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• Japanese teachers visit New Zealand schools

  Participating schools had previously indicated their interest in New Zealand through a survey put together by Air New Zealand and ENZ and also attended a seminar prior to embarking on the tour.

  Japanese teachers were the focus for this familiarisation visit in recognition of the fact that they are among the key influencers, along with alumni and agents, for Japanese students and their families when considering international study locations. The word-of-mouth promotion of New Zealand as an education destination that comes from these visits is highly effective.

  The four-day tour started off with a visit to Rotorua where we visited the agrodome at the Rotorua English Language Academy to see the famous farm show, followed by a wonderful Māori experience at Te Puia. On the second day, despite the heavy rain, we received a warm welcome at Tauranga Boys’ College and Girls’ College, visited Hobbiton and enjoyed the experience of a Kiwi farm stay in Cambridge. The third day saw us visit the Waitomo glow warm cave and Waikato University, where the boys’ rugby team were hosted in July this year as part of the Game on English programme. The final day was dedicated to Auckland, where we visited Northcote College and Language International.    

  Participants were impressed by the quality of programmes and facilities offered by New Zealand schools and universities. The Cambridge farm stay in was also very well received by the teachers who considered it a uniquely New Zealand experience. Through conversations with teachers and counsellors, the Japanese teachers were also reassured by the level of support offered to international students in New Zealand. The group also had the chance to speak to some Japanese students and saw how well they integrate with New Zealand students in the classroom. A reflection of New Zealand’s emphasis on diversity, I believe. 

  With the growing demand from the high school sector in Japan, we were pleased to showcase New Zealand’s high-quality of education, along with the Kiwi lifestyle and cultural experiences. Following the trip Yamate Gakuin Junior and Senior High School in Yokohama has made a decision to send a group of students to New Zealand starting August 2016. Takigawa Boys' Junior and Senior High School in Kobe will also start offering a 3 months programme in New Zealand from 2018. 

  I look forward to facilitating more relationships between New Zealand education providers and institutions and agents in Japan in the coming year.

  I would like to sincerely thank all the institutions, local tourism offices and venues, and Air New Zealand for their support in making this programme a success.

  Misa Pitt

• Latin America a focus

  The education opportunities for New Zealand in the nation of 46 million were highlighted in the Embassy announcement, which came as the Government outlined an update on their trade strategy yesterday.

  Broadening New Zealand’s export markets in South America and South East Asia was a key theme of the update of the Business Growth Agenda (BGA) 2015/16.

  The BGA is a programme of work that supports the growth of New Zealand businesses by delivering initiatives and policy reforms that help create a more productive and competitive economy. The BGA focuses on six key “ingredients” businesses need to grow: Export markets, innovation, infrastructure, skilled and safe workplaces, natural resources, and capital. Each of these has its own programme of work. 

  International education is seen as a key pillar in the ‘Export Markets’ work stream in the BGA and the action points for the sector are:

  • Expanding the Prime Minister’s Scholarships to Asia to include Prime Minister’s Scholarships to Latin America.

  • Using the International Education Growth Fund to support the growth of revenue from education and training delivered offshore.

  • Expanding the Education New Zealand Regional Partnership Programme to accelerate the growth of international education regionally.

  • Leveraging international alumni linkages to lift the skills of our international workforce in the public and private sector.

  • Reviewing ENZ to ensure it continues to be fit for purpose and is well placed to achieve the international education industry’s medium-term goals.

  Follow this link to download copies of the Business Growth Agenda: Towards 2025 reports.

• Alumni Voices showcase NZ education across South East Asia

  The 10 filmed or ‘hero’ interviews have been a large focus, with the clips having premiered at a range of ASEAN 40 events celebrating 40 years of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and ASEAN. They’ve also screened at numerous ENZ events, including some high-profile media events in Vietnam during Minister Joyce’s recent visit, as well as various organised media gatherings across our four target markets in the region.

  Through speaking more closely with these alumni to arrange the 40 interviews, an added bonus is that we’ve been able to really strengthen our relationships with them and have brought a lot of them on as unofficial ENZ ambassadors. We’ve organised plenty of in-market media interviews and as of early September, have achieved over $200,000 worth of PR value with each individual sharing some awesome testimonials of their time spent studying in New Zealand – something that’s proving to be a really powerful message for prospective students.

  The 40 individuals were selected from a range of ASEAN countries and provide a strong mix of age, gender, industry and institutions.

  We have the likes of Dr Mazlan Othman, Project Director of the Mega Science 3.0 project in Malaysia, who became her country’s first astrophysicist after graduating from the University of Otago in 1981 and once held the position as Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.

