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Accelerate Your Growth at NZIEC
We’re pleased to outline some highlights of this year’s conference programme prior to registrations opening soon.
Visit www.nziec.co.nz for more information and to register!
Conference theme
NZIEC 2015 brings together practitioners and leaders from across New Zealand’s fifth largest export industry to explore strategies for growth. The Conference provides an opportunity to discuss, strategise and connect with expert speakers and delegates.
The government’s Leadership Statement for International Education outlines ambitious onshore and offshore goals for the international education industry to achieve by 2025. With less than a decade to go until 2025, NZIEC 2015 focuses on how you can Accelerate Your Growth.
To achieve success as an industry, we need to understand key changes in international markets, pursue innovation, invest in capability and communicate a strong brand. Through a range of presentations, workshops, discussions and case studies, NZIEC 2015 will provide a platform to learn what organisations around the world are doing to execute these strategies, and what we can do to improve ours.
Pre-conference workshops
Thursday 21 August features pre-conference workshops – for the school sector in the morning and for all sectors in the afternoon.
School sector pre-conference workshop
A pre-conference workshop for the school sector kicks off at 9am on Thursday morning. Connect with school representatives from across the country while learning about market trends, our key competitors and opportunities to collaborate through SIEBA.
All sectors marketing and market intelligence workshops
The afternoon pre-conference workshops are open to all sectors. Thursday afternoon features a marketing workshop on honing your point of difference followed by a choice of market intelligence sessions spanning the world.
In the marketing workshop, gain inspiration from the Icebreaker experience to help you understand how to stand out from the crowd.
Then, choose from nine future-focused market intelligence sessions featuring cherry blossoms, hashtags and samba! Learn about opportunities spanning the globe – from the Americas to Asia to the Middle East and Europe.
Networking drinks and conference dinner
Join in the celebrations on Thursday evening with networking drinks and conference dinner starting from 6pm.
Friday highlights
The Conference on Friday kicks off at 8.30am and features keynote addresses that will inspire, challenge and provide insight.
In between our fantastic international keynote speakers, you can choose from 12 breakouts on topics ranging from customers and markets, strategy, marketing, operations and innovation.
Breakouts include several sessions featuring the latest data and intelligence, a panel discussion around offshore delivery, a session seeking your input on the International Education Senior Officials Group work programme, and a Lightning Innovation session featuring six industry innovators.
Stay tuned for more detail, and save the date now!
INAKL ambassadors welcome
It is an exciting milestone for the INAKL programme, which is a key project for Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development – which drives the growth of the international education through its specialist team Study Auckland.
The ambassadors will regularly blog about their experiences as an international student in Auckland on a new site which went live this week.
Ketaki Khare was among the ambassadors who were formally announced by Auckland Mayor Len Brown at an international student function held at Auckland Zoo last month.
As well as being a student ambassador, Ketaki is among 10 Indian students awarded the New Zealand Prime Minister’s Sports Scholarships for 2015. She is a member of the Indian women’s rugby team, is India’s first female rugby referee and the first Indian woman to pursue a professional career in rugby.
Ketaki Khare says: “Being an INAKL International Student Ambassador is an amazing opportunity to view this magical city in all its glory and it gives me immense pleasure to be able to write about all my experiences.”
Birgit Hermann, Project Manager – International Student Experience, says: “The ambassadors’ role is to experience everything Auckland has to offer and talk about them to international students who are here or may come here.”
The event at Auckland Zoo was the second in a series of INAKL events organised by Study Auckland for the region’s international student community. Some international students also enjoyed an INAKL group attendance at an Auckland Blues rugby game last month, and a recent Immigration New Zealand seminar about how they could potentially make Auckland their permanent home.
The programme kicked off with the resoundingly successful International Student Welcome held at The Cloud in March, which attracted about 2,400 students.
