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Immigration New Zealand update
Pathway visa pilot extension
With a significant amount of change happening during the second half of this year, INZ has not been able to sufficiently advance the development of the pathway student visa policy.
As a result, the existing pathway student visa pilot will be extended to 30 April 2019. This extension will come into effect on 26 November 2018, along with a number of other scheduled immigration changes.
Celia says this means all current pilot participants will be able to continue offering pathway student visas, and pathway student visa applications will continue to be accepted up until 30 April 2019.
“We have taken on board the feedback we have received during the consultation with the education sector. We will continue to work on reviewing the pathway student visa into 2019 and we are extending the pilot to allow for this. The education peak sector bodies will be informed and involved throughout this process” says Celia.
As part of the extension, INZ will also make the following improvements on 26 November 2018:
- A dedicated online pathway student visa application form, including the ability to enter up to three programmes of study and education providers
- One eVisa approval letter that includes the details of each programme of study (including the start and end dates)
- Enhanced guidelines on the INZ website for pathway student visa applicants
- Enhanced guidelines and training for Immigration New Zealand staff processing pathway student visas.
Please note: no new providers will be added in for this extension. Entry criteria for providers will be part of the work being done early next year.
Post-study work visa changes come into effect
In August 2018, the Government announced changes to the post-study work visa policy to ensure that post-study pathways for international students are fit for purpose. These changes come into effect on 26 November 2018.
Transitional provisions will be introduced to ensure students who were studying or had applied for a student visa as at 8 August 2018 will not be affected by the changes.
Visit the INZ website for further information, including an FAQ document about the changes.
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Around the world in five
CHINA
Plan to introduce universal preschool education
The Chinese government aims to introduce universal preschool education by 2035, including specific goals to make affordable preschool education available for all children by 2035.
FRANCE
New international student recruitment strategy revealed
The French government has revealed a new strategy to help attract half a million international students by 2027, including a global marketing drive.
GLOBAL
The new rules of digital marketing
Agents and educators are reporting a steady increase in the number of students recruited via digital channels, with a third of agents indicating that digital channels now generate 30-60 percent of all new business.
KOREA
Institutions look abroad for revenue, prestige
The number of international students in Korea has increased by 67.5 percent in the last four years to 142,200 students due to active student recruitment, particularly by universities.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Dubai bucks global trend as international students soar
The number of students at Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), the largest community dedicated to higher education in the Middle East, has witnessed a surge in 2018/2019.
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ENZ launches China Savvy
Developed by ENZ’s in-market China team in collaboration with New Zealand providers, China Savvy aims to equip New Zealand education providers with insights into Chinese students, best practice for the China market, and practical advice on how to succeed in education business in China.
China Savvy is open to all New Zealand providers via the Skills Lab and includes videos with animated learning and links to various reports and online resources.
Specific lessons include Chinese education customer motivations, presenting to Chinese audiences, planning business trips to China, navigating Chinese meal and gift culture and making the best use of Chinese social media (namely, WeChat) – giving users a rich picture so they can approach the China market with confidence.
ENZ International Market Manager for China, Ross Fisher, anticipates China Savvy will be most suitable for the school sector but says there are plenty of transferable insights for other sectors too.
“We’ve tried to create a ‘blended’ learning experience for international education professionals starting out in China, as well those informed practitioners already operating in the market who are looking for some additional insights into best practice, product development, marketing and the mind of the Chinese education customer.”
As ENZ is assessing the utility of the China Savvy product, we welcome any feedback you may have by using the feedback form on the China Savvy landing page.
Further enquiries can be directed to Ross.Fisher@enz.govt.nz
Click here to access China Savvy on Skills Lab.
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Tokyo education fair showcases Māori culture
This was the fourth annual ENZ fair in Japan and included representatives from 40 New Zealand institutions as well as SIEBA representatives.
Misa Kitaoka, ENZ’s Senior Market Development Manager – Japan, said this year she wanted to make the fair special by incorporating an element that was uniquely New Zealand, but that also resonated with the Japanese attendees.
“Being part of Te Rautaki Māori, ENZ’s Māori Steering Committee, I have had the opportunity to learn some te reo and Māori cultural practices, which I realised has many commonalities with those of the Japanese,” said Misa.
The fair began with a mihi to welcome a group of junior high school students and teachers from Tokyo Seitoku University Junior and Senior High School, a private secondary school that sends all 150 of its year 3 junior high school students to New Zealand schools for one term every year.
Following the mihi, a group of over 30 students from Hamilton Boys’ and Girls’ High School performed a haka and waiata which brought tears to the eyes of many students and parents.
“The kapa haka performance increased visitor numbers for sure – it was such a moving performance. A student from Hamilton Boys’ who’s half Maori, half Japanese translated the meaning of each performance to attendees in Japanese, so impressive!
This year’s fair also saw an increasing number of mothers interested in taking their young children to New Zealand.
