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• Building online brand ambassadors

  In June this year, to make sure we were getting the best out of our social media we merged 11 local Facebook pages into one global Facebook page – www.facebook.com/studyinnewzealand

  This move was important to both grow our online community of brand ambassadors and deliver a consistent global message to prospective students.

  At the time of the merge, our Facebook community had 120,679 ‘likes’. The global page has well and truly surpassed all our initial goals, rocketing to 268,300 fans in just five months. On average we reach 3 million fans a week, including 80,000 engaged fans each week.

  Breaking it down, our Facebook audience is 45 percent female, 55 percent male and is aged between 18 and 24. Our largest audience is in India followed by Thailand, Brazil, Malaysia and Colombia.

  Compared to competitor countries, Study in New Zealand is performing very strongly with more ‘likes’ than Australia, Canada and the UK – we just have the USA to catch.

  In recent weeks our global community manager has noticed a significant shift in the conversation among prospective students on Facebook. When we first launched the global page, most of the questions were very high level – ‘how do I study in New Zealand?’ and ‘what is New Zealand like?’ The questions we’re getting now are much more specific and qualified;

  “I am from Bangladesh. I am interested to pursue a diploma at SIT, will Invercargill be an affordable place to live?”

  “What is the different b/w diploma and masters? Which is more job oriented?”

  “I want to know how’s New Zealand for aeronautical engineering in bachelor program & what is the cost for it?”

  Another notable change is that our community is starting to self-moderate – answering each other’s questions with great advice or helpful links. We have a number of New Zealand institutions and agents who are joining in to provide great support through this channel to prospective students with questions.

  In November a social campaign will be launched to further grow and stimulate this online audience with further activity planned for 2015. With an absence of Facebook in China, we are currently developing an equivalent social media platform on the popular site Weibo .

  Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/studyinnewzealand.

• NZ-India Sports Scholarships announced

  Minister Nathan Guy and former Black Cap’s captain Stephen Fleming, along with High Commissioner Grahame Morton presented the awards at an event which also marked 101 days until the start of the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

  Education New Zealand’s Regional Director for South and South East Asia, Ziena Jalil congratulated the students on winning the year-long scholarships to study at tertiary institutions around New Zealand.

  “The level of students applying for the scholarships was particularly high – we are working to increase the quality and level of qualifications studied by Indian students in New Zealand and these scholarships reinforce that,” says Ziena.

  The scholarship recipients are studying programmes ranging from bachelor degrees in sport and exercise to postgraduate study in sports physiotherapy and clinical exercise physiology. They will be studying at AUT, the Universities of Otago and Waikato, Unitec, UCOL and SIT.

  Among the recipients are twin sisters Tashi and Nungshi Malik who are the first twins to have climbed Mt Everest, and Surabhi Date a former captain of the Indian Women’s Rugby Team.

  “It was great to bring all the recipients together to receive their awards at the Cricket World Cup event in front of more than 250 Indian government, education and business contacts as well as a New Zealand business mission,” said Ziena.

  “The evening was a showcase for New Zealand as a country and particularly our world-class reputation for excellence in sports and education.”

  The New Zealand India Sports Scholarships programme is one of the several activities underway to deepen New Zealand’s education relationship with India. The initiative was first announced as part of the Prime Ministers’ Education Initiative which seeks to enhance bilateral tertiary education cooperation between New Zealand and India.

  Almost 12,000 students from India studied in New Zealand in 2013 making it the second largest source country for international students to New Zealand.

  

• PM’s Scholarships for Asia announced

  “The experience these students will have while living and studying in a different culture will stay with them for the rest of their lives,” says Peter Bull, Education New Zealand’s General Manager International.

  “While in Asia, the students will establish enduring relationships and networks that will help them to succeed in the global economy and bring benefits to New Zealand.”

  “Education relationships are two-way and having smart capable New Zealand students studying in Asia is very valuable in building capability for New Zealand's future.”

  The Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia cover overseas study, research or internships ranging from six weeks to two years at the best Asian institutions.

  Successful recipients include a group of students from Unitec who will travel to Japan with service robots they have built, a student from the University of Auckland undertaking a Masters in International Law at Seoul University, and a student with a background in primary produce markets aiming to complete a Chinese language course so he can specialise in trade between New Zealand and China.

  Since the inaugural awards in December 2013, just over 350 New Zealand students have been awarded PMSA scholarships. 

  “As well as the individual benefits, scholarship recipients act as ambassadors for New Zealand and showcase the quality of our education system wherever they go in Asia. The more Kiwis who get the chance to study overseas, the better for our own international education industry,” says Mr Bull.

