Tēnā koutou katoa,
December already! Where did the past 12 months go?
The good news is that the effort that you have all put into this sector, that we are all so passionate about, has delivered results. My team tell me that enrolments for the first eight months of 2023, and the 12 months since the borders opened, have almost topped 60,000 (59,306 to be exact) and that the number of visa applications is much higher. From where we were when the borders opened this is significant and tangibly real, positive progress. It is also a positive indication for the future as many of these learners will be staying on into next year and are the foundation on which we can build further growth.
That said there is still much to do.
The recovery is not spread evenly across all sector participants and not spread evenly across New Zealand. While, at the time of writing, ENZ is yet to receive its letter of expectation from the new Government, international education was included as a manifesto focus area and I expect we will get very clear direction as to our role in continuing the recovery. This is good news too. Getting clear direction from Government enables us to know exactly what is expected and to focus our efforts accordingly.
In the short time that I have been in the CEO role, I have come to understand the importance of focus. There has never been and never will be a shortage of opportunities when it comes to international education. It is a matter of identifying the opportunity that delivers the impact and focusing our attention there. I look forward to receiving the new Government’s direction and delivering to it alongside our many partners.
The past 12 months have also been significant in the area of scholarships – the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia and Latin America and the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Programme. Our scholarship programme was also bought to a standstill by COVID-19 and is itself recovering and recovering well. In 2023 more than 250 New Zealanders have been recipients of a Prime Minister’s Scholarship and more than 900 people from across the Pacific and Asia have participated in the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Programme with another 400 in the pipeline. As you know, ENZ administers these on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Both programmes successfully build enduring connections between New Zealand and our offshore partners and contribute to our communities here at home.
For all of us, our colleagues and our whānau, 2023 has been a monumental year. There is much that we can, and should, look back on with pride and satisfaction. On behalf of everyone at ENZ, I’d like to thank you for your support and for the huge amount of effort and work that has been achieved this year. I look forward to working with you in 2024 to continue the momentum towards an international education sector that is sustainable, resilient, and innovative, and of high value for students, providers, and all of New Zealand.
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini
It is not the strength of one person alone, but the strength of many that contribute to our success.
Ngā mihi,
Linda Sissons
Acting Chief Executive
The Kākā (a parrot native to New Zealand) as it carried the Manapou (fruit kernal) on its journey to New Zealand. This images features in the welcome area of ENZ's Wellington headquarters.
Education New Zealand’s Māori name is metaphorical and tells a story which is embedded in our brand and Ngā Manapou (our values) and how we work as an organisation.
Te whakapapa o Manapou ki te Ao – the genealogy of our Māori name – goes back to 2018 when ENZ’s Māori advisory team developed Rautaki Māori(our MāoriStrategy).The name was endorsed in 2019 by the then Minister of Education.
· Manapou – refers to the fruit kernel that nourished and sustained the Kākā (a parrot native to New Zealand) as it carried the seed in its crop on the journey from Hawaiki to Aotearoa.
· Ki te Ao – the word ‘Ao’ means the ‘world’ and also refers to the ‘dawn’. In Māori cosmogony, the idea of ‘Ao’ signifies dawn or a new beginning every day, new experiences, opportunities and learnings.
Manapou ki te Ao describes how Aotearoa New Zealand education nourishes and empowers students and enables them to be the world’s next generation of problem solvers.
Our name and the story are embedded in ENZ’s Manapou ki te Ao colour palette:
· the deepwater blue represents the flight of the Kākā over the ocean
· the surface blue stands for approaching land over shallow water
· the Manapou orange is the Manapou stone brought by the Kākā
· the East Coast sand colour alludes to the sandy shores of Aotearoa.
Ngā Manapou - Our values
Our work is guided by Ngā Manapou – our values of Manaakitanga, Kaitiakitanga, Be One and Be Bold that are all encompassed by Aroha.
Manaakitanga
Manaakitanga refers to hospitality, kindness, generosity, or support as much as it does to the process of showing that respect, generosity or care for others.
Kaitiakitanga
Kaitiakitanga refers to guardianship, stewardship or trusteeship as we look after the environment and resources. At ENZ Manapou ki te Ao we treasure cultural diversity, focus on finding sustainable solutions, and remain open to new perspectives and ideas.
Be one
We interact positively with our colleagues to enhance our collective mana. We partner with generosity and appreciation. We work collaboratively and constructively. We appreciate effective teamwork.
Be bold
We consult genuinely before making decisions. We constantly challenge what’s gone before and shape what’s coming. We develop powerful relationships with our partners.
