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• Spotlight on the US

  At certain times of year, you can stand in a certain apple orchard in the American state of Vermont and hear strands of a Māori waiata.

  The East and West Coast Whānau Councils were set up by former students of the Auckland University of Technology’s Noho Marae programme. They were so moved by their experience in Aotearoa that they set up these groups so that they can meet regularly to eat kai, do haka and poi, and keep the whānau spirit alive.

  These students are but a handful of the North American students that choose to study in New Zealand every year. In 2018, 3,028 students from the US travelled here for education, a number that has risen steadily – by nearly 23 percent – since 2014.

  “More than 300,000 American students study outside the US every year,” ENZ Regional Director – Americas & Europe, Amy Rutherford says. “By educating over one percent of those students year upon year, New Zealand is punching well above its weight.”

  Diversity and inclusion

  There is a common misperception amongst students in North America that New Zealand is an ‘easy’ destination. Students are drawn here for the tourist opportunities and laidback lifestyle just as much as a quality education.

  In an effort to promote New Zealand as a world-leading education destination, ENZ’s team based in North America have focused on diversity and inclusion.  

  The remit of diversity and inclusion in the US is much broader than it is in Aotearoa. It encompasses not only racial and ethnic minorities, but single parents, first-generation university students, military veterans, and those with disabilities.

  Within this space, ENZ has been promoting New Zealand as a welcoming, progressive place to study. As Māori are world leaders in indigenous leadership, New Zealand is particularly well-positioned to support Native American and indigenous students.

  New Zealand alumni like Brook Thompson and Hailey Suina have reported that connecting with te ao Māori has strengthened their understanding of their own cultures, boosting their confidence to act as leaders at home.

  As part of this work, ENZ recently renewed its commitment to a partnership with the US regarding its Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship, a prestigious prize aimed at students from disadvantaged backgrounds. ENZ has pledged NZ $250,000 over five years for Gilman scholars who choose to come to New Zealand.

  Beyond study abroad

  The majority of US students come here at university level, often for one semester only as part of the US university and study abroad provider study abroad programmes.

  Rather than come here for a complete qualification, US students travel short-term during their third or fourth years of university. Their work here is then cross-credited to their home institution.

  Amy says that study abroad is very popular. For those students interested in travel, adventure, and discovering themselves, it is largely self-sustaining. New opportunities in study abroad lie in expanding this base to those students who have been traditionally underrepresented in study abroad, or regions of the country where not much is know about New Zealand.

  Amy’s team is now increasingly focused on a new opportunity emerging for New Zealand institutions: attracting tertiary students to study here for their whole qualification.

  For American students, committing to leave their home country for at least three years is a big ask. Attending college is a massive social milestone in the US, and one that alumni pin their identities on for the rest of their lives.

  However, increasing numbers of students are looking for study opportunities offshore as the cost of studying in the US continues to rise.

  US students are drawn to New Zealand’s highly ranked, innovative programmes in niche areas. An example of this is Massey University’s Bachelor of Veterinary Science. This course can be completed in five years (as opposed to eight in the US), costs a fraction of an equivalent US degree, and is approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), allowing graduates to return home and begin working immediately in the field.

  Identifying and promoting these academic strengths among New Zealand institutions and explaining how they can propel students towards the career path of their choice is key to positioning a New Zealand education as a desirable alternative to the classic American college life. 

  Want to find out how your institution can get involved with ENZ’s work in the US?

  Contact northamerica@enz.govt.nz.

• International Student Hardship Fund

  Thank you for all the applications we have received.

  The Fund has now been allocated and we are no longer able to accept applications. 

   

  The Government has established a $1M hardship fund for international students to address urgent, temporary needs, for example temporary inability to access cash or because of reduced part-time employment.

  Criteria

  We welcome applications from education providers and organisations to apply for grants of up to $20,000 (GST not to be included) to enable you to provide eligible international students with direct financial relief or other support, including food parcels and support towards living costs.

