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  • New Zealand Geothermal training expertise powers Indonesia's renewables journey

    Indonesia has vast capability to generate geothermal power but has looked to New Zealand to provide targeted technical training in order to capitalise on its natural resources and support its renewables journey.

    For the past three years, Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) has been providing that practical training through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s aid programme.

    The programme builds on long-standing relationships with the Indonesian geothermal industry which date back to the 1980s.

    New Zealand boasts an innovative and world-leading workforce

    Geothermal New Zealand Executive Director Mike Allen says Aotearoa New Zealand boasts an innovative and world-leading workforce in geothermal science, engineering, and plant construction, and that there is obvious mutual benefit in sharing our skills and expertise.

    “Students who have undertaken training in New Zealand always have a positive experience and when they return home, they are great ambassadors for us.”

    “The geothermal industry is good at maintaining contact with those who have received New Zealand training, and many of them come back and work in the industry here.”

    Mr Allen says the MFAT aid investment in the renewable energy space has also benefitted New Zealand in consultancy contracts, new business, research collaboration, and valuable long-term relationships. “The training we provide is very good for Brand New Zealand.”

    How Wintec’s international education programme is helping Indonesia

    What Indonesia specifically needed from Wintec’s international education programme was training in practical operational skills for their geothermal technicians and operators.

    Since 2018, Wintec has been working with technical institutes and universities to incorporate practice-based learning into their courses and has also provided staff training directly to the geothermal operators.

    “New Zealand has a strong history of apprenticeships and operator and technician training programmes,” says Jo Douglas, who manages the project for Wintec.

    “We took the raw material from our curriculum and repackaged it to meet their needs. We have been involved in curriculum change, training the trainers, and changing their approach so inquiry-based learning and problem-solving is encouraged. We are delivering technical short courses on a range of subject matter in order to fill skills gaps.”

    The programme has been hugely successful for Wintec. It has provided a range of technical training to over 700 participants. But Covid has forced changes to how the content is delivered.

    Staff developed blended online modules which have seen students doing some online learning and then coming into digital classrooms to observe practical demonstrations by tutors. “We even had a tutor who built a model geothermal cooling tower in his living room and students had to interact with the demonstration online.”

    And it is not only the students who are benefiting. “It gives our tutors the chance to teach in entirely different situations, to take their core knowledge and adapt it to new circumstances and with different expectations. It challenges them and gives them the opportunity to see another perspective.”

    This geothermal education story is one of many instances where New Zealand’s education providers are sharing their research, experience and education expertise with sectors or industries around the world. Facilitated by respective governments, a New Zealand education is helping other governments to help their people by addressing the country’s challenges or opportunities.

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  • Education New Zealand welcomes urgent changes to pastoral care for domestic students

    ENZ Chief Executive Grant McPherson says, “The New Zealand education sector has long been recognised as leading the way in providing great pastoral care for international students, and we welcome the news that a code for domestic tertiary students will be introduced next year.”

    New Zealand has had a compulsory Code of Pastoral Care for International Students since 2002. The Code provides an additional duty of care to provide assurance about the quality of the New Zealand system to prospective students and their families.

    International students already have strong protections in place in the existing Code of Pastoral Care for International Students, including safety, wellbeing and accommodation and they will continue to be well supported to have an excellent experience while studying during 2020.

    McPherson says international providers need to be aware of one important change that affects them. New offences and penalties introduced today will also apply to institutions enrolling international students. These offences and penalties are for severe breaches of the Code.

    The interim domestic tertiary code will be in place from 1 January 2020 until 1 January 2021. Next year, the Government will develop a permanent Code of Practice with significant sector engagement to ensure it is enduring. This will provide an opportunity to address any gaps in the current Code of Pastoral Care for International Students, in time for 2021.

    “Education New Zealand welcomes any initiative that ensures all students receive a high-quality education and a positive experience that supports their educational achievement.”

    Further information:

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