  “Our students make an invaluable contribution toward raising awareness of New Zealand, giving Asian students a direct link with study in our country and representing the possibilities that are out there to experience the benefits of an international education.” 

  Applications are now open for the next round of scholarships and close on 30 March 2015. Visit the PMSA pages to find out more about eligibility and the application process, and for a list of all scholarship recipients to date.

• China's First Lady receives Honorary Doctorate

  Madame Peng was awarded the Doctor of Literature (honoris causa) in recognition of her international contributions to the performing arts and health and education programmes.

  In the citation in advance of bestowing the honorary doctorate, Sir Richard Taylor noted Madame Peng’s distinguished academic and public service career:

  In the 1980s, she was the first person in China to graduate with a Master’s degree in traditional ethnic music from the prestigious China Conservatory of Music, where she is now both a professor and PhD supervisor. Today she holds a wide array of senior positions in her areas of artistic expertise, including Vice-President of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Vice-Chair of the Chinese Musicians Association, and Dean of the Art Academy of the People's Liberation Army, where she holds the rank of Major-General. Madame Peng is also an Adjunct Professor at Peking University, China’s most highly-regarded university and a close and longstanding partner of Massey University.

  Within China, Madame Peng has worked for many years to promote rural development, girls' and women's education, and public health. She has been an ambassador for tobacco control since 2009, and serves as Voluntary Advocate for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis control and prevention for the Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission, which is another Massey University partner in China. In 2011 the World Health Organisation likewise appointed her as a Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, a role that has involved her in a series of high-profile international events to promote concerted action on the two diseases. 

  In March this year, the United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) named Madame Peng as a Special Envoy for the Advancement of Girls’ and Women’s Education in recognition of her commitment to empowering girls and women through access to quality education, her outstanding contribution to fighting inequalities in education, her devoted service to human development and creativity, and her dedication to UNESCO’s ideals and aims. Addressing Madame Peng, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said, “To succeed, we need role models, and you are an immense role model for millions of young girls in China and beyond”.

  ENZ’s China Team had suggested a visit by Madame Peng to CoCA, due to its status as the first art and design school outside of North America to be granted “substantial equivalency” by the US National Association of Schools of Art & Design.

  “This visit – the only separate programme for Madame Peng while she was in New Zealand – showcased a niche area where New Zealand institutions are at the forefront globally”, says ENZ's Regional Director Alexandra Grace. 

  “It was clear from the ceremony that Madame Peng was very pleased to receive this honour, and she was visibly impressed by the calibre of students’ work during her post-conferment tour.”

  In her address, Madame Peng expressed her “heartfelt thanks”, describing Massey University as the “leading university in New Zealand” that had produced many outstanding graduates including government ministers, Olympic champions, an All Black coach and many business leaders.

  “All are important contributors to the prosperity of the country and I believe, with this wonderful faculty and its students, Massey University will enjoy an even greater future," she said.

  Find out more about Madame Peng’s visit to Massey University here.

• Roundtable explores distance education recognition

  The roundtable involved senior officials from Chinese education agencies and representatives from the University of Otago, Massey University, New Zealand Qualifications Authority, Universities New Zealand and Education New Zealand.

  The recognition of New Zealand distance education programmes has been an item of discussion between New Zealand and Chinese authorities for many years. Currently all foreign qualifications delivered by distance, or with a distance component, are not recognised by Chinese authorities.

  “This isn’t a New Zealand-specific issue,” says ENZ's Regional Director Alexandra Grace.  “We are very much at first steps, in terms of building understanding of how we assure quality outside of traditional face-to-face qualification delivery. Greater understanding of our processes may also contribute to China’s domestic reform of its local distance qualifications."

  The New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement signed in 2008 included commitments to undertake work on “evaluation of the quality assurance criteria for qualifications which include a distance delivery component.”

  Discussions on the recognition of New Zealand distance education qualifications have been ongoing since then.

  The roundtable showcased Otago University’s renowned Master in Aviation Medicine qualification which is fully taught by distance and has been offered for over 26 years. Over 100 students are currently studying the programme from the Middle East, North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Graduates of the programme meet internationally recognised ‘best practice’ standards for aviation medicine practitioners and are frequently employed by airlines including Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Qantas.

  The roundtable also featured Massey University’s Master’s degree programmes in Veterinary Medicine (Biosecurity) and Public Health (Biosecurity) which has been completed by nine senior Chinese officials. The qualifications, which require four months to be spent at Massey and the remainder by distance study from China (one year in total), represent collaboration in teaching between Massey’s teaching and research groups, EpiCentre, and the Centre for Public Health Research. 

  Further work is slated on sharing of information and best practice.

• Vocational education links with China boosted

  The arrangement agrees to more collaborative research projects, joint programmes (including the delivery of New Zealand qualifications in China), knowledge-sharing symposia and education development opportunities between New Zealand and Chinese institutions.