Aroha
Aroha – meaning love, affection, or compassion – guides and underpins all Ngā Manapou as we strive to think and act constructively, listen respectfully, and value the beliefs and culture of all our staff.
Prime Minister’s Scholarships for study in Asia and Latin America for 2023-24 announced
114 New Zealanders receive scholarships to Asia and Latin America
New Zealand’s connections with Asia and Latin America are set to receive a boost with the announcement of 114 individual recipients of the Prime Minister’s scholarships for Asia and Latin America over the next year, Acting Chief Executive for Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ), Linda Sissons announced today.
The latest round will see scholarship recipients heading to destinations including Japan, Korea, Malaysia, China, India, Viet Nam, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Chile for study and internship programmes. The individual scholarships follow the group scholarships awards of earlier this year which saw 14 groups of New Zealanders travelling to study in Asia and Latin America.
Scholarships have been awarded to recipients from a wide range of regions from around New Zealand, including Rotorua, Taupo, Gisborne, Hastings, Feilding, Tauranga, Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Palmerston North, Christchurch, Dunedin, Riwaka and Oamaru.
“The Prime Minister’s Scholarships offer a fantastic opportunity for New Zealanders to foster lifelong connections as they learn and grow their understanding of cultures and business practices across Asia and Latin America”, Acting Chief Executive for Education New Zealand, Linda Sissons said.
“The scholarships are awarded to enable recipients to undertake a range of global study opportunities, from language learning and exchange study to internships.
“Over the next year, recipients will embark on semester exchanges, medical electives, language immersion and indigenous integration programmes, internships, and research projects in areas such as architecture and healthcare engineering.
“The scholarships continue to enable a rich exchange of knowledge, ideas and culture for New Zealanders through reciprocal study opportunities and increase global understanding of the strength and quality of our education system”.
A full list of recipients of this individual round can be found here.
Additional information
Read how the Prime Minister’s Scholarships have enabled these past recipients to study abroad and have enriching, life-changing experiences:
Laetitia Laubscher
Te Maiora Rurehe
About the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia and Latin America
The Prime Minister’s Scholarship programme aims to strengthen New Zealand’s ability to engage with Asian and Latin American trading partners, improve the internationalisation of New Zealand tertiary institutions, showcase the strength and quality of New Zealand's education system and grow inter-cultural awareness and connections between New Zealand and other countries.
The scholarships offer flexible funding to support both short- and long-term programmes, including study abroad or exchange, internships, postgraduate study, and language programmes.
The Prime Minister’s Scholarships are funded by the New Zealand Government and administered by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao.
The Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia (PMSA) were launched in 2013 and extended to Latin America (PMSLA) in 2016. To date, 4,155 scholarships have been awarded under the programme.
There are two scholarship rounds each year, and applications for the next scholarship round will be open to group applicants in March 2024. Many scholarship recipients are enrolled in tertiary institutions across New Zealand, but this is not a requirement for the scholarship. Any New Zealand citizen or permanent resident over 18 years old can apply for a scholarship.
For more information on the scholarships and the application process, visit https://scholarships.enz.govt.nz/.
For further information:
Justin Barnett | Director of Communications, Education New Zealand
justin.barnett@enz.govt.nz
+64 21 875 132
Eve Abernethy | Communications Advisor, Education New Zealand
eve.abernethy@enz.govt.nz
+64 04 887 5215
· 84 percent of international students studying in New Zealand rate their overall experience positively.
· 75 percent of New Zealanders believe that international students benefit New Zealand.
International education is delivering for both the international students and the New Zealand communities in which they study and live. These are the key findings of two research projects to measure the student experience and the views New Zealanders hold towards international education which have just been released by Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ). ENZ is the New Zealand government agency focused on international education.
Student experience in New Zealand
In the 2023 International Student Experience survey of 4,755 international students from more than 70 nationalities, 84 percent rated their overall experience positively, while another 83 percent said they would recommend New Zealand as a study destination.
Students were most positive about their personal development and outcomes, with 87 percent saying the experience helping encourage their curiosity and develop new ideas. Students were also very positive (88 percent) about the people and connections they made in New Zealand.
New Zealand was the first choice of study destination of 78 percent of respondents and 64 percent said their New Zealand experience had met or exceeded their expectations, which is consistent with previous research.
Commenting on the results, ENZ General Manager for Marketing and Communications Geoff Bilbrough, said the results showed that New Zealand’s ability to deliver a quality education to international students had remained strong through the recent pandemic, and augured well for further recovery of the sector.
“The strong preference of students for New Zealand as a place where they can obtain a high quality education while enjoying unique personal development and learning experiences really shone through in the student experience survey.”
"The fact that 83 percent would recommend New Zealand based on their personal experience is also very positive, because they will share their experience with friends and families. This word-of-mouth testimony builds resilience for New Zealand as an international education destination.”
Local benefits
In an ENZ survey of 1,100 New Zealanders conducted in December last year, 75 percent of respondents believe that international students benefit New Zealand.
The Ipsos Fast Facts survey, which drew responses from all regions of the country, saw 80 percent of respondents highlighting economic benefits, particularly in local communities, as a key reason for their positive view. Local and cultural contributions were also noted with 81 percent saying international students help local students learn about other cultures and ways of living, and contribute to New Zealand’s cultural diversity.
The results of the 2023 survey highlighted the continuing growth in support for international students and their positive impact on New Zealand since 2016 when only 57 percent believed international students helped the New Zealand economy and economic growth.
The proportion of New Zealanders who feel that international students make it harder for New Zealanders to get jobs also decreased from 34 percent in 2018 to 24 percent in 2023.
However, some respondents expressed concern that some international students use the New Zealand education system as a means to residency, while 32 percent felt New Zealand’s infrastructure in housing, transport and medical services is not well equipped to allow for international students.
Mr Bilbrough said the positive result from the domestic survey was also good news.
“International students have always been a significant contributor to regional economies. It is particularly pleasing that there is strong awareness and support of the cultural exchanges that happen when international students learn alongside New Zealand students and participate in our communities. While the research identified some challenges, the definite trend in awareness of the benefits international students bring to New Zealand is very positive for the future.”
For further information:
Sai Raje | Senior Communications Advisor, Education New Zealand
sai.raje@enz.govt.nz
+64 21 479 649
Notes to Editors:
About Education New Zealand (ENZ) https://www.enz.govt.nz/
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is the government agency responsible for taking New Zealand’s education experiences to the world. ENZ promotes a New Zealand education as one that teaches students to be critical thinkers, problem solvers and lifelong learners, which will help them succeed in their future careers and create a positive impact on the world.
With approximately 100 staff in 18 locations around the world, ENZ works closely with New Zealand’s diverse education sector including schools, English language providers, Private Training Establishments, Te Pūkenga (Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics), universities; and internationally with NZ Inc agencies, Government agencies and education providers to encourage sustainable growth and identify opportunities.
JSJ is the abbreviation in Chinese for ‘Website of Information on International Education Affairs Supervision and Management’ (Chinese Pinyin: Jiaoyu Shewai Jianguan Xinxiwang; Chinese Characters: 教育涉外监管信息网). Since 2003, this had been a key portal used by Chinese students and families to find information on overseas institutions. To be added to the JSJ list, providers had to apply to China’s MoE for approval but in late 2022, the JSJ List for all countries was removed from the JSJ Website. Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) has been informed that this list will not be returning.
A new list of international institutions was released in late 2023 on the Smart Education of China website (Chinese Pinyin: Guojia Zhihui Jiaoyu Gonggong Fuwu Pingtai; Chinese characters: 国家智慧教育公共服务平台). This is an official government website supplying standardised information and services on education to the public.
New Zealand institutions will appear on the new list if a student had a qualification from that institution successfully verified by the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE), within the past five years. The CSCSE is the agency under China MoE mandated to provide verification of foreign qualifications. It should be noted that the CSCSE’s scope of services extends only to qualifications at the equivalent of Level 5 and above on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework. This process is automatic, and institutions cannot apply to China MoE or CSCSE to be listed. A summary of the New Zealand Higher Education Institutions included on this CSCSE list (as of January 2024) can be found here.
Notably CSCSE has an existing list of overseas institutions which have issued qualifications that students have successfully verified through the agency. The information on the Smart Education of China website replicates this list. Any updates to the listed institutions will be made to both lists simultaneously. The CSCSE List is available (in Chinese) here - https://yxcx.cscse.edu.cn/rzyxmd?aisiteOutPageId=515a44d6f5774554a701ff1b20802c0b
If you have any questions in relation to the above that relate to qualification recognition, please contact the NZQA team at: internationalunit@nzqa.govt.nz
If you have any questions in relation to the above that relate to the China market, please contact ENZ’s China team – China@enz.govt.nz
These are the key findings of two ENZ research projects to measure the student experience and the views New Zealanders hold towards international education.
Student experience in New Zealand
In the 2023 International Student Experience survey of 4,755 international students from more than 70 nationalities, 84 percent rated their overall experience positively, while another 83 percent said they would recommend New Zealand as a study destination.
Students were most positive about their personal development and outcomes, with 87 percent saying the experience helpedencourage their curiosity and develop new ideas. Students were also very positive (88 percent) about the people and connections they made in New Zealand.
