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Education New Zealand has another successful year in Japan
The series began with a reception for the 30^th anniversary of the Auckland-Fukuoka sister city relationship. Sir Bob Harvey from Auckland Council and Mr Soichiro Takashima, Mayor of Fukuoka City, were among the 120 guests who attended to celebrate the friendship and education exchange. The group also enjoyed a powerful haka performance by 20 students from Fukuoka’s Seiryo High School, who visited Auckland Grammar School in August this year for the Game On English Rugby programme.
While in Fukuoka, ENZ held an education fair with exhibitions from 30 New Zealand providers and organisations. The fair had more than 300 visitors – many of whom queued to speak to New Zealand representatives about their study options. ENZ’s Senior Market Development Manager – Japan, Misa Pitt, said the interest was not surprising, given the variety of New Zealand education programmes on show.
Education fair in Fukuoka

A second fair was also held in Tokyo, with a record number of over 600 visitors, followed by an education seminar with over 100 Japanese agents, schools and tertiary institutions.“While our competitors’ fairs tend to focus on one particular sector, we have an advantage by offering a wide range of innovative programmes from all sectors,” said Misa Pitt.
The interest in the seminar reflects an increase in engagement from Japanese institutions in international education – as well as the Japanese government’s internationalisation policy, intended to support their forthcoming sports hosting duties.
“With the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Olympics coming up, more Japanese students are interested in programmes that combine English and professional training in sports, tourism and hospitality,” said Misa Pitt.
Misa also revealed that the debut involvement of the Schools International Education Business Association (SIEBA, the peak body for schools in the international education space) in Japan increased New Zealand’s credibility in market, particularly in relation to pastoral care.
“With the new Code of Practice introduced in July this year, I believe SIEBA will play a key role in connecting New Zealand secondary schools with Japanese agents and institutions.”
Japan’s event series concluded with an alumni reception in Tokyo, with special guests including New Zealand Ambassador to Japan, Stephen Payton, and Michael Leitch, a Christchurch native who, after studying in Japan, now plays for the Japanese national rugby team. Michael gave a moving speech on the similarities between New Zealand and Japanese culture, as well as the importance of overseas education in building character for young people.
Education fair in Tokyo.
New Zealand students among the world’s smartest
The OECD’s Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) assesses literacy and numeracy skills, as well as the ability to solve problems in technology-rich environments across 40 countries.
In news coverage of the report, the BBC’s Sean Coughlan noted that while international university rankings typically measured reputation, staff ratios and research output, PIACC was the first to compare the capability of students who have been taught in those universities.
“None of the countries in the top places make much of an appearance in conventional university rankings,” Sean said.
“In the QS World University Rankings, there were 32 US universities in the top 100, but only one from New Zealand, but graduates from New Zealand are higher achieving than their US counterparts.”
Andreas Schleicher, the OECD's education director said the results prove that ability levels vary hugely among people, even when they have similar qualifications, due to "major differences in the quality of higher education".
Key points:
- Adults in New Zealand scored above the OECD average in literacy, numeracy and problem solving in technology-rich environments.
- New Zealand’s immigrant population is one of the most skilled, highly proficient immigrant populations across OECD countries. English-speaking, foreign-born immigrants in New Zealand scored higher in literacy and numeracy than English-speaking, native-born New Zealanders. In all countries and economies, foreign-language immigrants tended to have lower literacy skills, but in New Zealand only 8.5% of English-speaking immigrants had low proficiency in literacy, compared to the OECD average of 22.3%.
- The differences in skills proficiency related to age, gender, education and social background were less pronounced in New Zealand than in other countries.
- In New Zealand, even more so than in other OECD countries, higher proficiency in literacy and numeracy had a positive impact on labour force participation and wages.
The full report on New Zealand’s scores can be found here.
The BBC news report can be found here.
Universities New Zealand to strengthen ties with India
Stronger ties between New Zealand and India at the university level are a key outcome of the Prime Minister John Key’s visit to India currently underway.
Universities New Zealand (UNZ) has made two announcements: development of an engagement strategy to strengthen relationships with India and attract more university students to New Zealand; and a Strategic Education Partnership Agreement with the Maharashtra State Government.
Professor Harlene Hayne, Chair of Universities New Zealand and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Otago