  There’s Singapore’s Dr William Tan, a Massey and University of Auckland graduate who credits his time in New Zealand for launching his career which has earned him the titles of Paralympian, cancer survivor, marathon runner and neuroscientist.

  Then we have H.E Chea Serey, a Victoria University of Wellington graduate who is currently the Director General of the National Bank of Cambodia.

  Across all interviews, we found a number of common themes: New Zealand’s encouragement for critical thinking, the freedom to choose their own course of study and the warm and welcoming society.

  Click here view the videos.

• Relationship building with sister schools in China

  The visit enabled the school to explore potential sister school relationships with schools in China and gain some understanding of the complexities of working within the Chinese education environment.

  To make sure they got the most out of their visit, Janine joined forces with Terry Holding, Relationship Manager from Belmont Intermediate’s pathway partner on Auckland’s North Shore, Takapuna Grammar. Terry’s depth of experience in China was invaluable to Janine, who was embarking on her a first marketing-focused trip to the country.

  Janine says, “Going on the visit with Terry meant plenty of opportunity to discuss how we might collaborate more, and for me to see how I might use his school’s networks for our own marketing.”

  The Sister Schools’ funding covered Janine’s travel costs, with Belmont Intermediate School paying for accommodation and other expenses.

  “The funding allowed us to accompany Takapuna Grammar on their full marketing trip, which included visits to schools and agencies in Beijing, Xi’an, Kunming and Shanghai.”

  Janine is aware that cultivating relationships takes time and patience, but there are some encouraging early signs, including:

  • Sister school relationship agreed to in principle with Shanghai Far East School.

  • Signed an agreement with an important agency.

  • Visiting the parents of two students currently studying at Belmont Intermediate, thereby elevating the status of the school and reinforcing the school’s brand as trusted partner.

  • Getting a good overview of the full range of Chinese schools – from primary to high school, and both private and government-run.

  • Securing four short-term students for Belmont, all of whom have the potential to become full-time students for the school next year. This effectively paid for the other costs of the trip so as making the venture cost-neutral for the school.

  • Setting tentative dates and sketching out plans for reciprocal school visits.

  • Engaging with several students and parents that may lead to future enrolments.

  • Gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and approach to business.

  • An appreciation of the way the New Zealand primary school curriculum can be adapted and run in parallel to the traditional Chinese curriculum, was just one of the valuable insights Janine gained during her trip. One thing that came as surprise to Janine was the high level of English language competency of many of the students and general population.  

  “The idea of sending intermediate-aged children to New Zealand is a relatively new one for many schools and education bodies in China, and I’ve learned to be comfortable with the fact that it may take several years for some of the relationships to bear fruit.”

  Janine says, “I benefitted enormously from visiting China. There are so many things – big and small – that you just can’t grasp unless you go there. Although I was only able to skim the surface on my short trip, it all contributes to a greater understanding of the cultural and educational environment our Chinese students have come from and our education partners, such as agents, teachers and schools and are operating in.”

• The New Zealand China Sister Schools Fund is open!

  The next round of the fund is now open. Applications must be in by midnight on 12 October 2015.

  The fund is open to all New Zealand schools that are Code of Practice signatories.* Grants of approximately $2,500 per school will be awarded to successful schools to establish new sister school relationships, or to strengthen existing relationships, with a focus on sister cities/provinces.

  All applications must be emailed to ebd@enz.govt.nz

  An application form and more information can be found on our website

  Those eligible are New Zealand;

  • Primary schools

  • Intermediate schools

  • Secondary schools

  • Composite schools

  • School clusters

  Schools must be signatories to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students.

  *Schools that received funding in Round One are not eligible to apply.

  The list of successful applicants for the previous round can be found here.

  For queries please contact ebd@enz.govt.nz

• International Student Barometer results

  In the 15 April issue of E-News we reported on the results of the International Student Barometer (ISB) survey of international students studying in the English language and PTE sectors.

  ENZ commissioned ISB surveys of students at universities and Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITP) to investigate the decision-making, expectations, perceptions and experiences of over 8,000 international students enrolled with these providers. 

  The surveys feature a global benchmark which indicate how New Zealand compares to other countries offering similar levels of study. Satisfaction can also be compared to previous ISB surveys in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013.

  The good news is that overall satisfaction in the university and ITP sectors is high.

  Eighty-eight percent of ITP students surveyed were satisfied with their experience. This on par with the global benchmark and the 2013 survey. ITP students showing the highest satisfaction level were from South Africa (100 percent), Nepal (98 percent) and Sri Lanka (96 percent).

  Satisfaction at universities is also in line with the global benchmark, improving by two percent since 2013, to reach 90 percent. University students who were the most satisfied with their experience included those from Sri Lanka (98 percent), Tonga (96 percent), and England (95 percent).