“The recent immigration seminar was fully subscribed within 10 hours and the INAKL Facebook site reached more than 2000 likes this week. The programme is achieving great results, but we would like to see it continue to grow and benefit students,” says Birgit.
For further information please visit aucklandnz.com/inakl or contact inakl@aucklandnz.com.
South Canterbury welcomes Thai agent
What was the purpose of Pear’s visit to South Canterbury?
Education South Canterbury is working on developing an MOU with Thai schools introduced to us by Pear. She was in South Canterbury specifically to familiarise herself with our schools and to experience the region as the students do. She visited each of Education South Canterbury’s member schools and met with students at each one.
How did Pear’s visit fit in with Education South Canterbury’s goals?
Thailand is a focus market and an important and valuable partner for Education South Canterbury.
In the Education South Canterbury strategic plan we are working to develop capability and support the government goals for 2025.
As we are developing an MOU with schools in Thailand that Pear works with, we felt that the familiarisation visit would give her a strong understanding of the educational experiences offered by institutions and the student lifestyle here in the region.
Education South Canterbury was delighted to give Pear a first-hand experience of the region, so that she can support and promote the special features of the programmes that we offer.
What did Pear see and experience during her visit?
Pear’s visit started with a welcome dinner with the members of Education South Canterbury and included a lunch hosted by the Mayor.
We wanted to give Pear the opportunity to experience the activities that our students take part in while studying in the region – she went to a country cafe complete with farmyard animals, and mini golf and afternoon tea with Thai students currently studying at a local school and Aoraki Polytechnic.
Pear visited the Te Ana Rock Art Centre and was very impressed with the cultural history of the region
Unfortunately, the planned trip to Tekapo for a jet boat ride had to be cancelled due to gale force winds! So, that gave her first-hand experience of New Zealand’s changeable weather patterns.
Pear stayed in Geraldine and Timaru, getting a taste of both town and country lifestyles, and experiencing both homestay and motel accommodation, further strengthening her insights in to the student and parent experience.
What did Pear enjoy most?
Pear really enjoyed the chance to meet all of the Education South Canterbury members and develop relationships with the International Directors at each of the institutions.
She loved meeting the current students and felt their enthusiasm and honest feedback was really valuable.
In Geraldine Pear loved looking at the stars after we had been out for a meal. With no light pollution she had some great views of the Milky Way – the clear night air almost magnifies the vista. This is something Pear just doesn’t get to see in the large cities of Thailand.
What did you learn about Thailand from Pear?
All Education South Canterbury members are familiar with Thailand and have visited regularly, so we were especially pleased to get specific information about the schools we are dealing with and the expectations around our MOU from the Thai schools’ perspective. We really appreciated Pear’s forthrightness in working through the specifics of the process.
How are you maintaining the relationship now that Pear’s gone home?
We have been in regular email contact with Pear since her return to Thailand, and we are planning an Education South Canterbury group delegation visit in early September to see Pear and visit NZ Study.
What do you see as unique about South Canterbury education and culture?
In South Canterbury we don’t just do international education, we internationalise our education.
South Canterbury offers an authentic small town Kiwi experience, where all students are known in the school and warmly embraced by the wider community. Students get an individual and intimate experience – they are all made to feel special and develop lifelong friendships with Kiwi students and homestay families.
The experience is very much a two-way exchange between the international students and the Kiwi students. The visiting students opened our Kiwi students’ eyes to their lifestyle, culture and life experiences… so becoming the educators of our students!
South Canterbury is “New Zealand at your back door”. We offer beaches, mountains, rivers and diverse landscapes – outdoor excitement with a sense of security. In South Canterbury, you can travel from the Southern Alps to the ocean in two hours or less.
Students in Education South Canterbury schools learn in the environment. Field trips and outdoor pursuits take them out into the real New Zealand and they are immersed in the environment they are learning about.
