New Zealand star of the show in leading Brazilian international education magazine

In late April, the Consulate-General of New Zealand in São Paulo welcomed professionals from the international education sector for the launch of Belta's magazine ei – International Education. The event served to celebrate New Zealand as the magazine's feature country and was attended by government officials and Brazilians who studied in New Zealand institutions and now hold prominent positions in their professional fields.  

Belta (Brazilian Language and Travel Association) brings together the leading Brazilian agencies offering travel programmes focused on international education. Agents associated with Belta are recognised for the safety and excellence of the services they provide to students. 

The New Zealand delegation from Universities New Zealand, composed of representatives from five of the country's eight universities, and CAPES LATAM were present at the Consulate for the magazine launch event during their stay in Brazil for strategic meetings at FAUBAI 2024, Brazil's largest conference focusing on higher education. 

ENZ’s Bruna Natale with the delegates from New Zealand.

Belta's publication is a quality reference for those seeking information about studying abroad. It is published annually and serves as a guide for those interested in experiencing international education. It is distributed at exchange fairs, travel agencies, and schools throughout the year. This is the third time that Belta's magazine has featured New Zealand's international education on its cover. 

The guests were welcomed by the Ambassador of New Zealand in Brazil, Richard Prendergast, the market development manager of Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) in Brazil, Bruna de Natale, and Belta's president, Alexandre Argenta. 

"Aotearoa New Zealand is open to Brazilian students, offering excellent education, institutions that prepare for future challenges, and a great quality of life, with safe cities and a friendly population," said Ambassador Prendergast at the event's opening. 

Bruna de Natale states, "Highlighting New Zealand education in Belta's magazine is essential for Brazilians to be aware of the quality of education offered in Aotearoa New Zealand." Bruna also emphasises that "the magazine directly engages with the audience interested in studying abroad, reaching exchange fairs and agencies from all regions of Brazil, so it is a strategic visibility for positioning the quality of New Zealand education." 

Representatives from exchange agencies who attended the reception conversed with members of the Universities New Zealand delegation and Brazilians who had studied in New Zealand. 

"We have strong connections with Latin America in general, and especially with Brazil, but we want to strengthen and expand these partnerships," said Bronwen Kelly, Deputy Chief Executive of Universities New Zealand. Participating in strategic events, like today's launch and the FAUBAI conference, is a significant step towards bringing our institutions closer together and paving the way for academic exchange," Bronwen added. 

In addition to Alexandre Argenta, Maura Leão, Director of International Relations at Belta, attended the event. Both were in New Zealand in March on a familiarisation trip organised by ENZ to introduce the country as an education destination. 

"I've just returned from a fantastic experience in New Zealand," said Maura Leão during the event. "It's a country with many wonderful opportunities for students. I visited schools, universities, English language schools, and high schools. The experience was very positive. For us who work in education, it's essential to have this opportunity to share impressions with families who want to send their children to study abroad," said the executive. 

The online version of the magazine can be found here: Revista ei! 2024 by Associação Belta - Issuu