  Organisations can apply for grants up to $20,000.

  Applications can be made from 21 May until funding has been allocated.

  Which organisations are eligible to apply to ENZ for grants?

  • Education providers who are signatories to the Code of Practice
  • Community groups
  • Peak bodies, or
  • Other organisations who currently work with international students and have the mechanisms and experience to support international students with hardship requests.

  Individual students and education agents may not apply to ENZ to access the fund.

  What grants are available?

  • Eligible organisations may apply for grants of up to $20,000 (GST not to be included) per request to the fund.
  • Grants are one-off; however, the same organisation may make additional requests after using their initial funding (subject to the availability of funding).

  What can grants be used for?

  The grants may be used to:

  • scale up existing student hardship initiatives
  • support eligible students through:
    • Direct cash grants
    • The purchase of resources on behalf of international students, such as food parcels, where this is appropriate.
  • The maximum amount that can be applied for is up to $1,000 per international student your organisation is supporting.
  • Funds may not be used for:
    • Salaries or staff administration costs
    • Funding for flights home
    • Tuition fees
    • Granting individual students support of more than $1,000 in cash or kind.

   Which students are eligible for support?

  • Grants can only be used to provide support to eligible students.
  • An eligible student is:
    • A current fee-paying international student, or enrolled as a fee-paying international student as at 23 March
    • Currently in New Zealand
    • In genuine, temporary hardship^[1]
    • Not eligible for other government financial support.
  • International PhD students paying domestic fees are eligible for the government’s domestic student hardship fund and should be encouraged to seek help from that scheme in the first instance.

   Table: Summary of eligible and ineligible students

  Eligible students	Ineligible students
  A current fee-paying international student, or enrolled as an international student as at 23 March. In genuine, temporary hardship.	International PhD students paying domestic fees. International students who are not currently enrolled or who were not enrolled as an international student as at 23 March. International students who are eligible for other government support.

   

  How do organisations apply?

  • To apply for grant funding, organisations must complete and submit an online application form to ENZ.
  • Organisations will need to provide the following information:
    • Their strategy and approach to identifying students in need, including outreach efforts and ensuring eligibility criteria are met
    • Estimated number of international students and basic demographics (e.g. age range, sector, nationalities, region)
    • Total amount requested, what it will be used for, and how it has been calculated
    • The organisation’s resources to ensure appropriate distribution
    • Agreement to meet reporting requirements (including publication) and to repay any underspend within 12 weeks of having been granted the funds
    • Invoice and bank details for payment.
  • Process –  Applications are now closed.
  • Assessment of applications will be completed within five working days. Approval will be notified by email, as will confirmation of distribution of funds.
  • Any queries about the International Student Hardship Fund can be sent to response@enz.govt.nz or raised with Sahinde Pala, Director of Student Experience & Global Citizens at Education New Zealand.

   Reporting requirements:

  • Organisations will need to report to ENZ on:
    • The number of students assisted, and basic demographics (e.g. age range, sector, nationalities, region of New Zealand)
    • The type of assistance provided
    • How much was provided.
  • To demonstrate programme outcomes, and as part of its commitment to ensuring value for money from expenditure, ENZ will publish reports from participating organisations in whole or part.

  Closing date

  Applications can be made from 21 May, until funding has been allocated.

  Further information

  Frequently asked questions are available here.

  Any queries or concerns about the International Student Hardship Fund can be sent to response@enz.govt.nz or raised with Sahinde Pala, Director of Student Experience & Global Citizens at Education New Zealand.

  Thank you for your assistance in helping to support international students currently studying here during these unprecedented times.

  [1] Organisations will have the discretion to determine what constitutes significant, temporary hardship in accordance with their existing policies and practices.

• International Student Hardship Fund now fully allocated

  The fund first opened for applications on 21 May. It was met with immediate interest by a wide variety of education institutions and community groups.

