Indonesian events see strong interest from agents, students, NZ alumni, and scholarship applicants

In late January, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) and all eight New Zealand universities joined forces to promote New Zealand's education offerings in Surabaya and Jakarta, Indonesia. The collaboration between ENZ and the universities aimed to strengthen ties with Indonesian education agencies, school counsellors, and alumni, fostering future partnerships and enhancing the visibility of New Zealand as a preferred destination for international education. 

ENZ and the New Zealand universities organised a series of promotional activities in Surabaya on 24 January that saw participation from 11 agencies and school counsellors representing six schools. The promotional activities continued in Jakarta the next day, where representatives from 22 education agencies and 18 schools further demonstrated enthusiasm and interest in a New Zealand education. ENZ’s Regional Director for Asia (excluding China), Ben Burrowes and Market Manager (Indonesia and Malaysia), Naluri Bella, also had engagements with key agencies, such as Fortrust Education and SUN Education, across the two days.  

Ben Burrowes said that the two events served to reconnect the universities with Indonesian agents and schools and proved an excellent opportunity for the institutions to showcase the diverse range of academic programmes available in New Zealand. 

“The two events provided a platform for open discussion, idea exchanges and the exploration of potential partnerships that were focused not just on recruitment but also on building sustainable collaborations that would benefit both New Zealand institutions and Indonesian students seeking quality education abroad,” said Ben.  

“A great example of such potential partnerships is how one school has already followed up saying they’d like to invite the universities back for a ‘New Zealand day’ event, 

“These discussions come at an opportune time as ENZ continues to firm up its Indonesia strategy for the next financial year,” added Ben.   

Following the university events, on 27 January, ENZ co-hosted a New Zealand Alumni Day with New Zealand Inc agencies. The event included information sessions on New Zealand scholarships, ranging from the New Zealand Manaaki scholarships and the Indonesian government scholarships such as LPDP (Indonesia’s Institute of Education Fund Management) and Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (ISMA), attracting around 100 potential leads. This initiative aimed to guide and inspire prospective students in their pursuit of educational opportunities in New Zealand.  

ENZ and NZ Inc also witnessed the launch of the New Zealand - Indonesia Alumni Association during the Alumni Day. The Association serves as a networking platform for connecting New Zealand alumni in Indonesia, fostering a supportive community and providing ongoing resources for professional and personal development. The event concluded with a networking dinner, providing a relaxed and informal setting for alumni to connect with each other and with representatives from New Zealand universities.  

ENZ’s Naluri Bella moderating the alumni sharing session featuring alumni from different scholarship schemes at the New Zealand Alumni Day on 27 January 2024. From left to right: Nur Khaririyatun – Lincoln University, Master of Management of Agribusiness (Ministry of Agriculture scholarship), Alifia Sabila Putri – University of Canterbury (IISMA Scholarship), Moses Gregory Ginting – University of Auckland, Master of Energy (LPDP Scholarship).

Agents in Jakarta engaged in interactive games to deepen their understanding of the beautiful and diverse landscapes and culture of Aotearoa New Zealand.

ENZ’s Ben Burrowes speaking at the New Zealand Alumni Day, highlighting the benefits of Study in New Zealand in front of the potential students.