Students in South Canterbury schools can embrace the arts – music and theatre, orchestras, brass bands and sing in New Zealand award-winning choral groups.
No matter what students want to pursue, South Canterbury offers the opportunity!
L – R: Julie McLean, Pear and Mayor of Timaru, Damon Odey
Competition winners announced South and South East Asia
The first competition was open to SSEA students from selected institutions currently pursuing undergraduate programmes in business, marketing and/or related disciplines. Students were asked to submit a 12 month marketing strategy that would promote New Zealand as an education destination in their own country.
ENZ is pleased to announce that five entries – two from Viet Nam and one each from India, Indonesia and Malaysia have won all-expenses paid four-week internships in New Zealand. The interns will arrive in New Zealand between July and September.
The winners and their hosting New Zealand institutions are:
Viet Nam
Pham Phuong Lan going to Academic Colleges Group
Nguyen Hoai Thuong going to Palmerston North Girls High School
India
Armeet Narang going to Avondale College
Indonesia
Edo Dwi Prayogo going to the University of Auckland
Malaysia
Kong Kah Weng going to Choose New Zealand Education Alliance
The second competition was targeted at secondary school students in South East Asia only, with the aim of prompting them to research what it would be like to live and learn in New Zealand. The students each submitted a 700-word essay demonstrating their take on the theme of ‘Think New: Think New Zealand’. ENZ received some outstanding entries across all four target markets. The winning essays (listed below) were all published in top-tier media publications.
Malaysia
Nur Afiqah Azizan - essay published in The New Straits Times (Learning Curve)
Indonesia
Siti Hajar Saskia Putri - essay published in Hai! and CosmoGIRL! magazines
Thailand
Sirinut Talpraderm - essay published in The Bangkok Post (Student Weekly)
Vietnam
Nguyễn Thúy An - essay published on Kenh14.vn
We’ll follow up with the students and their host institutions during their time in New Zealand and keep you posted as to their experiences.
Introducing ENZ’s new Board member, Victoria Spackman
Victoria is Chief Executive, Director and co-owner of the screen and visitor experience company, the Gibson Group. You can read Victoria’s bio here but E-News put a few questions her way when she was in the office last week.
How did you come to know about the world of international education?
I worked with Education New Zealand on a Mandarin language TV series called Dragons in a Distant Land, which was all about Chinese students studying in New Zealand. The series was launched by the Prime Minister in Beijing in April 2013 during the celebrations of the 40-year relationship between China and New Zealand, and screened on several TV channels around China.
What interests you about the sector?
I am particularly interested in the fact that there are so many advantages to be had from a well-functioning international education system – advantages to the students visiting NZ, to the NZ students they learn with, to the schools and other providers, and to the wider economies in both NZ and, potentially, in the country that the student is from. The strong personal and professional connections that are made through international education can help fuel lifelong relationships and opportunities.
What excites you most about your appointment to the Board?
I’m looking forward to the opportunity to help the sector grow and help New Zealand take full advantage of its strong international educational reputation.
What challenges do you expect to face?
New Zealand is not the only country competing for international students and we are not the best resourced or the most famous. So we have to differentiate ourselves and help what New Zealand has to offer stand out. My personal challenges will include understanding the complex ecology of the sector as quickly as I can so I can make a full contribution.
What parts of your study/work/life experience do you think is most relevant to your role on the Board?
I started my school life in the UK and, although I don’t think about it much, I expect that it has impacted on the person I am very much. The company I own has pushed into several new export markets in recent years, including China, the US and Denmark. The experience of persisting to reach those goals has taught me a lot about exporting and doing so in challenging markets. I hope that that experience, as well as my broader experience, can help me be of the most assistance to the organisation and the sector.
As well as announcing Victoria’s appointment on 9 July, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce also announced the reappointment of Board Chair Charles Finny for an eighteen-month term, and Board members Philip Broughton, Richard Leggat and John Morris for three-year terms.
New Zealand’s agriculture training pique’s interest of Moroccan delegation