  A cross-ENZ team named Kāhui Oranga was charged with the fund’s administration. They met twice weekly to go through applications and ensure a balanced allocation of funds between regions, sectors and institutions.

  Education providers and community organisations are disseminating grants from the fund to international students in the form of cash grants, food parcels and accommodation support.

  ENZ Director of Student Experience and Global Citizens, Sahinde Pala, led Kāhui Oranga. She says the government was glad to be able to offer international students tangible support in such an uncertain time.

  “At ENZ we talk a lot about manaakitanga – the offering of hospitality and respect to guests. We really want every student that comes to New Zealand to feel valued,” she says.

  “It was obvious once the impacts of COVID-19 began to be felt here that we needed to offer our international students most in need extra support during these difficult times.”

  Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Poto Williams, announced the Assistance for Foreign Nationals impacted by COVID-19 Programme.

  This $37.6 million fund will open on 1 July and be administered by the Department of Internal Affairs. International students experiencing serious hardship will be able to apply to this programme to receive support with basic needs such as food and accommodation.

  Read the announcement here.

• Meet the team: John Goulter

  Could you please outline your own role and the role of the Stakeholders and Communications team?

  The Stakeholders and Communications team looks after the part of ENZ’s work that intersects with key external groups – such as other government departments, Ministers, Parliament and, through our various channels, the people of New Zealand.

  We try to get all those influences lined up in support of international education. Right now, thanks to COVID-19, there is more external focus on international education than there has been for years. We try to ensure it’s well-informed.

  How has COVID-19 impacted your team’s work, and what work do you have ahead of you with the recovery?

  Sometimes it seems like we have done nothing else since COVID-19 appeared on the horizon way back in January.

  It has brought to the surface some long-running issues about international education. It’s an opportunity for us to show leadership in outlining the future role of the sector, and developing interesting new approaches.

  

  John with ENZ Field Director - North America Lewis Gibson in Washington DC.

  Can you tell me a bit about your professional background?

  I was a journalist for a long time, mainly reporting politics from the Press Gallery in Parliament.

  I loved that at the time but I moved into public affairs roles because after a while in journalism I wanted to be influencing the way things happen, rather than just writing about them. 

  Journalism is now changing totally, like many sectors are. Some new models are emerging, but it’s a struggle in a country the size of New Zealand.

  What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

  I like running and travelling and live music. So I’m not having a great year. Most running events have been cancelled or postponed, and so have all the concerts I had booked for.

  I listen to some podcasts, mainly about running and politics in the United States. It is hard for us to fathom the depth of the COVID-19 crisis they are going through.

  I actually liked a lot about our lockdown. It was good being a little family unit at home. I loved running on nearly empty roads. I took up Zoom yoga classes with my daughter in Christchurch. I wonder about what the new reality is going to look like for us all.

• Registrations open: NZ Vocational Education and Training Research Forum

  The NZ Vocational Education and Training Research Forum (NZVETRF) is a multi-sector opportunity for discussing ‘what works’ in vocational education. In 2020, the forum will be delivered fully online, including international keynotes, and a curated programme of breakout sessions, along with interest based ‘hangouts’ and expert sessions.

  The new partnership with Skills International extends the reach of the forum to an international network, to learn from and contribute to global developments in VET to support the COVID-19 recovery efforts.

  CEO of The Skills Organisation, Garry Fissenden, says vocational education and training will be a critical component of the response to the employment, economic, and social shocks caused by COVID-19 around the world. He says:

  “With New Zealand’s vocational education sector embarking on a major reform, now more than ever is a time to come together to share evidence and capability of how vocational education and training can support skills and productivity, and wider wellbeing.”

  For more details, head to the NZVETRF website.

• From the CE: Rebuilding and reshaping our sector

  The Recovery Plan for International Education, released in late July, is a plan to support the rebuild, recovery and reset of the international education sector with an eye on the future. It’s made up of three concurrent workstreams to stabilise, strengthen and transform international education.

