New Zealand-India Education Connect Envisions Collaborative Learning

Education in New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) recently hosted the New Zealand-India Education Connect programme from 8 February to 14 February. The programme fosters dialogue on research, encouraging innovation, cultural exchange and collaboration in 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.

During a media roundtable, Education New Zealand revealed the recipients of the New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZEA) scholarship awardees, empowering 27 Indian students to pursue academics at globally acclaimed New Zealand universities. Customised for Indian students, this scholarship is the result of a partnership between Education New Zealand and all eight 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-focussed 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 to help progress the joint work at the New Zealand Centre.

“As New Zealand and India mark 72 years of formal diplomatic relations in 2024, it is fascinating 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.” said HE David Pine, New Zealand High Commissioner to India.

As part of New Zealand-India Education Connect, the New Zealand delegation explored collaboration with Bangalore universities, emphasising a unified approach to boost student mobility and internationalisation efforts between the two countries. A significant breakthrough in the New Zealand-India relationship, the delegation will further visit GIFT City, fostering dialogue on the city's development and enhancing educational ties.

“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 while 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,” added Lisa Futschek, General Manager International, Education New Zealand.