  Across the board, four out of five students would recommend their institution to other students thinking of studying there.

  It’s worth noting that overall satisfaction levels vary noticeably by institution and by nationality. Each institution has received their own results to analyse and help inform the development of services and support for their student cohorts. It is important for institutions to be aware of their students’ expectations and needs - in particular, understanding and addressing the needs of the 20 percent of students who would not recommend their institution to others.  

  Generally speaking, the areas with lowest student satisfaction tend to be around costs, employment/employability and social life; many elements of which are issues for international students globally, not just in New Zealand.

  One particular point for New Zealand institutions to keep in mind is the relatively high importance students place on employment/employability factors – both during and after study. Focusing attention on aspects such as work experience and placements, learning that facilitates students’ employability, and careers advice, will help avoid a mismatch between expectations and reality in this area. It will also boost the reputations of both the institution and New Zealand education. 

  You can read the ISB ITP summary report and sector presentation.

  Read the ISB university summary report and sector presentation.

  i-Graduate’s New Zealand Director, Kyla Steenhart, presented overall findings from the ISB surveys at the New Zealand International Education Conference 2015 in Hamilton in August. Check out her presentation regarding all four sector surveys here.

• New Zealand on the road in Viet Nam

  The students were all treated to special presentations during the tour, with most walking away with an ENZ bag containing materials promoting New Zealand as an education destination.

  The purpose of the Roadshow’s education aspect of the was to raise awareness of New Zealand and drive registrations for the upcoming New Zealand education fairs on 3 – 4 October.

  This was very much an NZ Inc. initiative with ENZ, the New Zealand Embassy and Tourism New Zealand all working together to make the roadshow a reality. 

  A Māori cultural performing group from the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute stole the show. 

  “Māori culture is a fascinating and unique part of New Zealand culture; it’s something that sets us apart from others,” said New Zealand Ambassador HE Haike Manning. “The visit by this performance group was a great opportunity to showcase Māori culture to Vietnamese students to raise their awareness and interest in our country,”

  “We took the opportunity to showcase a number of other things we think make New Zealand special – our excellent education system, our beautiful landscapes, our cities, our food – all the things that make New Zealand such a wonderful tourism and study destination! We also showcased our positive and growing relationship with Viet Nam, so that Vietnamese students could gain an appreciation of the cooperation that has being going on between New Zealand and Viet Nam over the past 40 years.”

  The Roadshow is the latest in a year-long series of events organised by the New Zealand Embassy as part of the ‘New Zealand – Open to the New’ season, celebrating 40 years of friendship and diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Viet Nam. 

• Telling the story in Thailand

  Sixteen journalists from local print, TV, radio and online outlets heard from New Zealand’s Ambassador to Thailand, His Excellency Reuben Levermore, who underscored the long-standing relationships between the two countries, in education, trade and other areas. “Nearly 4,000 Thais study each year in New Zealand, benefiting from the high-quality education and great lifestyle provided for international students.”

  The Ambassador also emphasised that New Zealand communities are diverse, welcoming and tolerant, and that, as a young country, New Zealand is renowned for its creativity and innovation.  “We are world class in many areas, including sport, tourism and education,” said the Ambassador.

  

  ENZ’s Marketing and Strategic Relations Manager in Thailand, Chortip Pramoolpol, highlighted New Zealand’s strengths in niche courses such as agribusiness; food and textiles; hospitality; early childhood studies; film, animation, visual effects and gaming; cybersecurity; and sports management.

  “These are examples of newer disciplines which are less established in other parts of the world but represent emerging job markets with good career prospects,” said Chortip

  Other benefits of choosing New Zealand as an education destination promoted at the event included domestic fees for doctoral students, and the ability for these students to work full-time while studying and then gain open post-study work visas.

  

  The media conference was also designed to promote the New Zealand Education Fair which was held over the weekend in Bangkok, by leveraging experiences of alumni and those connected to study experiences in New Zealand.

  The panel included a celebrity host who was a New Zealand alumnus; a parent whose son is currently studying an undergraduate degree in New Zealand; and another alumnus who is now working in a multinational oil and gas company as a Country IT Manager.

• Tauranga-based group visits Korea

  E-News caught up with one of the organisers of the visit, Education Tauranga’s Anne Young.  

  What led to the decision to visit Korea as a group of institutions?

  Education Tauranga’s 2013-2017 strategy focuses strongly on collaboration between member institutions. We find that we can make more of an impact in a market as a group, and, with a diverse range of institutions participating in activities, we can demonstrate the pathways that exist within our region to cater for all levels of education.