New Zealand was the first choice of study destination of 78 percent of respondents and 64 percent said their New Zealand experience had met or exceeded their expectations, which is consistent with previous research.
Commenting on the results, ENZ Student Experience Manager, Ross Crosson, said the results showed that New Zealand’s ability to deliver a quality education to international students had remained strong through the recent pandemic, and boded well for further recovery of the sector.
“The strong preference of students for New Zealand as a place where they can obtain a high-quality education while enjoying unique personal development really shone through in the student experience survey. It was heartening to hear about students growing their confidence because of their study experience in the country.
“We now want to make sure we’re using insights from the survey to inform our work – to ensure New Zealand continues to be the open, inclusive, and welcoming study destination it is known to be.”
ENZ’s Director Insights, Marie Clark, says the survey is a significant undertaking for ENZ and is an important resource for the international education sector.
"For one, it’s the only national survey of international students or indeed even students. We now have the beginnings of a valuable timeseries of data going back to 2019.
"It's important to be able to surface international student insights based on all sorts of variables, including country, sector or gender or a combination of these. We hope people working in the sector will find the sub-sector deep dives and Tableau dashboards particularly insightful resources,” she says.
The International Student Experience Survey 2023 Report is available here on IntelliLab.
Local benefits
In an ENZ survey of 1,100 New Zealanders conducted in December last year, 75 percent of respondents believe that international students benefit New Zealand.
The Ipsos Fast Facts survey, which drew responses from all regions of the country, saw 80 percent of respondents highlighting economic benefits, particularly in local communities, as a key reason for their positive view. Local and cultural contributions were also noted with 81 percent saying international students help local students learn about other cultures and ways of living, and contribute to New Zealand’s cultural diversity.
The results of the 2023 survey highlighted the continuing growth in support for international students and their positive impact on New Zealand since 2016 when only 57 percent believed international students helped the New Zealand economy and economic growth.
The proportion of New Zealanders who feel that international students make it harder for New Zealanders to get jobs also decreased from 34 percent in 2018 to 24 percent in 2023.
However, some respondents expressed concern that some international students use the New Zealand education system as a means to residency, while 32 percent felt New Zealand’s infrastructure in housing, transport and medical services is not well equipped to allow for international students.
Marie said the positive result from the domestic survey was also good news.
“International students have always been a significant contributor to regional economies. It is particularly pleasing that there is strong awareness and support of the cultural exchanges that happen when international students learn alongside New Zealand students and participate in our communities. While the research identified some challenges, the definite trend in awareness of the benefits international students bring to New Zealand is very positive for the future.”
Naumai haere mai school international directors!
Join Mary Camp, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) schools lead and guests on Monday 19 February from 11am to 12.30pm for updates, insights and discussions about what ENZ is doing – and keep us up to date on what’s happening with you.
Highlights of this session will include:
Ross Crosson, ENZ’s Student Experience Manager, presenting findings from the 2023 Student Experience survey;
Mary taking a high-level look at 2023 data and what we’re seeing in key schools’ markets (detailed market updates to come later in the year); and
An opportunity for you to share how 2024 has started off, and what’s on your mind.
Register in advance for this meeting here:
https://enz.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqde-rqz8qG9eR9EhjWsaJxwnPUGRJt6yt
Our next school sector webinar will be held on Wednesday 20 March from 11am – 12:30pm
Topic tbc. Suggestions always welcome!
Register in advance for this meeting here: https://enz.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0od-Cprj0iHdYcue0gGAXPY04bC7cMjPps
The availability of accommodation for international students is often cited by our education partners as a potential barrier to the growth of the international education sector here in New Zealand. To date, evidence of this as a barrier has been anecdotal from individual providers and regions, with no specific data to offer a clear picture on the actual situation and extent of it.
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is therefore conducting a survey of international education providers with the aim to understand more about any potential or actual shortages, where and what accommodation type, and why that be, at a regional, sub-sector and national level. While the survey aims to better understand capacity issues and whether it is a barrier for growth in any part of New Zealand, we importantly want to build an evidence base to then enable tracking over time if a need is identified. Survey results will be shared with peak bodies and regions at an aggregated level to inform cross sector regional conversations and planning to address any issues found.
The survey link has already been sent out to the peak bodies who are forwarding this on to their members. If you are an international education provider here in New Zealand with experience in international student accommodation and have not yet received an email with the survey link, please email SectorEngagementTeam@enz.govt.nz. The survey will be open from now until 1 March 2024.
This is an inaugural survey and if you think a key question or aspect has been missed and should be included in future surveys, please use the free text box to capture this.
