Education New Zealand, the lead government agency promoting New Zealand education internationally, organized a five-day virtual workshop held from June 14 to 18 to maintain the country’s engagement with key in-market stakeholders.

The event showcased the qualities of a New Zealand education, highlighting ENZ’s initiatives and brought together industry stakeholders and partners from 10 countries in Asia, including South Korea.

Last July, the government said it would spend 51.6 million New Zealand dollars ($36 million) as part of its long-term strategic recovery plan to stabilize the country’s international education sector.

The charge d’affaires at the New Zealand Embassy in Seoul, Jeong Park, said they are delighted to see New Zealand and the Republic of Korea connect, collaborate, ask important questions, and share ideas about current education trends and the future of education during the New Zealand Partners Workshop Week 2021.

“As part of the workshop many Korean teachers joined with Dr. Maggie Hartnett from New Zealand’s Massey University and learnt effective online teaching strategies -- a relevant topic because of the limitations on in-person teaching imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic -- it makes substantive education collaboration between two countries,” Park said via email.

Chief Executive of Education New Zealand Grant McPherson said, “ENZ has strengthened collaborative programmes such as online exchanges between students from both countries and signing of the Education Cooperation Arrangement between Education New Zealand and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in March.”

As part of the workshop, about 450 Korean teachers joined an online seminar on June 17 hosted by New Zealand’s Massey University titled “Effective Online Teaching.”