The delegation was led by Amine Mounir Alaoui, who is the head of the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University and Executive Vice President of the OCP Foundation. The university was set up by Moroccan phosphate exporting company, Office Chérifien des Phosphates. During their visit the group visited Waikato, Auckland, Massey and Lincoln universities, as well as meeting with government agencies, Universities New Zealand and research partners in the new Lincoln Hub. Education New Zealand facilitated the visit.

The main purpose of the visit was to explore the potential for cooperation in the agriculture and agri-tech area for the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University’s new School of Agriculture. They were impressed with the capability and applied/industry-based approach of the New Zealand universities, and were especially interested in research cooperation and the potential for student exchange, study abroad, PhD study and teacher training.

Mohammed VI Polytechnic University is less than three years old, but it has ambitious plans to be the leading institute in Africa with 10,000 students enrolled by 2025. It is a state of the art university located in the new city of Benguerir, close to Marrakech, and hosts three living labs – the new green city itself, a local phosphate mine and an industrial plant.

The delegation promoted Morocco as a secure gateway to Africa and a bridge to western countries.

Now that links have been made, the focus will be on identifying some key areas of research collaboration and gradual expansion of the education partnerships – perhaps more simmer than spice, but still warmer than a zero degree Lincoln day!
Meet MoE’s new Director, International Emily Fabling

The new Director role leads the Ministry’s wider international education engagement strategies, international education policy development, and key country-to-country and multilateral education engagements. The Director is in front of Ministers on a regular basis, and works closely with other parts of the Ministry, other government education agencies such as NZQA and TEC, ENZ, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT) and Immigration New Zealand to develop and support international education. Having strong working relationships with education and research professionals, education providers and sector & community groups is also essential to Emily in working effectively in her role as Director.

You can meet Emily at the New Zealand International Education Conference in Hamilton this week, but in the meantime, E-News caught up with the Ministry’s busy new Director and asked her a few introductory questions.

You’ve been in the job three months now – tell me about the path that led you to your new role as Director, International Education at MoE.

I grew up in Waipukurau, central Hawke’s Bay. I studied the only foreign language available to me, French, and hung out with the only ‘international students’ at the time – Rotary Exchange students from Australia. I actually started my government policy career in the Ministry of Education back in 2001 (when there were 79,000 international students in New Zealand), after having worked at Parliament and for MFAT in the APEC Taskforce, and some typical Kiwi overseas experience in the UK and through Asia. I moved into Immigration Policy in the then-Department of Labour (DOL) in 2004, where I was responsible, among other things, for developing the licensing regime and legislation for immigration advisers and agents.

I became Deputy Director, International for DOL in 2009 and focussed my international engagement efforts there on the International Labour Organisation and bilateral labour agreements with Thailand, the Philippines and China, before taking on the role of National Manager, Recognised Seasonal Employment for almost three years (bringing Pacific Island workers to New Zealand’s horticulture & viticulture sectors for temporary seasonal work). This role was an amazing opportunity, where I travelled to far-flung developing countries like Tuvalu and Kiribati, and experienced, first-hand, the life-changing impacts of time spent in New Zealand on individuals and communities back in the Pacific Islands. I then spent six months back at MFAT (in the Asia Pacific Regional Division), before returning to the immigration fold and the Immigration New Zealand leadership team, as Executive Director in the Office of the Deputy Chief Executive for two years. And now I am here!

What study/work/life experiences do you bring to the role?

At Victoria University, I studied Politics and Modern Languages (French & Japanese), and then combined these into an Honours degree in International Relations. My public service career has followed an underlying thread of “international people mobility” – be it through skills and knowledge, or work and the labour market. I’ve grown into broader public sector leadership roles from jobs in pure policy analysis and development. I’m an extrovert, so enjoy presenting policy ideas or strategies to others – I’m also an eldest child and heavily results-focussed, so I like getting things done and working with others on the challenge of turning policy ideas or problems into pragmatic, sensible solutions.

Outside of work, I live in Wellington’s northern suburbs with two cricket and PlayStation-mad sons (aged 10 and 7), two Labradors (aged 12 ½) and a husband (age undisclosed), a large garden and similarly-sized mortgage!

What’s on your ‘to do’ list for your next three months?

