From the CE: Board announces new ENZ CE

Tēnā koutou katoa 

Our Board yesterday announced the appointment of Amanda Malu (Ngāi Tahu) as our new Chief Executive. Amanda is currently Deputy Chief Executive Service Delivery at ACC, and formerly Chief Executive at Whānau Āwhina Plunket, leading that organisation through extensive change over six years in the role. She previously held senior marketing and communication roles including at the Tertiary Education Commission, and earlier in her career worked in marketing and international student recruitment in the polytechnic sector. Amanda will take up the role in September. Until then, I will continue as Acting Chief Executive.  

This is excellent news. I am sure you will all join me in giving Amanda a very warm welcome to Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao and our international education community. 

To the visit of Premier Li. Last Friday I had the privilege of attending three events held as part of Premier Li’s visit to New Zealand. Significantly, Premier Li was accompanied by Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng who led a delegation of Chinese university senior leaders and senior education officials. This is Minister Huai’s second visit to New Zealand within 12 months following his engaging contribution to NZIEC Ki Tua 2023. This is a very special recognition of the close education ties between New Zealand and China. 

ENZ's Acting Chief Executive Dr Linda Sissons greets Minister Huai with Minister Penny Simmonds and ENZ Regional Director & Counsellor, Greater China (Education), Michael Zhang, prior to the Education Forum (held at the Pullman Hotel, Auckland)

Our Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills, Penny Simmonds and Minister Huai co-chaired a “Looking into the Future: High Level Education Forum”. The Forum was attended by 11 University Presidents from some of the most prestigious universities in China, and all eight of our university Vice-Chancellors. The Forum discussed themes spanning student and academic mobility, research partnerships, innovation and productivity and digital education. A compelling discussion topped off with the signing of twenty institution-level MOUs. 

Minister Huai and Minister Simmonds open 'Looking into the Future: New Zealand - China High Level Education Forum

And towards the end of the Forum, Premier Li, our Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, as well as the Minister of Education, Erica Stanford, joined the closing ceremony and took an active part in proceedings. This included the Prime Minister presenting the latest Prime Minister’s Scholarships to a group from Canterbury University heading to China and announcing the 2024 recipients of the New Zealand-China Tripartite Research Partnership Fund. Premier Li also announced allocations of scholarships for New Zealand Chinese Language teachers, summer camp places for New Zealand students and donations of Chinese language textbooks. 

Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon with Maia Hosking of the University of Auckland who will begin her programme in China under the Prime Minister's Scholarship for Asia.

To close the day, we accompanied our Minister, our Chinese and New Zealand university colleagues, and NZ Inc representatives to the Gala dinner where Prime Minister Luxon called out education among the other vital ties between China and New Zealand.  

These special events proved a unique opportunity to showcase our high-quality education offering to China while demonstrating our commitment to enhancing student mobility and future education and research collaboration. It was fantastic. We can all be very proud of education’s contribution to this important relationship. 

Ngā mihi nui,   

Dr Linda Sissons 

Acting Chief Executive 

Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao