Source: Massey University
Manager Student Life Services Mark Rainier, International Student Support Officer Jamie Hooper, Dean Pacific Professor Tasa Havea, Tuvalu High Commissioner to New Zealand His Excellency Paulson Panapa, First Secretary at Tuvalu High Commission Simalua Enele and Massey Learning Consultant Sonny Liuvaie.
Massey’s International Relations team has hosted a number of visits from different embassies during Semester One, as it works towards realising Massey’s desire to be a university of global reach and impact despite New Zealand’s borders remaining closed.
The High Commissioner of Tuvalu, His Excellency Paulson Panapa visited the Manawatū campus last month. Massey currently has four international students from Tuvalu, two studying Aviation Management, one in Construction and another in Resource Environmental Planning.
The High Commissioner was accompanied by the First Secretary at Tuvalu High Commission in Wellington Simalua Jacinta Enele, and the focus of the visit was on student wellbeing and performance.
Earlier in the semester, the Thai Ambassador met with Vice Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas and discussed Thailand’s commitment to building capacity in the food and agri-tech sector. His Excellency Mr Pornpop Uampidhaya also touched on Thailand’s focus on increasing innovation and design thinking across its research and business sectors.
Almost 20 international students from Thailand are enrolled at Massey this year across a range of programmes. Prior to the pandemic, Massey typically attracted between 50 – 70 new students from Thailand each year. Those that remain are either studying by distance until they are able to join us on campus or arrived in New Zealand before March 2020. Massey also has a number of strategic partnerships with universities in Thailand, including a bilateral relationship with Kasetsart University that was first formalised in 1983.
The Israeli Ambassador His Excellency Mr Ran Yaakoby also visited Massey earlier in the year and shared insights into the education system in Israel. The Ambassador visited the New Zealand Food Safety Science & Research Centre and met with Professor Nigel French, discussing food safety and the work the centre does. Commercialisation of research continues to be a key driver for the Israeli Government’s investment in international research and its own tertiary education system.
Embassies play a key role in the identification and coordination of mutually beneficial collaborations in international education, research, extension and commercialisation. The Global Engagement team engage with Diplomatic Corps on a regular basis at national events and are responsible for hosting them on Massey’s three campuses.
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Created: 23/08/2021 | Last updated: 23/08/2021