Professor Harlene Hayne, Chair of Universities New Zealand and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Otago, says, “Currently, students from India make up five per cent of the 26,000 international students who are studying at a New Zealand university.
“We recognise there is significant potential to attract and welcome increasing numbers of university-level students from India.”
The strategy builds on an increasing university market presence in India, with student visas for first-time university students from India up 18 per cent through to August 2016. Professor Hayne says the UNZ India Strategy, which will be formally launched in early 2017, will see New Zealand’s universities working collectively to promote study in New Zealand, and to further develop and strengthen partnerships between institutions in India and New Zealand.
UNZ and ENZ are co-sponsoring the strategy. ENZ Chief Executive, Grant McPherson, says, “We are delighted to partner with our universities in India, and applaud their leadership in investing in the long-term future of this hugely important market.”
The Strategic Education Partnership Agreement with Maharashtra State Government provides a framework to explore academic opportunities between the two countries, added Professor Haynes.
Maharashtra State Government in Western India is the second most populous state in India with over 112 million inhabitants. Its capital, Mumbai, has a population of approximately 18 million. Maharashtra has 24 universities with a turnout of 160,000 graduates every year, while New Zealand has eight universities and 43,000 graduates each year.
“This strategic agreement offers us an avenue to build institutional engagement between our universities, through faculty relationships and exchanges, research and innovation collaboration, and information sharing.”
Shri Sitaram Janardan Kunte, Principal Secretary, Higher Education of the Maharashtra (left) and Professor Neil Quigley, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waikato (right), who signed the agreement on behalf of Universities New Zealand.
ENZ announces organisation changes
The changes are a reflection of the significant growth within the industry and change in focus that ENZ has experienced since its establishment in 2011, and in particular to suggestions included in the Performance Improvement Framework (PIF) completed early this year.
The main changes are outlined below.
- A flatter senior leadership structure with the three Regional Directors now reporting directly to Chief Executive Grant McPherson, and disestablishment of the GM International role. The three Regional Directors are: Lisa Futschek, Regional Director, Americas & Europe, based in Wellington; Alex Grace, Regional Director China & North Asia, based in Beijing; and John Laxon, Regional Director India, SE Asia & Middle East, based in Dubai.
- Creation of a new GM Strategy & Insight role to strengthen our market intelligence and analytics, and future thinking capability.
- The current Marketing and Channels Team will be renamed Student Marketing, and will have primary responsibility for leading and managing our student-focused activities. This team will include a new Director of Student Experience role based in Auckland.
These changes are an important step in ENZ’s future, and stakeholders can expect to see further adjustments as we evolve.
Oldest Korean education agency files for bankruptcy
Korean local media reported that Uhak.com has failed to pay up to NZ$2 million in tuition fees to its partner education institutions around the world, impacting approximately 200 of Uhak.com’s clients.
Uhak.com had facilitated paying clients’ tuition fees to international education institutions. The company would receive the fees from parents two to three months in advance, and receive commissions from the overseas providers for the service. The company is alleged to have used clients’ tuition fees to pay its expenses.
Uhak.com sends around 3,000 students per year to education institutions around the world. Over the past two years, the agency had sent over 100 students to New Zealand’s English language providers.
Established in 1981, Uhak.com operated 12 offices in Korea and had branches worldwide including Auckland. The company’s revenue in 2015 was approximately NZ$13 million.
In 2014, Canadian education group Loyalist Group Limited acquired Uhak.com for NZ$10 million.
Gather agent performance insights and minimise fraud risk
Taking these additional steps will also help providers gather valuable insights about agent performance, INZ says in the November issue of its India student newsletter.
Agent performance data for the Indian student market currently includes approval rates for agents recruiting Indian students. This data is available on INZ’s website here.
However, if education providers ask for and receive an agent’s waiver or permission, they can request from INZ an agent’s complete performance data that covers the following points:
- agent performance data based on total student visa application volumes
- data that is market specific, about global performance, or covers any date range
- information that includes, where possible/relevant, reasons for declined decisions
- INZ will also disclose any instances of fraud or misrepresentation by the agent regarding any applications they have represented.
Complete performance data could help providers to make more informed decisions about agents they work with, INZ says.
Naming an agent on all offers of place also has its advantages. It allows INZ to accurately record the agent involved in each application, requires agents to declare themselves on student visa application forms and allows each provider to monitor and record the agent they have issued an offer of place to.
International students learn how to crack job interviews
The ISA members have attended monthly meetings with the police throughout 2016, as part of an Ambassador programme designed to build awareness of crime prevention methods for students.
Jessica Phuang, Auckland City District NZ Police Asian Liaison Coordinator, said the mock job interviews were set up to show appreciation for the students’ involvement in the programme, as many of them will soon be graduating and searching for jobs.
“Some students were taken aback, especially with problem-solving questions which are not common practice in their own countries,” said Phuang.
The mock interviews were set up in the style of speed-dating, with Auckland Presbyterian Church generously lending its hall for the event.
Interviewers included school providers, church members, community volunteers, and police Inspectors.
Each ISA member was interviewed for eight minutes, followed by two minutes of feedback on their answers, their CV and body language – before moving on to the next interviewer.
Common feedback from interviewers was that students had a tendency to expose their weaknesses, a cultural practice to demonstrate modesty, Phuang said.
“The interviewers encouraged the students to share their strengths, and demonstrated how to do this without being seen as ‘blowing their own trumpet’.”
The ISA programme is an Auckland-based police initiative that raises issues connected with safety for international students. The initiative was also launched in Wellington in September.
Education opportunities feature in PM’s visit to India
The delegation included representatives from the University of Waikato, University of Auckland, University of Canterbury, Media Design School, Ara Institute of Canterbury, Wellington Institute of Technology and Whitireia Community Polytechnic as well as Wellington film company Park Road Post Production.
Education New Zealand Chief Executive, Grant McPherson, said the high quality of these providers made establishing partnerships very appealing to elite Indian institutions.
“New Zealand provides important, desirable and often specialist education opportunities for Indian students, and the Government of India wants to see more active engagement in this area.”
McPherson added that the agreements support a more focused approach to education promotion in India – the attraction of high quality Indian students to New Zealand. This was endorsed by Prime Minister Modi, who said he wants to see more Indian students studying in New Zealand.
“With in-market briefings confirming that the profile of Indian students applying to study New Zealand has changed significantly over the last 12 months, New Zealand is well placed to build progressively on these changes.
“The range of relationships and agreements announced support New Zealand’s repositioning in India, and this is what New Zealand needs for a successful and sustainable India student market.”