  Since its release, Education New Zealand, with other government agencies, has been carrying out a short, focused engagement on the plan with our peak bodies and providers.

  So far, we’ve met with representatives from groups, including schools, some PTEs, parts of the university sector, ITPs and English language sectors, as well as the New Zealand International Students’ Association and EdTech NZ. And further meetings are scheduled.

  We have heard from you on a variety of topics. Naturally, the most common concern is around student re-entry. Other topics focused on encouraging cross-sector collaboration and hearing student voices as we rebuild our sector. We also know that each part of the sector has its own unique challenges and needs.

  These conversations are only the beginning of our engagement with you. There will be many more opportunities to discuss and collaborate as part of the strengthening and transforming workstreams of the Plan, and on the Government’s vision for international education.

  Next, the Ministry of Education and ENZ will co-host deep-dive workshops with sub-sectors on both the Recovery Plan and issues particular to them.

  You can read more on the overall Recovery Plan on ENZ’s website: Recovery Plan for International Education. This page will continue to be updated as our work develops.

  Here at ENZ, we have realigned our activities and resources to implement the Recovery Plan. We have launched our new business plan for 2020/2021, called Building a New Future. 

  There are major areas for us to focus on, including the retention of as many students already in New Zealand as possible, early re-entry of students, renewing and reshaping future options (such as different modes of delivery and student decision-making), and creating deeper understanding of the benefits of international education, both in New Zealand and globally. 

  I’d like to reinforce that throughout this change, the goals of New Zealand’s International Education Strategy – an excellent education and student experience, sustainable growth, and global citizens – remain our beacon on the hill.

  Finally, I’d like to thank you for meeting with us over what continues to be an incredibly difficult time. We value your honest feedback and look forward to continuing to work with you to rebuild and reshape international education,

  Ehara taku toa I te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini

  My strength is not that of a single warrior but that of many.

  Ngā mihi,

  Grant McPherson

  Chief Executive Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao

   

• Registrations open for ENZ Market Update Webinar – China

  ENZ's team in China has organised an industry webinar to introduce new team members, and offer local market updates and insights from external experts, including one of China’s largest education agencies.

  The team will share information around the initiatives they are progressing in-market and opportunities for New Zealand institutions to be involved.

  This is a great opportunity for New Zealand education providers to receive local in-market intelligence from ENZ staff and hear from Chinese education agents.

  ENZ Market Update Webinar – China

  When: Monday 28 September 2020, 3pm New Zealand time/10am Beijing time

  Please register at the link below:

  https://enz.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_m2v3xniOTz2eNp7j6tN_Qw

  And email any questions you’d like covered in the webinar to the ENZ China team at china@enz.govt.nz.

• ENZ’s WeChat mini programme supports Chinese students

  There are currently more than 12,000 Chinese international students studying in New Zealand, and over 2,000 studying in China with New Zealand providers. Together, these groups make up 36 percent of NZ’s overall international student population.

  NauMai NZ was launched in May 2019.  Since then, the digital platform has had more than 9,000 students sign up, and it continues to support our international students as a key source of timely information during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  NauMai is a valuable tool for international students, but analysing usage over the past 12 months reveals most Chinese students are not engaging with the platform. These students instead prefer to interact within WeChat, a Chinese social media platform with over a billion daily users.

  To better support our international Chinese students while they are in New Zealand, ENZ has launched an alternative “mini programme” within the WeChat environment.

  ENZ Student Experience Advisor Faymie Li explains how it will make it easier for Chinese students to engage with NauMai’s content. “The NauMai NZ WeChat mini programme will better serve our Chinese student population in New Zealand for two simple reasons: it’s on a platform that they are more familiar with and frequently use, and it’s in their language."

  As well as providing students with useful information, the mini programme will also provide a platform for students to engage with each other. Students will be able to share their New Zealand life and study experience and provide peer support to others.

  ENZ is hosting our first mini programme livestream with the theme ‘how to spend your summer in New Zealand’ on 28 October.

