Indonesian students meet the KIWI Challenge

Now in its third year, this annual student entrepreneurship competition asks students from schools across Java and Kalimantan to provide innovative ideas or solutions, based on a given theme. Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) organises the competition in collaboration with Kopi Tuli (Deaf Cafe), a deaf community in Jakarta. 

This year, ENZ has partnered with Massey University, which chose the theme of sustainable tourism. 

The school groups will submit videos to a judging panel made up of Massey University academics and ENZ representatives. Submissions will be reviewed by the panel and finalists selected. The students will then be supported through a number of workshops and mentoring by the Massey University academics.  

This mentoring will prepare finalists for their final pitch in the following weeks. After the final pitches are reviewed, the top three groups will be awarded vouchers worth IDR 2,000,000 – 10,000,000 and offered the opportunity to take part in virtual internships provided by Massey University.  

Registrations and initial video submissions for KIWI Challenge 2022 have now closed and are currently being assessed by the panel. We received 36 videos from 18 schools across Indonesia – and they are competing to secure a place in the Top 5 finalists.  

To date, ENZ has engaged more than 1,200 Indonesian students through the programme and each year has showcased a New Zealand university and a particular theme. Previous university partners were Lincoln University (Agribusiness) and the University of Canterbury (Education Technology).

  

“Now entering its third year, KIWI Challenge has grown into a unique platform for New Zealand and our universities to remain connected to Indonesian students in a meaningful way. Most importantly, we have worked together to identify themes that resonate with young Indonesians and then matched these with the expertise our New Zealand universities have to offer,” Chris Hipkins said.  

“This year has seen another shift in topic, with student groups focusing on Sustainable Business and Entrepreneurship under the expert guidance of academics from Massey University. With the current challenges facing societies across the globe as a result of climate change, I’m looking forward to the ideas Indonesian students will develop this year in such a meaningful area.”  

Professor Jan Thomas, Vice-Chancellor of Massey University, was also present at the launch event in Jakarta.  

“We are honoured to be part of the 2022 KIWI Challenge, and to have the opportunity to inspire Indonesian students to tackle an issue of utmost importance to their homeland - tourism. Massey has many links to Indonesia, particularly through our research partnerships with the University of Mataram. It’s exciting to again be able to showcase our world-class teaching and research on foreign shores. Best of luck to all of the teams taking part in the KIWI Challenge this year.” 

This year’s KIWI Challenge looks to build on the success of previous years and inspire youth to be engaged in entrepreneurial activities around important social issues, connect students from Indonesia with New Zealand academics and strengthen ties between Indonesia and New Zealand.