13 April 2023 at 11:30 am
Re-building connections across the globe at APAIE
APAIE was back in action again in March in Bangkok, Thailand - the first time as an in-person event since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Moving forward into the post-COVID era, the theme was appropriately ‘Towards a sustainable future for international education in the Asia Pacific’.
New Zealand’s presence at the conference was strong with all eight New Zealand universities and Whitecliffe School of Fashion and Sustainability attending, along with representatives from Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) and Immigration New Zealand (INZ).
ENZ’s Chief Executive Grant McPherson travelled to the event.
“It is exciting to see the commitment of New Zealand institutions to attend these key regional events,” he said. “The APAIE conference is one of ENZ’s flagship events and supporting these events is a critical component of our broader strategy to rebuild connections across the globe while also rebuilding a more resilient and sustainable sector.”
Ben Burrowes, ENZ's Regional Director Asia said, "the New Zealand Pavilion was extremely busy across the three days of the conference. The event proved a great opportunity to meet kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) to re-build our brand awareness as well as raising our profile with our key bilateral partners and potential new partners."
During the conference, ENZ's Director of Scholarships, Carla Rey Vasquez, and the Centres of Asia Pacific Excellence (CAPEs) Education Director, Libby Giles, delivered a presentation showcasing New Zealand's Global Citizenship journey. The session explored examples of how Global Citizenship Education (GCED) has been embedded across New Zealand schools, universities, and government entities as a way to innovate and transform education practices, including through the integration of Te Ao Māori views around this topic.
Carla said, "It was great to demonstrate to audiences how local and international students can come together as global citizens through a focus on intercultural exchange, as well as through understanding local culture and knowledge.”
Outside the conference, ENZ's Thailand team organised a series of meetings with key Thai government ministries and agencies including the Ministry of Education, Thailand's National Innovation Agency, the Office of Civil Service Commission, and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation.
Next year’s APAIE conference will take place in Perth, Western Australia in March.
Meetings at the New Zealand Pavilion