  Know students who use WeChat? They can sign up for our first livestream and start exploring the mini programme by searching ‘新西兰留学生活指南NauMai NZ’ or by scanning the QR code below.

  

• Reconnecting New Zealanders to the world

  

  Where does international education fit in?

  Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a plan to reconnect New Zealanders to the world in 2022. 

  This framework is based on being able to maintain the elimination strategy, alongside a high coverage of vaccination, strong confidence in our system and a phased approach to opening the border.

  Read the Prime Minister’s announcement in full | Reconnecting New Zealand to the world on Unite Against COVID-19 site

  The key points of this plan are: 

  • To continue to speed up New Zealand’s vaccination rollout, and move to six weeks between doses so that more New Zealanders have immunity sooner.
  • Phased approach to reopening border in the second half of 2021, and set up of new testing and vaccine checking systems at the border.
  • Move to new, risk-based border settings that will establish low, medium and high-risk pathways into the country.

  New Zealand’s ability to reconnect with the world depends on these factors being successful.

  At this early stage, we can’t provide detail or any degree of certainty for students looking to apply for study in or book travel to New Zealand.

  Many New Zealand institutions are now offering new ways to study. If you’re wondering which study option might be right for you, visit Study With New Zealand New Ways of Learning.

  We suggest that agents, students and their families wait until policy announcements are made before booking any travel to study in New Zealand. We could expect to see more clarity on this later in the year.

   

  FAQs 

  When will New Zealand open up to the world?

  Work continues on developing the requirements for a phased approach to Reconnecting New Zealanders to the rest of the world in 2022. We could expect to see more clarity on this later in 2021.

  Read more about the next steps to reconnecting New Zealanders to the world.

  What do we know about timeframes for international students returning to New Zealand?

  While we are pleased to note that a number of international students have been able to return to New Zealand under the current class exceptions, we aren’t able to provide exact timeframes for a large-scale return for international students and providers.

  Managing our border doesn’t mean conditions will stay exactly as they are now, but it does mean that there are likely to be restrictions and requirements in place until at least December 2022.

  Can students apply for semester 1 2022 study?

  We would currently advise students not to plan for study in New Zealand for semester 1, 2022.

  Please note offshore temporary visa application lodgements are currently suspended till February 2022 and this may be extended. 

  International student class exceptions are a key priority for the Government, but we can’t predict timing on when a further cohort might be announced, or what MIQ capacity may look like at the time.

  Will the phased border approach outlined in the Reconnecting New Zealanders to the World announcements affect the temporary suspension of offshore visa application lodgements?

  The Government continues work on developing the requirements for a phased approach to Reconnecting New Zealanders to the rest of the world in 2022.  As such, no decisions have been made yet on how the border plan might affect offshore visa application lodgements.

  What is the Government’s position generally regarding international education?

  Despite the severity and complexity of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our ongoing commitment to its elimination strategy, the New Zealand Government remains committed to a thriving international education sector. 

  In a recent meeting with the international education sector, the Minister of Education highlighted the New Zealand Government’s support for the continued safe return of international students to New Zealand, when the time is right.

  How does the border approach affect the students coming into New Zealand under the border exception classes?

  It doesn’t. Existing processes for students to enter the country under existing border exception classes (the 250 PhD and postgraduate cohort and the 1000 bachelor's degree and above cohort) will remain in place.

  Read about the two international student border exceptions classes on the Immigration New Zealand website.

  How will New Zealand determine which countries are low, medium or high-risk?

  The government is currently working through how it will determine this.

  How will the phased border approach affect Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ)?

  Vaccinated travellers from low-risk countries will not be required to go through managed isolation facilities.

  Vaccinated travellers from medium-risk countries will have modified isolation requirements, the details of which are still to be worked through.

  Unvaccinated travellers and all travellers from high-risk countries will need to undergo 14 days in MIQ.