In no particular order – supporting Ministerial engagements overseas and the International Education Senior Officials’ Group; giving practical effect to the Ministry’s own International Engagement Framework (which helps prioritise MOE’s international activities); finishing consultation on the new Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (submissions close on 30 August!) and developing the new International Student Contracts Dispute Resolution Scheme; completing the Annual Report on the Export Education Levy; working with sector bodies to think about how to better enable New Zealand students to study overseas and New Zealand providers to deliver programmes offshore; looking at ways to commercialise New Zealand education agency know-how and intellectual property; two weeks in China on the ANZSOG China Reciprocal Program hosted by the Chinese Government... and participating in the NZIEC 2015 in Hamilton on 20-21 August, of course!
Student voices celebrate the NZ-ASEAN relationship
ENZ has been running Student Voice since 2012, providing a platform for international students to share their experiences and views on studying in New Zealand.
This year’s event was jointly run by ENZ and the MFAT, and domestic students were also invited to take part, in recognition of the 40^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and ASEAN.
Thirty international students representing all 10 ASEAN countries joined with the 10 New Zealand students who were recipients of the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia, Understanding South East Asia programme. Together, the students took part in an interactive two-day programme aimed at better understanding the student experience. They heard from sector experts including Simon Chu from the University of Otago around the importance of alumni networks; Lester Khoo from Auckland University of Technology on how a New Zealand education can launch careers in ASEAN; and Jimmy Walsh from Beca on the value of ASEAN-NZ links in business.
The students also had the opportunity to talk informally about their experiences. We will share more on this in a later edition of E-news, but here are some of the comments for starters:
“Only when you are out of your comfort zone will you understand and learn many things, not just about your degree, but everything. It’s hard to not fall in love with New Zealand."
“Studying in New Zealand has opened up my soul. The past two years at the University of Otago had a significant impact on my character building. The University of Otago has moulded me into a more expressive, responsible, and confident person. New Zealand has also taught me to seize the opportunities whenever you have a chance because you will never know where that opportunity might lead you.”
My participation in ASEAN Student Voice 2015 only reinforced my belief that studying in NZ gives me that well-rounded academic experience that I can take home to enrich my contribution to Indonesia's development."
A real community has built up around this year’s Student Voice, and participating students set up a Facebook page to keep their connections going.
The programme culminated in an evening reception attended by around 100 people, including Hon Steven Joyce, the students and their host institutions, officials on the English Language Training for Officials programme, Heads of ASEAN missions and government representatives as well as people from ENZ, MFAT and the Asia New Zealand Foundation.
Students from Wainuiomata High School’s Kapa Haka Group, Te Tira Whakaau, brought New Zealand’s powerful cultural history alive with a performance at the reception. Te Tira Whakaau finished first overall in the regional secondary school Te Awakairangi ki Wairarapa Kapa Haka competition last month.
Introducing new GM Marketing and Channel Development, Paul Irwin
Hannah Lee Darboe, who fulfilled the role of Acting GM for this team, returned to NZTE recently to take up the role of Director, Business Improvements.
What attracted you to the world of international education?
The GM Marketing and Channel Development role at Education New Zealand builds on highlights from previous roles in my career. Namely, international marketing in Asia with the Economist Intelligence Unit, advertising and communications consultancy to a range of education sector clients (Open Polytechnic; TeachNZ, Ministry of Education; and Agriculture ITO), and the ever-evolving world of digital marketing. Additionally, I’m really impressed with the contribution that international education makes to both New Zealand’s economy and our cultural ties with other countries.
What will you be doing as GM Marketing & Channel Development?
I'll be helping shape ENZ’s international marketing strategies across brand, digital media, social, agents, events and whatever other opportunities we identify. My goal is to work with the marketing team and the rest of ENZ to build on their great work to date. Particular areas of interest are how we can continue to position the Think New brand against our competitors, increase our use of data for insight and conversion, and how we integrate and optimise all our activity, noting the different challenges of each particular market!
