ISANA NZ

08/10/2026

We're proud to celebrate the students who completed the SAIL (Students as Intercultural Leaders) programme, delivered through the University of Canterbury Student Ambassador Programme in partnership with ISANA New Zealand.

SAIL is all about empowering students to lead across cultures. Through the programme, UC's student ambassadors developed their intercultural communication and leadership skills, and explored practical ways to help students from all backgrounds feel connected, included and supported at university.

A huge thank you to our partners at the University of Canterbury for making this possible, and congratulations to every student who took part. We can't wait to see how you carry these skills into your studies, careers and communities. 🎓

Learn more about SAIL - https://www.isana.nz/the-sail-programme

30/09/2026

Our first Depth Markets Webinar, Supporting Indian International Students, kicks off Wednesday, October 7 at 11am with Pratishtha Purohit & Chris Beard

30 minutes of insight, 20 minutes of live Q&A – all online and free via Zoom.

If you haven't registered yet, now's the time: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/n7t-vqo3T_Ggm4aMOgEo5A

A recording will be made available to ISANA NZ members.

30/09/2026

Resource of the Month: Helping international students budget 💸

For many international students, studying in Aotearoa is the first time they've managed their own money, and costs here can look very different from home. This free 10-minute guide helps you support students before money worries build up.

It covers common budgeting pitfalls (from cost of living and transport to bond and rent-in-advance surprises), why opening a bank account before arrival matters, where to send students who need help now, and budgeting tools and discounts you can share at orientation.

Check it out: https://www.isana.nz/toolkit/tailored-support/helping-international-students-budget

28/09/2026

Join us for the International Learner Wellbeing Forum - Nov 10

As the number of at-risk international students grows, how can schools and education providers work together to support them well?

ISANA NZ invites you to a day of practical insights and discussion on partnerships, consortium travel, mental health support and links with health services.

📅 Tuesday 10 November 2026, 9:00am to 3:00pm

📍 Old Boys Pavilion, Auckland Grammar School, Epsom

What we'll explore:

🔹 Partnerships, consortium travel, student wellbeing and crisis management with Lynda Lidgard (Rangitoto College) and Josh Brodie (Massey High School)

🔹 Tailored mental health support and referral practice with Jason Chang (University of Canterbury)

🔹 Education provider and health service connections with Romy Lee and colleagues from Asian Family Services

Who should come? Anyone working with international students, including welfare, pastoral care, homestay, Code of Practice roles, education leadership, and health and community services.

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/connecting-international-education-and-health-professionals-for-learner-wellbeing

23/09/2026

Advice for education providers and agents: encourage early student visa applications

Kia ora everyone. Immigration New Zealand has asked us to share this key message with our networks.

Immigration New Zealand receives high volumes of student visa applications all year round. To give students the best chance of a decision before they need to travel or start study, here's what to pass on:

✅ Apply early. Students should apply at least 3 months before their study starts, or sooner if they have all their documents ready. This is especially important for applicants from India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, where high volumes and complex documentation can mean longer processing times.

✅ Choose the right visa. Applying for the wrong student visa type will delay assessment.

✅ Submit a complete application. Include only the documents needed, and make sure the evidence is clear, relevant and verifiable. Unnecessary documents can cause delays, and missing information may result in a decline.

✅ Keep information up to date. If contact details, course details, Offer of Place, enrolment status or other circumstances change, students should update INZ as soon as possible.

Please share with your students, agents and colleagues.

🔗 Tips for a smooth application:

Find out how applying for your student visa early can help you prepare for study in New Zealand.

22/09/2026

SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT | Cameron Bagrie

New Zealand's productivity gap isn't a new problem. But what if one sector could show us how to close it?

Meet Cameron Bagrie, Managing Director at Bagrie Economics and former Chief Economist at ANZ. With 30+ years in banking and economics, Cameron is one of New Zealand's most respected economic commentators, known for his straight-shooting, no-nonsense approach and his commitment to improving financial literacy across the country.

Hear his take as he joins our panel to explore export education as a paradigm for improving productivity.

📅 Monday 12 October | 11:30am – 1:30pm
📍 Creative HQ, Wellington
🎟️ Free, but limited to 40 attendees.

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/export-education-a-test-case-for-improving-productivity

21/09/2026

This Wednesday! Immigration New Zealand joins us for our next Catch-up Cafe. Have you registered?

📅 Wednesday 23 September
🕚 11am to 12pm

Hear directly from the team about what's happening across the sector and what's on the horizon, and bring your own questions.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/IA4VVvO3SU-3HEe2VYlkMg

15/09/2026

New Zealand has a productivity problem.

The OECD consistently ranks us near the bottom on productivity, and it's time we talked honestly about why, and what could actually change it.

On 12 October, we're bringing together government and industry leaders to unpack export education's potential as a paradigm for improving productivity. What improvements could be made and what impact they could have? Would a modest re-balancing of current investment and resources make a qualitative difference to improved productivity? (e.g. improving graduate satisfaction rates and repeat demand).

On the panel:

Cameron Bagrie: Managing Director, Bagrie Economics; former Chief Economist, ANZ

Kenneth Leong: Corporate Finance & Investment, Tiaki Capital

Dr Angela Liew FCA FCPA MInstD: Former Senior Lecturer

MC'd by ISANA NZ CEO, Chris Beard. 60–90 minute panel + Q&A.

📅 Monday 12 October | 11:00am – 2:00pm
📍 Creative HQ, 7 Dixon Street, Wellington
🎟️ Free | Limited to 40 seats

This one's for the decision-makers; government officials and senior/middle managers shaping policy and industry investment.

A recording of the event will be made available to ISANA NZ members.

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/export-education-a-test-case-for-improving-productivity

15/09/2026

Introducing the Depth Markets Webinar Series 🔎

Most conversations about international education stay broad: global trends, generic data, broad trends in-country. Our Depth Markets approach takes a more granular look.

Each session zooms in on one student market at a time to unpack the real nuance: the cultural context, the on-the-ground challenges, and what genuinely works when supporting students from that specific market.

Upcoming webinar: Supporting Indian International Students, with Pratishtha Purohit.

Pratishtha arrived in New Zealand with 15 years of leadership experience already behind her, and quickly discovered that qualifications alone don't unlock belonging. The real lessons were in the spaces between: navigating unwritten rules, rebuilding confidence, and learning what connection truly means in Aotearoa. She will speak to how, in her experience, this impacts Indian students.

Over the past 14 years, her work has spanned both sides of that journey, supporting more than 3,000 international students, while also working alongside Māori and Pasifika communities at the grassroots level. That rare dual perspective now shapes every program and partnership her organisation, EduventureNZ delivers.

Join us for the live webinar:

🗓️ Wed, Oct 7 | 11am | Online via Zoom
🎤 30-min presentation + 20-min live Q&A

Register 👉 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/n7t-vqo3T_Ggm4aMOgEo5A

07/09/2026

The ISANA AU conference kicks off today in Melbourne 🎉

This year's theme, “Resilient Futures: Leading International Education Through Transformation and Global Uncertainty”, couldn't be more timely. As the sector navigates rapid change, we're bringing together leaders, practitioners and researchers to chart a path forward together.

The developing program spans seven streams:

🔹 Resilience
🔹 Technology & AI
🔹 Student Services
🔹 Safety & Inclusion
🔹 Workforce Capability
🔹 Regulation
🔹 Research

Chris (ISANA NZ CEO) presents "Building specialist expertise in the international education sector: foundations for a resilient future" on Wednesday at 9am.

Check the full program here: https://isanaconference.com/program/