Berquist is delighted to reconnect with valued partners and alumni and says he is receiving a positive reception around the extra work UC is doing to ensure new international students feel supported and welcome on campus.
“With New Zealand’s borders fully open again, we’re excited to welcome new international students to Christchurch. Ōtautahi has much to offer and this programme brings opportunities for new international students to experience our region early in their studies,” he says.
“And the offer showcases our leadership in experiential learning. Students want to build their employability skills and this programme ensures all new international students have choices relevant to their degree.”
There were a number of stops along the way for the UC team in Southeast Asia.
UC’s International Partnership and Support Manager Monique van Veen joined the Education Minister, Chris Hipkins, in Jakarta and Singapore, where the delegation was warmly welcomed by institutional partners and ministries. Hipkins’ reinforced the message that Aotearoa New Zealand borders are open.
Van Veen joined Berquist, along with UC’s Director of Recruitment Ryan Thomas and International Recruitment Coordinator James Waghorn, to host top agents in Viet Nam and thank them for their ongoing commitment to UC, alongside the Education New Zealand Fair in Ho Chi Minh City.
More partnership meetings were held in Kuala Lumpur. At a reception for UC’s Malaysian partners, hosted by HE Pam Dunn at the New Zealand High Commissioner’s Residence, the group outlined plans for UC’s 150th anniversary celebrations next year.
Berquist then joined the Navitas Business Partners Conference 2022 in Bangkok. The conference presented emerging research on student-demand trends by major market and provided a useful opportunity to network with other Navitas partners as UC reflects on its 10-year relationship through our pathway college University of Canterbury International College. Focusing on the theme Building a Sustainable Future Together, conference attendees all share the desire to build and sustain strong, global partnerships that prepares students for the changing needs of the world’s economies and communities.
Given UC’s worldwide recognition in sustainable education after being placed 11th in the world for Sustainable Education in the inaugural QS ranking based on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), this conference provided an opportunity to continue to share knowledge with other organisations. UC is also recognised as first in the world for Responsible Consumption and Production – SDG 12 – in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
While in Bangkok, Berquist and Waghorn reconnected with local UC alumni as well as Senior Lecturer Tham Piumsomboon from the School of Product Design at a dinner organised by volunteer Alumni Ambassador Chakrit Tiebtienrat. This was the first UC-hosted alumni event held in Bangkok.