What’s on your to-do list for the next three months?
First, to build my understanding of a very complex industry! ENZ and New Zealand’s education providers operate across a wide range of sectors and countries. From a marketing perspective, we use best practice digital marketing, events and agents, while also equipping the industry with a wide range of tools and marketing material.
Second, to better understand the needs of the different education sectors (I really look forward to meeting you all in due course!).
Third, to look to ways to “optimise” our activity, building on past learnings, fine-tuning to the different dynamics of each country and their student populations, and bringing my expertise in integrated marketing to ensure we have the best marketing mix to achieve our collective objectives.
What excites you most about your new role?
I’m excited to be working in a role that delivers economic, social and cultural good. Equally to be working with such a large group of smart, passionate people across ENZ and the entire New Zealand education industry. It’s exciting to be working in an industry that’s part of the “knowledge economy”, which has really strong foundations but equally huge opportunity for innovation and further growth.
What challenges do you expect to face?
There are many challenges in international education, but these are what make the role interesting and rewarding. There’s the complexity of the markets and diversity of sectors. Then there’s being on top of the fast-changing world of marketing today, driven by new digital technologies and channels and access to more and more data. As always, there’s the juggling act between global efficiencies and consistency and in-market tailoring of activity. And last, but not least, being mindful of each education institution’s particular needs, past learnings and future ambitions.
Competition winners and interns enjoy trip of a lifetime
A separate competition was launched in India called ‘Fashion for Fleming’, requiring fashion students to design a t-shirt for ENZ’s Brand Ambassador, Stephen Fleming. The competition encouraged students from India to incorporate creative designs showcasing the unique values of both countries. The winner received a two week internship at AUT’s Fashion School.
As well, over the past couple of months, two students from Viet Nam and India, and one each from Indonesia and Malaysia undertook all-expenses paid internships at various institutes in New Zealand.
We’ve received some outstanding feedback from the interns and the respective institutions, both during the internships and after the students returned home. Here’s a taste of what they said:
Armeet Narang, a student from Symbiosis Institute, Pune won a four-week internship at Avondale College
"My experience in New Zealand as an intern is something I will cherish in the future. The people, culture, food, and the work ethic is very much different than in India, something that left me speechless. It was robust and fresh, something I believe every student needs in their college life. Perhaps, what left me astonished was the education system over there, so much more developed. Avondale College and the staff at the International Department were so warm and welcoming I settled right in. It was too good to be true for me. My homestay parents were simply perfect. A month after my return, I still miss that place - the weather, the food and the people. Such an opportunity is sure to open many doors for me, and I cannot be grateful enough.” - Armeet Narang
“Avondale College welcomed the opportunity to host an intern from India and we were most pleased with the successful candidate when he arrived. Armeet immediately became one of the team at the Avondale College International Department, and set up his work station in the reception office - a signal to us he was here to integrate with the students, learn how a busy office worked, and to offer a new perspective.
Initial discussions on how Armeet could add value included doing a SWOT analysis, reviewing current strategies of NZ Schools active in the Indian market, and developing a marketing strategy and plan for Avondale College to implement. Having a particular interest in use of media and digital channels, Armeet launched into a review of the current Avondale College website and Facebook usage and developed a best practice model to head towards.
Armeet took every advantage of getting out and about in Auckland and the North Island. His trip culminated in attending the All Blacks game against Australia. His first rugby match he described it almost as good as an IPL match. From our perspective the internship was a huge success with learnings from both Armeet and institution. Many thanks to ENZ for the opportunity. We are solid advocates for such projects.” - Chris Klaassen, Director of International, Avondale College
Nguyen Hoai Thuong, Vietnam won a four-week internship at Palmerston North Girls High School