  Read more on the next steps of reconnecting New Zealanders to the world

  Would lockdowns in New Zealand affect the timing of the phased border approach?

  The New Zealand Government is committed to the elimination strategy and the successful rollout of vaccines. New Zealand’s border approach depends on our ability to stamp out clusters of COVID-19 as they arise, so there is some possibility that further lockdowns may delay the border approach.

  Will international students in New Zealand continue to receive free COVID-19 healthcare?

  Yes. Vaccines are available to everyone in New Zealand (12 years and over) free of charge. This includes international students.

  Read more about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout on the Ministry of Health website.

  All publicly funded COVID-19 related care – including testing, treatment and vaccinations – is provided to anyone who needs it, free of charge. 

• An update from the ENZ Global Citizens team

  Introducing our Global Citizens Manager, Carla Rey Vasquez

  Carla joined ENZ in the new role of Global Citizens Manager, based in Wellington, in April. As part of her role with ENZ, she is leading the co-creation and implementation of the Global Citizenship strategy as a key enabler for international education.

  Prior to joining ENZ, Carla was actively engaged in cross-sector collaboration in her role at AFS, including educational institutions, experts, funders, peak bodies, and student groups – and had a focus on embedding and improving student experience and global citizenship outcomes across the AFS network for 12,000 students in over 60 organizations worldwide.

  ENZ's Global Citizenship team includes Senior Global Citizens Advisor Anna Dekker in a refocused role of Scholarships and Global Citizenship, and Global Citizens Advisor Tereska Thornton, who has a wide range experience across ENZ in various roles, including Acting International Market Manager for Korea and Japan.

  Over the past five months, the team have made some great strides in establishing the global citizens strategy for NZ, and some highlights from their work includes:

  Global Citizenship korero

  Two huis have already been held this year with educators, researchers, practitioners, change-makers and other supporters working on initiatives that promote global citizenship, and the related areas of global competence, intercultural learning, and intercultural competence. 

  The goals of the workshops were to: 

  • Map out the key players and activities within the Global Citizenship education field in Aotearoa New Zealand
  • Build a comprehensive understanding of the way in which organisations discuss and measure Global Citizenship, and values and frameworks unique to Aotearoa New Zealand.

  We are looking forward to our third session on 21 September. This session will be virtual due to current Alert Level restrictions but we hope to have another in-person hui before the end of the year.

  Please email Carla (carla.reyvasquez@enz.govt.nz) if you wish to be involved.

  

  Online connector event for Prime Minister’s Scholarship alumni

  We are planning our first ever online connector event for Prime Minister’s Scholarship alumni in November 2021.

  Building on the momentum of the recent Prime Minister’s Scholarship impact survey, the event will be run by alumni, for alumni and will focus on fostering connections within the alumni community as a basis for further activity. More details to be announced in the next E-News update so watch this space.

  Prime Minister’s Scholarship Programme

  The team has made the best use of the COVID-19 travel restrictions and lockdowns to undertake a Prime Minister’s scholarships improvement programme to increase access to the scholarship and streamline processes, ready for when travel is possible.

  Festival for the Future

  We attended the Festival for the Future from 31 July-2 August and were overwhelmed by the number of participants who were willing to take part in our survey on Global Citizenship.  The analysis of responses is going a long way to helping ENZ commence on developing a framework and set of definitions on global citizenship.

  We are currently working with Inspiring Stories to plan ENZ’s involvement in Festival for the Future 2022, so keep an eye out for further information.

  Global citizenship is a key focus for ENZ, as ‘Global Citizens’ is one of three goals in The New Zealand Government’s International Education Strategy 2018 – 2030 (NZIES). Ultimately, we are working towards a future where:

  • All students gain the knowledge, skills and capabilities they need to live, work and learn globally
  • International education provides stronger global connections, research links and partnerships for New Zealand
  • New Zealanders understand and embrace the benefits of international education

  We will make sure to keep you updated of the work in this space.