  The arrangement operationalises the Model Vocational Education Programme, which was agreed to as part of the Strategic Education Partnership arrangement signed in Beijing in April last year.

  The Programme has already involved two symposia, held in Qingdao and Tianjin, as well as the establishment of a virtual research centre at the Central Institute of Vocational and Technical Education in Beijing. Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) will host the third symposia in late October 2015.

  The arrangement seeks to facilitate collaboration between each country’s vocational institutions.

  “As China seeks to up-skill millions of its people, New Zealand can play a pivotal and mutually beneficial role in the education sector in China. The Vocational Education and Training Model Programme facilitates exchange between educational institutions in New Zealand and China to develop initiatives that are mutually beneficial for both countries,” said Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce when announcing the signing.

  “Both our countries recognise the significant contribution education makes to the economic health of our nations and the longer term benefits that flow from through the increased social and cultural understanding between our two cultures,” he said. 

  The Arrangement to Operationalise the Vocational Education and Training Model Programme in place between the Ministry of Education of New Zealand and the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China was signed by Vice Minister of Education Dr Hao Ping and Secretary for Education Peter Hughes.

• Diplomas recognised by Chinese authorities

  Vice Minister of Education Dr Hao Ping and Secretary for Education Peter Hughes signed the Arrangement on Mutual Recognition of Academic Degrees in Higher Education between the Government of New Zealand and the Government of the People’s Republic of China at the 8^th Joint Working Group on Education and Training. 

  The Arrangement, first signed in 2002, was updated and re-signed to take into account the range of changes  to the New Zealand Qualifications Framework and related settings that have occurred since 2002.

  In a new move, two and three year diplomas from New Zealand were also added to the list of qualifications officially recognised by Chinese authorities.

  The changes will see greater recognition of academic qualifications between New Zealand and China, making it easier for students to further their studies in either country.

  “This increases New Zealand’s attractiveness at a study destination and expands opportunities for New Zealanders looking to study in China,” said Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce when announcing the signing.

  When Chinese students return to China after their studies, they get their foreign qualifications verified by the China Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE). The updates to the Arrangement ensure that a greater number of students receive the appropriate recognition, enabling them to gain official comparability of their qualifications within the Chinese system. 

• Nine PTEs added to China study abroad list

  “This is an excellent outcome,” says ENZ's Regional Director Greater China – Alexandra Grace.  “It has been a challenging area of work, requiring close coordination between ENZ and NZQA and robust discussions with China’s Education Ministry.  Working closely, we were able to secure this outcome to the benefit of more of our outstanding private tertiaries.”

  The Jiaoyu Shewai Jianguan Xinx Wang (JSJ) Study Abroad website is maintained by the Chinese Ministry of Education and lists high quality tertiary education providers outside of China. Chinese students who are considering tertiary study overseas often use the website to decide where to study.

  The nine education providers that will be added to the JSJ Study Abroad website are:

  • Media Design School

  • New Zealand College of Chinese Medicine Limited

  • New Zealand School of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine

  • New Zealand Tertiary College Limited

  • SAE Institute

  • South Pacific College of Natural Medicine

  • The New Zealand College of Massage Limited

  • UUNZ Institute of Business Limited

  • Wellpark College of Natural Therapies Limited

  These PTEs join 32 other tertiary institutions on the New Zealand page.

  All the education providers being added to the website meet criteria that have been agreed with the Chinese Ministry of Education. The Chinese Ministry of Education will only add education providers which meet the following criteria:

  • be signatories to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students

  • have achieved ratings of at least Confident for both educational performance and capability in self-assessment in their most recent NZQA external evaluation and review report (Category 1 and 2 providers)

  • offer degrees (at Level 7 or above of the New Zealand Qualifications Framework)

  • not be specialist English language schools

  • not be distance learning schools

  • not deliver religious programmes.

  Throughout negotiations NZQA has advocated for the adoption of a criteria-based approach for the listing of further New Zealand PTEs. The rationale behind this approach is to allow for a regular review process, ensuring that PTEs on the list continue to meet criteria expected by the Chinese Ministry of Education, and allowing additional PTEs to be added to the list as they meet the criteria.

  The announcement of the addition of nine further high-quality PTEs is a positive step. ENZ and NZQA will continue to negotiate with the Chinese Ministry of Education on the use of the criteria as the basis for regular review and updates to the JSJ Study Abroad website list to ensure that prospective students and parents are able to access accurate and up-to-date information on their study options in New Zealand.