“What I love most about New Zealand is that people are very friendly. I didn’t feel like I was in a foreign country, but at home, as a family member. The environment in New Zealand also captured my attention, since people have good awareness of environment protection, and it did have an impact on me after coming back to Vietnam. I also learnt a lot from my colleagues, not only marketing knowledge, but also their passion. They inspired me and made me realise that once you pour all your heart into doing something, anything can be meaningful and memorable. I really hope that one day I can go back to NZ, to learn more and explore more, and most of all, to see again the people giving me the best time of my youth.” - Nguyen Hoai Thuong
Pham Phuong Lam, Vietnam won a four-week internship at Academic Colleges Group
“The one-month internship at ACG was an unforgettable experience. Auckland is a small, multi-cultural city that has made me feel welcome since my very first day. I love the people here, they are friendly, open and very kind. Working in ACG is my first working abroad experience. My colleagues always support and give me good advice to know more about international marketing. ACG has many education institutions that has helped me gain an overall view of New Zealand education, which is famous for critical thinking development and taking good care of international students.” - Pham Phuong Lam
Competition winners: Intern Edo with Vice Chancellor Stuart McChutcheon and Deputy Vice Chancellor Jenny Dixon.
Edo Dwi Prayogo, Indonesia won a four-week internship at The University of Auckland
“I was surprised how easy the Vice Chancellor was to talk to. I feel so lucky to have this whole opportunity. This is my first internship, and I’m having so many new experiences. I’m really enjoying the work environment – it’s so interesting to learn how an organisation reaches international markets, and to be involved in that.” - Edo Dwi Prayogo
“Having Edo with us for a month has been fantastic. He has made an excellent contribution to the team and we have benefitted from the insights he has provided into the Indonesian market and Indonesian culture.” - University of Auckland International Marketing Manager Shane Ball
Kong Kah Weng (Eric), Malaysia won a four-week internship at Choose New Zealand Education Alliance
Life here is completely different compared to Malaysia. What I have noticed so far, New Zealand is much more structured, less polluted, westernised, the standard of living is higher, buildings are flat, less traffic congestion, convenient public transportation and the city is filled with outrageously beautiful natural scenes.
My first day working with Novo Education was remarkable, work culture here is very different. Working hours can be flexible; capability, trust and responsibility are amongst the key qualities of being a good staff. I have been catching up and learning many different tasks as an intern. In fact the work environment moulds you towards a positive working culture.
I have got to know some friends here doing their undergraduate program at a polytechnic institution. In Malaysian’s mind, polytechnics are lousy. This perception does not apply to New Zealand surprisingly. Instead, they offer various types of programmes, well recognised locally and internationally up to postgraduate level. On top of it, they cost less than university.
Lamb and beef taste like heaven! Many other local productions like diary, chocolate, chips and wine are a must try. My honest opinion, I think I feel in love with this country and things around.” - Eric Kong
“Novo Education has been delighted to host the ENZ prize winning student from Malaysia, Eric Kong, as an intern for 4 weeks. Eric visited the campuses of Choose New Zealand members in Auckland, New Plymouth, Whitianga, Greymouth and Christchurch, and is even more enthusiastic about New Zealand education than before he arrived, and was very active in posting positive comments on social media. In turn he has provided us with some insights and research into potential niche markets in Malaysia, and we feel quite excited about future opportunities there.
We wish him very well in his continuing studies. Thank you to Education New Zealand for the opportunity to participate in this internship programme, and we can certainly recommend it to any other institution in the future. ” - Bruce Cleland, Chairman, Choose New Zealand Education Alliance
Somsurvo Chatterjee, a student from NIFT, Kolkata won a two-week internship at the AUT University’s Fashion School
“I am learning new, innovative ways of garment designing at AUT, which will help me incorporate new design elements when I go back to Kolkata. I am enjoying the student life and culture in Auckland, people on campus have been very friendly and the students from the fashion department organised a surprise picnic for me at the studio which means a lot considering I am in a new country. I will cherish my time and learnings at AUT for life. - Somsurvo Chatterjee
Winner of the ‘Fashion for Fleming’ design competition Somsuvro Chatterjee with his winning design for Stephen Fleming inspired by the Christchurch Cardboard Cathedral.