18 May 2020 at 9:00 am
From the CE: The next phase
As a nation, New Zealand should be proud that we’ve managed to so radically slow the spread of COVID-19. As our day-to-day lives slowly begin to look more normal, ENZ is putting in motion our plans to support the international education sector’s COVID-19 recovery.
One of the first projects to be discussed in the early days of lockdown, the Future Focus Programme, was launched last week.
The programme has reallocated $1.2 million of our existing funding to provide our sector peak bodies with the support to reimagine international education in a post COVID-19 world. ENZ has already approved funding for two peak bodies.
Initially, funding will assist peak bodies in developing an innovation plan with their sub-sector. Once planning is complete, funding may also be provided to support the introduction of innovation projects.
ENZ’s Industry Team will work in close contact with the sector on the programme, and although it’s a little while away, I’m looking forward to seeing what creative initiatives come out of it.
Since my last update, we have also stood up an internal group who will be charged with preparing and planning for ENZ’s role in any possible relaxation of border controls for international students.
This group will work with other Government agencies and representatives from the international education community to develop an understanding of what the challenges are in reducing border restrictions and implementing strict quarantine requirements, as well as how the sector can prepare.
We are aware that some international students are experiencing unusual hardship because of changes to their personal circumstances due to the global impacts of COVID-19. The Government has established a hardship grant fund for international students to address urgent, temporary needs, which ENZ will administer.
The $1 million fund is designed to meet emergency, temporary needs, and must be both applied for and administered by either an education provider or a community group. You can find out more information on the ENZ website, International Student Hardship Grant Fund. Applications opened yesterday.
I would like to finish with a whakataukī that has been in high rotation around ENZ.
He waka eke noa (we’re all in this together).
Ngā mihi,
Grant McPherson
Chief Executive
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao
