenous cultures and language elsewhere, Marcos is using his connections in Brazil to share Aotearoa’s success with South America and beyond.  

  A former colleague, Professor Sérgio Nesteriuk Gallo, is now head of a postgraduate programme in Art and Design at Anhembi Morumbi University (UAM) in Sao Paulo where students are increasingly using practice-led methodologies. “We agreed when I left for New Zealand that the knowledge I gained in practice-led research we would share and promote in Brazil,” Marcos says.  

  “We promised we would create an event every year to build a body of knowledge about practice-led research into the future. I know that many people, especially those from an indigenous background in Latin America are keen to take up this form of research.” 

  The first symposium was held in 2016 and attracted 10 exhibitors. Last year’s online symposium drew in 400 submissions from 13 universities around the world. 

  Planning is underway to take 10 of the most influential Māori practice-led researchers to Brazil for this year’s conference in December, called LINK2022 Moana Crossing, where they will run a series of workshops and launch a special edition of the journal incorporating original manuscripts from the Māori scholars and from collaborative partnerships with non-Māori practitioners. 

  Aotearoa New Zealand leading the way 

  “We have at least half the leading scholars in this field,” Marcos says. “Sharing this knowledge will hopefully influence the approach of those who teach elsewhere in the world.” 

  The new model of undertaking research and presenting knowledge must be more considerate of alternative approaches. “Māori traditions can enhance our understanding of research, practice, and the intricate connection with te taiao (the environment).” 

  He says he is committed to elevating the practice-led approach connected to Māori and first-nation knowledge, “taking our thinking to the world and giving a voice to indigenous cultures elsewhere”. 

  

  Piha at Sunset by Marcos Steagall.

• New Zealand Global Competence Certificate Named Finalist for Two PIEoneer Awards

  The PIEoneer Awards recognise innovation and achievement in global education each year. The New Zealand Global Competence Certificate is a finalist in two categories:  

  • Public / private partnership of the year 
  • Progressive education delivery award.

  A model for delivering global competence education virtually and at scale 

  ENZ, AFS, and Massey University joined forces to deliver global competence education virtually, at a time when students were unable to travel and schools were unable to host international visitors due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

  The Global Competence Certificate was ideal in this situation, as it develops self-awareness, empathy, critical thinking, cross-cultural communication and flexibility—global skills essential to live, work, and make a real impact around the world. 

  ENZ provided full scholarships to increase access; AFS developed a customised version of their Global Competence Certificate and trained a cadre of qualified facilitators in New Zealand; and Massey educators delivered the New Zealand programme so participants got a taste of the New Zealand teaching style. 

  1,000 learners in 13 countries reached  

  Mixed classes with learners from different countries, provided a rich cultural experience and a chance to connect with peers offshore in a virtual exchange, despite travel restrictions. 

  The nearly 1,000 students and teachers in New Zealand and 13 other countries developed global competence skills they described as “life-changing” and “the best thing in the pandemic.” Ninety-eight percent of the programme attendees said they were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the Global Competence Certificate, and 95 percent rated their experience as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good.’ 

  Thanks to the overwhelming success of this programme, the partnership will continue as borders reopen and international travel is back on the agenda, with more than 400 learners benefitting from the New Zealand Global Competence Certificate in 2022. 

  Supporting a nationwide international education strategy  

  This collaborative project directly supports the Government’s International Education Strategy and helps students and teachers develop their cross-cultural skills together with their global peers. 

  “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,” says Grant McPherson, ENZ Chief Executive. 

  “Interacting and communicating effectively with people around the world is an important skill. Massey University’s significant experience teaching online, utilising the excellent customised content from AFS and the ongoing support of ENZ, provides a great opportunity for students to gain the knowledge and capabilities they need to live, work and learn in a connected world,” says Tere McGonagle-Daly, Students and Global Engagement, Massey University. 

  The award-winning Global Competence Certificate, developed by AFS Intercultural Programs, is used far beyond New Zealand. As of 2022, it’s used in more than 60 countries with 15,000 learners of different ages and backgrounds.   

  “Educating more young people to become global citizens is mission-critical for our world. At AFS we are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to intercultural learning and can gain skills such as cross-cultural communication, empathy, and conflict resolution to effectively bridge differences,” concludes Daniel Obst, President and CEO of AFS Intercultural Programs. 

  Learn more about the PIEoneer awards and see other finalists here. Winners will be announced on Friday 9 September 2022.

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• Students around the globe join New Zealand summit

  Kicking off this week with seminars on the space economy and mechanisms for social change, and the human cost of climate change, the online global workshop connects a diverse group of potential international students to help them connect, collaborate and shape their future.

  ENZ’s Deanna Anderson, Business Development Manager says the project offers ENZ a great opportunity to learn more about the motivations of learners from new markets while offering the students involved a unique digital engagement with New Zealand.

  “It’s a two-way learning experience that explores the futures of our next generation of learners while offering them a window into New Zealand’s unique way of problem solving.

  “The aim is to create an inspiring initiative that engages hundreds of students and allows us to use their insights to better understand the future of our next generation of learners.

  “Each student has the ability to offer insight that could help shape a more personalised, meaningful, relevant and uniquely New Zealand education experience.” 

  The summit involves 12 expert speakers who are presenting six online seminars on topics ranging from sustainable design to social entrepreneurship to climate change.

  “After the seminar series, the students will be involved in a co-creation weekend where they will work as part of 65 online challenge groups to discuss solutions to some of the planet’s most pressing issues such as energy production, waste as a resource and the future of human survival.”

  Deanna says this pilot research project will provide invaluable insights for New Zealand’s international education sector that will inform the direction of future industry innovation.

  For more information or to join the webinars, visit https://www.emergingfutures.co.nz/

• NZIEC v3

• The future of international student recruitment from China

  Speaking as one of the NZIEC’s keynote speakers, President Zhou Chenggang explained that there is an emerging trend of parents with younger children wanting to give them the advantage of an international education and New Zealand should harness this opportunity.

  Mr Zhou said Chinese parents make careful, rational decisions about where their younger children should study, planning one to two years in advance. With the current world climate, he suggested that New Zealand institutions should highlight not only the high quality education their children will receive, but also the fact that New Zealand is a safe and welcoming country.

  Mr Zhou also said New Zealand should highlight our vocational offerings, which were less well known in China and having more choices would also appeal to Chinese parents.

  According to Mr Zhou, having clear, straight-forward application processes and building relationships with more Chinese colleges will benefit.

  “China will keep encouraging our kids to learn from the West. So many institutions in China are eager to work with colleges but don’t know where to go or who to talk to.”

  More than 38,000 Chinese students studied in New Zealand in 2016. This was a 13% increase in total enrolments from 2015.