25 May 2016 at 9:00 am
New Zealand a ‘dream’ destination for German students
In mid-May, Olga Elli, ENZ Marketing Manager, Europe, organised a roadshow, webinar and workshop at the New Zealand embassy in Berlin with IEC Online, one of Germany’s biggest education agencies.
Olga was accompanied by IEC Online’s Marketing Coordinator, Carolin Stechel.
“Our overall goal was to raise the profile of New Zealand as a study destination across Germany, and to promote the Dream NEW scholarships,” said Olga.
The pair visited the Universities of Mannheim, Paderborn, Mainz and Potsdam.
There was strong interest among the students, not only for the education offerings at New Zealand universities and ITPs but also for New Zealand and its lifestyle.
“It was fantastic to see that many students had already been to New Zealand, either during their high school years or for a gap year after high school.
“The fact that they are keen to spend a semester in New Zealand during their university time shows their great passion for the country, and the strong ties they have with New Zealanders.”
The webinar enabled Olga and Carolin to connect with students from all over Germany, and students who attended the workshop at the embassy had the chance to talk to the ambassador, HE Rodney Harris.
“In general, it was clear that there is great interest in New Zealand and the country is perceived as a ‘dream destination’ by German students,” said Olga.
However, as education in Germany is free, the international tuition fees tend to discourage many students from choosing New Zealand as a study destination.
“Given this situation, it was a perfect opportunity for us to promote the Dream NEW scholarships that cover the full tuition fees for one semester.
“The students were excited about this opportunity and asked many questions about the application criteria, timing, and so on.”
“All in all, it was a perfect mix of activities to reach out to a large number of German students and promote New Zealand as a high-quality and safe study destination.”
