New Zealand-India Education Connect Fosters Newer Ways of Collaboration Between Both Countries

Building on New Zealand and India’s strong diplomatic relations, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) hosted the New Zealand-India Education Connect programme, from 8-14 February. The initiative was crafted to generate bilateral dialogue on research while fostering innovation, culture exchange, and cooperation in the context of international education.

The programme had delegates from New Zealand universities as well as Education New Zealand interacting with stakeholders across the education and government sectors in India to strengthen dialogue on internationalisation and student mobility.

At a media roundtable hosted in New Delhi, Education New Zealand announced the esteemed New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZEA) scholarship awardees, empowering 27 Indian students to study at globally ranked New Zealand universities. Specifically tailored for Indian students, this scholarship is a collaborative effort between Education New Zealand and all eight New Zealand universities, which rank in the global top 3 percent (of 1,500 institutions) according to the 2024 QS World University Rankings. Since its inception in 2016, the New Zealand Excellence Awards Scholarships programme has empowered more than 200 Indian students to pursue their academic aspirations at top-tier universities in New Zealand.

In 2023, Education New Zealand unveiled an exciting fellowship programme for promoting joint research projects at the New Zealand Centre at IIT Delhi. The Centre is a research-focused hub that fosters collaborative, sustainable, self-supporting research programmes in areas such as climate change, disaster management, urban planning, and environmental monitoring which are all shared areas of national interest for both countries.

This initiative aimed to facilitate academic exchange and collaboration between universities in New Zealand and India. Following the engagement, six esteemed academics—four from New Zealand universities and two from IIT Delhi—were selected as fellows helping progress the joint work at the New Zealand Centre.

HE David Pine, New Zealand High Commissioner to India, sharing about the New Zealand-India Connect Week, said, “As New Zealand and India mark 72 years of formal diplomatic relations in 2024, it is fascinating to see to see how well we have nurtured bilateral ties in education. This relationship has grown through collaborations in academic research, student exchanges, and mutual cultural initiatives. Through developments discussed at the New Zealand-India Connect, we aim to further promote our shared goals of educational excellence and global collaboration.”

Adding to the discussion, Lisa Futschek, General Manager International, Education New Zealand said, “While India currently remains New Zealand’s second-largest source country for international students, we plan to further strengthen this partnership through effective research and academic collaborations whilst continuing to support student mobility initiatives. The all-new initiatives aim to deepen educational ties, foster cultural exchange, and enhance academic collaboration between our two nations.”

During New Zealand-India Education Connect, the New Zealand delegation also explored education collaboration possibilities with various universities in Bangalore. These meetings were focused on establishing a unified approach towards strengthening student mobility and internationalisation initiatives between New Zealand and India. Charting a breakthrough in the New Zealand – India relationship, the delegation will visit GIFT City, and encourage dialogue on the developing city’s ecosystem, and strengthening education ties.

The visiting senior delegates and academics from New Zealand universities include:

 

Auckland University of Technology

Prof. Damon Salesa, Vice Chancellor
Amy Malcolm, Head of the Vice-Chancellor’s Office
Meredith Smart, International Director
William Ho, Director International Relations, and Recruitment
Lincoln University

Prof. Damian Lodge, Deputy Vice-Chancellor-Student Life
Shveta Mendon, International Marketing Executive

Massey University

Prof. Tere McGonagle-Daly, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Students and Global Engagement
Pooja Malik, Country Lead – Recruitment and Partnerships
The University of Auckland

Prof Partha Roop, Associate Dean International – Department of Electrical, Computer and Software Engineering
Martin Hookham-Simms, International Director
Amita Gejji, International Manager
The University of Waikato

Prof. Alister Jones, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Ashish Suri, Regional Manager South Asia
University of Canterbury

Brett Berquist , Assistant Vice-Chancellor Engagement
Dr Graham Wise, Director of International Development
Monique Van Veen, Associate Director International
University of Otago

Prof. Anthony Ballantyne FRSNZ, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement)
Jason Cushen, Director, International
Victoria McEniery, Senior Regional Market Manager – South Asia and the Middle East, International
Riddhi Khurana, In-country Advisor (South Asia)

 

Victoria University of Wellington

 

Isaac Brosnan, Associate Director International
Martin Quietzsch, Senior International Recruitment Manager

 

Education New Zealand

Lisa Futschek, General Manager International
Ben Burrowes, Regional Director, Asia, Education New Zealand
Jugnu Roy, Director of Engagement East Asia and India, Education New Zealand
Andy Walker, Business Development Manager, Education New Zealand
Monika Chaudhary, Market Development Manager, Education New Zealand
Bhupinder Kaur, Market Development Manager, Education New Zealand
The New Zealand universities have active Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Indian universities, as mentioned below:

Massey University’s MoUs
Jindal University to explore the potential to collaborate in the areas of Business, Non-clinical Psychology, and Media and communications starting
Symbiosis International University for a Master of Management Articulation

The University of Waikato’s MoUs
Vidyalankar School of Information Technology (VSIT) on providing VSIT students with a pathway of study to the Bachelor of Science (BSc) programme major in Computer Science
Rajagiri Business School to explore collaboration opportunities with Waikato Management School (WMS)
Manav Rachna University to allow students from Manav Rachna University to progress from undergraduate programmes offered by the Department of Law at the university to a number of postgraduate study options at Waikato including but not limited to, Master of Laws (LLM) , Master of Legal Studies (MLS) , and Magister Juris (M Jur)
Bennett University, MOU signed with Faculty of Law to support pathway from BU LLB to LLM
OP Jindal Global University (Jindal Global Law School), MOU is signed with Faculty of Law. Pathway for JGLS Bachelor of Legal Studies to UoM Master of Legal Studies

University of Otago MoUs
University of Tomorrow, Dehradun and Ashoka University, Haryana, to exchange of information and materials that are of mutual interest, exchange between the two institutions of academic and administrative staff, and students
Chandigarh School of Business, Chandigarh university for Indian students to complete four semesters of B.Com at Otago Business School

 

University of Canterbury MoU
Te Whare Wānanga of Waitaha | University of Canterbury academics have been awarded two of four inaugural IIT-Delhi India-New Zealand Centre Fellowships on the research on mathematical and astronomical traditions of Indian knowledge systems and their connections to modern science and technology

Auckland University of Technology (AUT) University MoU
IIT Madras which includes joint research activities, funding applications, and collaborative post graduate programmes
IIT Hyderabad to facilitate and promote cooperation between AUT and IITH through joint research in disciplines of mutual interest

The University of Auckland (UoA) MoU
UPES, University of Tomorrow, Dehradun to foster academic exchange and cooperation through Cooperation between professors and research staff, student mobility; and joint research and meetings for research
Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) -Vellore and Chennai Campus to foster academic exchange and cooperation between the two institutions through cooperation between professors and research staff, student mobility, dual degrees programmes, joint supervision, joint research and meetings for research