  Providers who are not listed on the website can point to their EER report and the following text on the JSJ website when dealing with Chinese students and partners:

  新西兰还有许多招收外国学生的私立培训机构及语言学校。通过新西兰资格认证局 (NZQA) 审批的学校名单可查阅NZQA网站：www.nzqa.govt.nz.

  New Zealand also has many private training institutions and language schools to recruit foreign students. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) approved school list is available on the NZQA website: www.nzqa.govt.nz.
   
  The New Zealand page of the JSJ Study Abroad website can be viewed at http://www.jsj.edu.cn/n1/12040.shtml 

• $50,000 sister schools programme launched

  The fund, announced by Chief Executive Grant McPherson during the 8^th New Zealand-China Joint Working Group on Education and Training, aims to support schools’ relationships with Chinese counterparts.

  The $50,000 fund will be accessible through a contestable application process for New Zealand schools. It will enable new sister school relationships to be developed and existing relationships to be strengthened.

  Cultivating relationships in sister regions and cities between China and New Zealand will be a priority.

  “New Zealand and China recognise the important role that language and culture plays in developing globally aware citizens,” ENZ's Regional Director – Greater China Alexandra Grace said.

  “The relationships New Zealand primary, intermediate and secondary schools nationwide have with fellow Chinese schools are a valued source of learning opportunities, cross-cultural skills development and friendship between our two countries.”

  Since 2005, the total number of students learning Chinese language in New Zealand schools increased five-fold from 4,733 to 22,031, with particularly strong growth at primary and intermediate level.

  The number of Chinese international school students studying in New Zealand has also increased, growing by 11 percent in 2013. 

  Applications from clusters of schools are encouraged. Further information on the criteria and application process will be published at a later date through E-News. 

• Eighth Education Joint Working Group meeting held

  The Chinese delegation was led by Vice Minister of Education Dr Hao Ping. He was accompanied by senior officials from China’s Ministry of Education, the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE). 

  Before the JWG, Vice Minister Hao and his delegation called on Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce, where a range of issues of mutual interest were discussed.

  The JWG is the formal mechanism under which discussions take place between government officials on the bilateral education and training relationship. Established in 2002 – and the first such consultations between China and any foreign country – these meetings provide the opportunity to take stock of what has been achieved and to chart a strategic course for the future.

  “The importance of having such periodic and “formal” consultations can’t really be overstated”, says ENZ's Regional Director – Greater China Alexandra Grace. 

  “Between JWGs there is of course regular interaction, both at ministerial and officials’ level, but the JWG process brings with it its own kind of discipline.  Both sides are acutely aware of the need to evidence progress on both standing agenda items, as well as on newer initiatives.  It is the perfect 'action-forcing' occasion, which also nicely evidences how the bilateral education relationship involves a range of actors on each side”.

  This year’s meeting discussed the promotion of student mobility between New Zealand and China, the teaching of Chinese culture and language in New Zealand, cooperation between education institutions at schooling and tertiary levels, quality assurance projects, New Zealand’s involvement in Chinese training programmes and the implementation of Free Trade Agreement related education initiatives.

  ENZ will follow up on specific opportunities that were discussed during the meeting and liaise with relevant sector peak bodies as appropriate. 

  

  Above:Members of the New Zealand and Chinese delegations enjoy a nice Wellington day after the conclusion of the 8^th JWG meeting.

  Two arrangements were signed at the meeting, covering qualification recognition and cooperation in higher and vocational education:

  • The Arrangement on Mutual Recognition of Academic Degrees in Higher Education between the Government of New Zealand and the Government of the People’s Republic of China

  • The Arrangement to Operationalise the Vocational Education and Training Model Programme in place between the Ministry of Education of New Zealand and the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China

  An Agreement on Cooperation in Higher Education between Universities’ New Zealand and China Education Association for International Exchange was renewed.

  

  Above: Universities New Zealand representative Derek McCormack signs a cooperation agreement with CEAIE Secretary-General Sheng Jianxue, witnessed by Peter Hughes and Dr Hao Ping.

  New Zealand’s delegation was led by Secretary for Education Peter Hughes. ENZ Chief Executive Grant McPherson joined NZQA Chief Executive Dr Karen Poutasi and officials from the Ministry of Education, ENZ, NZQA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the meeting. 

  Derek McCormack, Vice Chancellor of AUT University, represented Universities New Zealand to discuss cooperation in higher education and Mark Flowers, Chief Executive of Waikato Institute of Technology, represented New Zealand’s institutes of technology in vocational education discussions.

  The last JWG meeting was held in Beijing in 2010. The next JWG meeting is scheduled for 2016. 

  

  Above: ENZ Education Manager An Jiangqun (Rosemary) interprets at the JWG meeting. Rosemary’s skills as a trained interpreter came in handy during technical discussions on education cooperation.