  Korean students are enrolled in the full range of education institutions in Tauranga – from primary right through to tertiary. This is one of the reasons Education Tauranga’s Korean student numbers have continued to rise in 2015, while declining in New Zealand overall. We also attribute our success in Korea to the fact that we have committed local agents, strong local government support, highly effective links with the Korean community in the Western Bay of Plenty and institutions that provide excellent education and care to all international students, including those from Korea.

  In choosing Korea as our group visit destination, we were able to further capitalise on our already strong position in that market.  

  What are the advantages of a group visit such as this?

  The main advantage of a group visit is that it’s easier to get noticed and to secure meetings than when you’re an individual institution travelling on your own. Promotional costs can be shared, too. In our case, 21 institutions were pitching in, meaning our advertising dollar went a lot further, resulting greater numbers of prospective students at our fairs and good attendance of officials at other events.

  Having trip organisers taking care of all the planning, organising and bookings meant it was a much more efficient process for everybody. It also alleviated stress for some first time travellers to Korea who didn’t have to face many of the challenging ‘unknown factors’ that can pop up when organising your own recruitment trip.  

  What are the downsides?

  I don’t think there are any particular disadvantages to marketing as a group offshore. However, there are challenges in the logistics of dealing with such a large group, such as transport arrangements and getting everyone to where they need to be on time, as well as ensuring that planned activities are of benefit to all institutions from a range of sectors.  

  What were the highlights?

  We attracted over 400 prospective students through our fairs which was a great success for one small region of New Zealand. The students who came along were already pretty well informed about Education Tauranga’s education offerings, demonstrating that the effort that we put into advertising prior to the events hit the mark!

  Several alumni families also attended the events, and it was wonderful to see them engaging with prospective students and their families and giving their perspective on what studying in our region is like.

  The support of big New Zealand brands such as Zespri was also fantastic; their product promotion at our fair went down really well.

  Being hosted at the New Zealand Residence by the Deputy Head of Mission to Korea and Education New Zealand was also a highlight as we were able to recognise the contribution they had made to ensuring our activities were a success.  

  Are there any outcomes on the horizon or promising connections made?

  We’re hoping our visit will result in an increase in student numbers from Korea in 2016. The signs are promising so far, with many new students expressing an interest in coming here. Time will tell however!

  We have also strengthened relationships with Tauranga’s ‘friendship city’ of Ansan, with a larger study tour group coming in 2016 than came in 2015.  

  What would you do differently next time?

  The visit to Korea was our second regional group visit (we visited China together as a group in March this year) so we already had experience in what did and didn’t work and were able to iron out any issues prior to this trip.  

  Any hints and tips for together groups thinking of undertaking this sort of group visit?

  I think undertaking a visit of this kind is very effective for regions or groups of institutions. My top tips for making your visit a success are as follows:

  • Do your research and have a plan. Know exactly what activities you want to do and why

  • Involve all participating institutions in the planning process

  • Make sure you have support from local councils and your Economic Development Agency

  • Enter the market with a strong brand that all participants believe in

  • Make sure you have translated materials and have translators who know your product/region

  • The work you do prior to arrival is just as important (if not more than) as the work you will do while in country

  • Work with ENZ and local Embassy staff

  • Leverage your alumni

  • Follow up with the people you met with during the visit!

   

• ENZ’s Performance Improvement Framework review

  What’s the purpose of a PIF?

  The State Services Commission (SSC) runs PIFs to make sure government agencies are working as efficiently and effectively as possible, and that they are on track to achieve their goals in the medium-term future (over the next four years).

  This is a warts and all process; a chance to look at areas which are not working so well as well as areas where ENZ is on track. It is an opportunity to get impartial advice on how we can improve and do even better in the future.

  How will the PIF review operate?

  For ten days from 28 October, two independent reviewers will set up shop in ENZ’s Wellington office. During this time, many of ENZ’s staff will get a chance to have their say about ENZ’s performance.

  Some of you will get the opportunity to contribute to the review as well, as the reviewers will also talk to around 25-30 of ENZ’s stakeholders and customers, including a broad range of industry participants.

  We hope you’ll participate if you are approached.

  Some key questions the reviewers will consider are:

  • Where does this agency need to be in four years’ time to be all it can for New Zealand?

  • What are the challenges in getting there?

  • What are the performance challenges?  

  What happens at the end of the review?

  At the end of the process, ENZ will receive a report on its performance (using a green, amber or red rating system) and a list of recommendations.

  The PIF process is purposefully designed to be as transparent as possible. The report, and ENZ’s response to it, will be publicly available and posted on both the SSC and ENZ websites.