Ara Institute and Kumaraguru College of Technology’s agreement signing

Jenn Bestwick, Chair of Ara Institute of Canterbury (who made an agreement with India’s Kumaraguru College of Technology during the visit), said the institute was pleased with the education opportunities presented for both New Zealand and India.
“The mission offered up insights from India's educational leaders on how, and where, they see value in partnering with New Zealand educational institutions.
“We have an opportunity for Ara and other New Zealand institutions to ‘Think New’ in terms of how we approach this market for the mutual benefit of institutions and students in both New Zealand and India.”
Key delegate announcements included:
- A University of Otago agreement with the Bombay Stock Exchange Institute regarding collaboration in finance and related programmes, and the facilitation of student mobility
- A Media Design School partnership with the prestigious Pearl Academy, which will bring MDS’ expertise and programmes to the Indian market
- An Ara Institute of Canterbury and Kumaraguru College of Technology’s (KCT) agreement to bring more than 10 KCT students to Ara’s Christchurch campus to participate in an Engineering Systems Analysis programme
- ‘My New Zealand Future’ animation showcase winners will intern at Wellington Institute of Technology, Media Design School and Massey University, profiling New Zealand’s animation and design expertise
- A strategic education partnership agreement between Universities New Zealand and the Maharashtra State Government, and development of an engagement strategy to strengthen relationships with India and attract more university students to New Zealand (read more here).
The Bombay Stock Exchange Institute and University of Otago agreement signing
Explaining NCEA to Korea
Korea is New Zealand’s fourth largest market for the secondary school sector, and it is hoped that improving understanding of NCEA and its pathway options will significantly help to attract more Korean students to study in New Zealand schools.
Attendees at the NZQA seminar included key Korean agents, university admission officers and Ministry of Education officials.
The seminar focused on how NCEA works and how students can use their results to apply for admission to universities all over the world. A Q&A session followed.
Kristina Kim, a third-year student at Yonsei University, also presented, sharing her personal experience with NCEA from her time at Auckland’s Westlake Girls High School.
As NCEA is different from the Korean education and examination system, the presentation helped to reinforce key messages about New Zealand’s national senior secondary school qualification.
Shinyong Yang, an admission officer from Handong Global University, said the seminar was extremely helpful.

“We have recently seen a jump in the number of applicants with NCEA to our undergraduate programmes, which is promising.
“I found the seminar helpful in clarifying my understanding of the New Zealand system, and specific aspects of NCEA such as the Student Results Summary.”
Education New Zealand will continue to work with NZQA to provide more detailed information about NCEA in Korea.
Letter from the CE: $4.28 billion valuation a great result
This places international education (onshore and offshore delivery) as New Zealand’s fourth largest export industry, and puts us well on the way to achieving our goal of a $5 billion economic value by 2025.
This achievement belongs to our education providers for delivering high-quality education programmes, the government bodies who work together and keep student well-being at the heart of the industry, and the Kiwis who welcome young people from around the globe into their homes and communities. This is what keeps bringing students to our shores.
As we know, economic contribution is just one aspect of international education, with the social and cultural benefits (though harder to quantify) being equally important.
International education connects New Zealanders with the world in a personal and meaningful way, and provides a global perspective to our institutions and communities. International students bring a rich cultural diversity, and allow Kiwi students to learn about the world by bringing the world to them. Students are exposed to different ways of thinking and looking at things, helping them to become more outward-looking and accepting of other cultures.
Of course, international education is a two-way flow. While New Zealanders are increasingly aware of the benefits of having international students here, there is ample opportunity for young Kiwis to go out into the world and experience the benefits of international education for themselves. This, I hope, will be a growing focus for the industry.
The new valuation is a clear reflection of New Zealand’s successful approach for both providers and students. It also demonstrates that great things that can happen when we work together. Let’s keep working together for the benefit of all.
Grant McPherson
Chief Executive, Education New Zealand

The Economic Impact of International Education Report for 2015/16 and its key findings can be found here.