“With the Japanese government’s focus on improving the nation’s English language capability in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the average age of English learners in Japan is getting younger,” Misa said.
To address this demand, ENZ is working closely with SIEBA to promote its PSP programme, representing more than 40 primary schools available to receive international students over five years of age.
The ENZ Japan fair in 2019 will be held during the Rugby World Cup on 22 September 2019 followed by an agents/educators’ seminar and networking event in Tokyo on 24 September 2019.
For those interested in attending the fair, pre-registration is now open at ENZ Events page here.
Any New Zealand secondary school or tertiary institution bringing their kapa haka group on a tour to Japan next year and wish to perform at our fair, please email japan@enz.govt.nz.
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Prime Minister meets Kiwi students in Singapore
Last week the Prime Minister announced the 249 young New Zealanders who have been awarded prestigious Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia (PMSA) and Latin America (PMSLA) as part of the August 2018/19 round.
She congratulated the new round of awardees in Singapore, where she met a group of 11 current PMSA recipients and reflected on the value of young Kiwis having international education experiences.
The Singapore-based awardees at the event included Louis Martin (25) who is carrying out a four-month internship with Asia Internship Program (AIP), Nicolas Steyn (20) who is on a one semester exchange at the National University of Singapore, and Lucy Kenner (22) who is undertaking a 12-week legal internship at Providence Law Asia.
“Ongoing academic relationships and new business opportunities are two things we are seeing result from the scholarship programme,” Jacinda Arden said in the announcement release.
“Our awardees are welcomed and supported by diplomatic communities in New Zealand and offshore, which we also value.”
John Laxon, Regional Director – South and South East Asia, Middle East, said that Friday’s event during which the Prime Minister chatted and mingled with the group of Kiwi students showed how international education can be life changing.
“Our scholars gave great insights into how they have created lifelong connections through their PMSA experiences, which will enrich their lives and strengthen their careers,” said John.
“The Prime Minister enjoyed the discussions, which brought back memories of her own exchange student experience at Arizona State University.”
Applications for the next round of PMSA and PMSLA opens mid-January and must be submitted online by 30 March 2019. More information on the application process can be found here. Institutions are encouraged to contact ENZ to discuss potential group applications.
The PMSA recipients’ names from the August 2018/19 round can be found here. The PMSLA recipients’ names from the August 2018/19 round can be found here.
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ENZ social platforms gain momentum in China
ENZ opened its official Weibo (China’s equivalent of Twitter) and Wechat (a quasi-combination of Facebook and WhatsApp) account in August 2014. So far, we have around 60,000 followers on both platforms combined.
To increase numbers, at the annual China Education Expo in October, ENZ shared QR codes of our social media channels with visitors at the ENZ booths, accumulating 230 followers in two days. A similar approach at the China International Import Expo in November attracted a further 300 new followers.
ENZ also launched a WeChat mini-programme that helps followers to make use of the My StudyNZ tool to find and match with education providers in New Zealand.
ENZ’s Regional Director – China & North Asia, Adele Bryant, said these social platforms are a key way to connect with Chinese students. New Zealand Education Minister Chris Hipkins was very supportive of ENZ’s social media efforts during his visit to China in July.
“Despite his packed schedule, Minister Hipkins filmed a short video promoting New Zealand education to our social media communities, which was shared on the New Zealand Embassy WeChat account and received 750 views and likes.”
In addition to the social platforms, ENZ has developed a China-based student-facing website which will enable smoother access for Chinese students, parents and agents.
“The new website means students can find it in the Chinese search engine more easily as it is hosted in Chinese domain,” says Adele.
“We will launch the new website soon so stay logged on!”
If you are interested to find out more, search Education New Zealand in Chinese (新西兰教育国际推广局) to follow us on Weibo and WeChat.
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Around the world in five
THAILAND
Reassessing the Thai education system
Thailand’s PISA scores have plunged. Among the challenges are the many celebrations and holidays that take children out of the classroom and the huge quantity of paperwork that reduces teachers’ ability to focus on students’ learning.
INDIA
IT superpower India has the world’s least tech-savvy classrooms
India’s classrooms are by and large outdated. Most Indian classrooms lag in incorporating smartphones, tablets, or even the simple whiteboard – over two-thirds of Indian classrooms surveyed use blackboards and chalk.
CHINA, UK
Over 500 teachers from China, UK exchange math teaching methods
Over the past four years, more than 500 teachers from China and the United Kingdom have participated in an exchange program enabling both sides to learn from each other's math teaching methods.
AUSTRALIA
Rainbow Hub launches LGBTQI video campaign
Brisbane’s Rainbow Hub initiative has launched a new video campaign to promote the city as a welcoming destination for LGBTQI+ international students and promote their services.
GREECE
Significant increase in U.S. students studying in Greece
There has been a significant increase in the number of American university students visiting Greece for study abroad programs in the 2016/17 academic year – a 21.1 percent increase from the previous academic year.
