Chilean delegation visits New Zealand

A Chilean delegation visited the Waikato, Otago and Manukau Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) recently.

The delegation included officials from the Chilean government scholarship scheme ‘Tecnicos para Chile’ (Technicians for Chile) and was hosted by Education New Zealand. The purpose was to enable the Chileans to see first- hand the New Zealand ITPs who are receiving Chilean students under their government’s scheme, to meet staff and view the facilities.  

The Tecnicos para Chile scholarship programme, was established in 2010 by the Chilean government with the aim of upskilling technicians and providing economic and social benefit back to Chile. The scholarship focus is different in each receiving country with the New Zealand programmes focusing on sports, shipping-logistics, agriculture and sustainability.

Three hundred scholarships are awarded annually for international study, for up to two years, including   attending English language classes. Since 2011, up to 20 Chilean scholarship students have studied in New Zealand annually. Applicants apply for a vocational training course approved by the Chilean agencies, with the pre-requisite that they must have already completed a degree and have two years’ work experience.

The Chilean students currently study at Waikato Institute of Technology and Otago Polytechnic both of which have partnership agreements in place with the Chilean Ministry of Education. As a result of the visit, a new partnership agreement has been signed with the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) which will receive Tecnicos para Chile students in the future. The delegation were very impressed with what they saw at all three ITPs during their trip. “Highlights included the quality of the technical training and the innovation in New Zealand’s teaching methodology,” said Carmen Luz Farias, Director, Tecnicos para Chile.

In future, these scholarships will be expanded to include a programme aimed at improving and enhancing the skills of Chilean teachers delivering the agriculture curriculum at secondary school level.  This ‘Train the Trainer’ programme will be run by Otago Polytechnic.

“Otago Polytechnic has been grateful to have the Tecnicos para Chile delegation visit both our Dunedin and Cromwell campuses. The students who participate in the scholarship programme are of a high standard. We highly value this market and it is a great fit for Otago Polytechnic,” says Alex Huffadine, International Director, Otago Polytechnic. “We are looking forward to the increased number of programmes in the future with Tecnicos para Chile, and in particular ‘Train the Trainer.”

If you would like to know more about Tecnicos para Chile contact Javiera Visedo Javiera.Visedo@enz.govt.nz