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‘Future Scholarship’ sends Korean students to New Zealand
The New Zealand Future Scholarship for Korean students, launched in late September as an extension of ENZ’s successful ‘Future Proof’ campaign, has reached a total of 780,000 Korean students and parents.
Kay Lee, ENZ’s Senior Market Development Manager for Korea said the “future proof” messaging and videos resonated with Korean students.
“We were looking for candidates who are motivated to come to New Zealand to prepare themselves for their future, and we received some impressive entries.”
To enter, students had to submit a two-minute video and essay showing how the scholarship would benefit them in the short and long term.
The awardees, Junghwan Choi and Si-Eun Lee, received scholarships valued at $15,000 towards study at a New Zealand high school in 2019.
“By encouraging applicants to have a long-term study plan in New Zealand, Korean students are realising that New Zealand is a great place for students who have a strong motivation to prepare themselves for the future.”
The scholarship winners and their families gathered to celebrate at the New Zealand Ambassador’s residence in late November, alongside ENZRA agents, New Zealand educators and Korean government representatives.
“All of the attendees – including officers from the Seoul Education Office and Gyeonggi Education Office, and ENZRA agents – said the scholarship seemed like a good opportunity for Korean students and parents and that they would promote this scholarship to their schools and regions more actively next year.”
Applications for the New Zealand Future Scholarship will open again in September 2019 and ENZ would like to encourage New Zealand institutions to leverage this scholarship in their Korean marketing activities.
Korea is New Zealand's fourth largest source of international students, and students from Korea make up six percent of the international student cohort to New Zealand each year.
You can watch Jungwhan Choi’s video here. After secondary school, he wants to study at an aviation institution in New Zealand to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot.
You can watch Si-Eun Lee’s video here. Si-Eun’s dream is to become a biotechnologist and she has a long-term plan to study biological technologies at a New Zealand university.
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Universities India Strategy strengthened through delegation visit
A University of Auckland (UoA) delegation that visited India in late-November signed two strategic MoUs with tertiary institutions IIT Kharagpur and IIT Bombay.
The high-powered delegation led by Professor Jenny Dixon, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Strategic Engagement), reinforced UoA’s long-term commitment to the Indian market.
The MoUs outline frameworks for joint research in healthcare technologies, new materials, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, as well as collaboration on joint PhD programmes.
John Laxon, ENZ’s Regional Director – South and South East Asia, Middle East endorsed UoA’s investment in academic collaboration and in-market representation.
“The majority of New Zealand universities have in-market offices and institutional partnerships, which are vital in the Indian market. Universities that have invested in these areas are attracting high-quality Indian students, by offering market-relevant qualifications and enrolment processes.”
The UoA delegation supports the Universities New Zealand (UNZ) India Strategy, announced in 2016. The Strategyhas helped lead to a 19 percent increase in Indian student university enrolments in 2017 and a further 18 percent increase in valid student visas in 2018, making India the fastest-growing university student market.
During the visit, the UoA delegation also announced four new recipients of New Zealand Excellence Awards 2018/19 (NZEA). The awardees will receive partial scholarships for the Indian students to study their Master’s programme at UoA. NZEA is jointly funded by ENZ and all eight New Zealand universities. This third edition of the awards will support thirty-five scholarships, with the awardees scheduled to arrive for the February 2019 intake.
Further India market intelligence and ENZ recommendations can be found on IntelliLab.
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Sino-New Zealand vocational teacher training in China
As part of its Model Programme work plan for 2018-2019, a Sino-New Zealand Vocational Education Model Programme Teacher Training Base was established last week in Qingdao Technical College (QTC), one of the key Chinese institution partners for New Zealand ITPs.
Attendees at the launch included programme partners David Christiansen, Acting CEO of Wintec, and Liu Yufeng, Director from CIVTE, and Liu Baoming, Deputy Director General of CIVTE (Central Institute of Vocational and Technical Education).
Adele Bryant, ENZ’s Regional Director – China & North Asia said while Chinese TVET teachers have previously travelled to New Zealand to learn from ITPs about curriculum development, teaching and learning approaches, the base offers another avenue – bringing learning to Chinese teachers who cannot travel to New Zealand.
“The training has been well-received by Chinese teachers who have taken what they learned in New Zealand and put it into effect in classrooms in China. New Zealand institutions have also benefited from the development of new relationships that have formed over the years as more Chinese colleges have entered the programme,” said Adele.
New Zealand and China have collaborated on vocational education since 2013 when the two countries signed the Strategic Education Partnership Arrangement to encourage joint projects and enhance policy and research dialogue in the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector.
The Chinese government is due to release its National Implementation Plan for Vocational Education Reform soon and is expected to continue to give high priority and significant investment to the upgrading of its vocational workforce.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Education, in 2017 there were 1,388 higher vocational education institutions and 8,181 secondary vocational colleges in China.