International marketing opens doors for students

International marketing opens doors for Aoraki Polytechnic exchanges

Taking Aoraki Polytechnic’s skills-based education success message out to the world and bringing more international students back to its doors to enjoy “lifestyle” education in a safe, scenic and productive environment is a job that Stephen Pope loves.

Only a couple of months into a newly-created role at Aoraki as international partnership manager, Mr Pope’s overseas missions, which have so far included France, the United Kingdom, and Asia, have opened student and tutor exchange opportunities for Aoraki students in France and Western cuisine training in Timaru for Asian students.

And that’s just for starters. With a visit to China scheduled for July and expressions of interest in Indonesia and Singapore for agriculture education at Aoraki, Mr Pope is building on the polytechnic’s purchase of Aoraki International College (AIC) and the Aoraki English Language Academy (AELA) earlier this year to boost its education profile in international markets.

The acquisitions, now fully-functional within the polytechnic, offer education in the English language for foreign students as well as boosting their pastoral care.

A key strength to the focus on opportunities for overseas students has been the support, professionalism and teamwork of the international team at Aoraki Polytechnic, Mr Pope said.

“International manager Felicity Macfarlane, and student support officers Kerry McAllister and Shannon Stevenson are enabling friendly and effective pathways to our quality programmes for international students.”

Mr Pope said the incorporation positioned the polytechnic as a quality provider of skills-based education for the global marketplace.

“It’s not just the English language side of things, but mainstream courses for international students in different trades like engineering, cookery, food and beverage, hospitality and beauty therapy. We offer virtually an open book to them with a comprehensive support structure and qualifications recognised world-wide,” Mr Pope said.

And in true ambassadorial style to complement his own training as a chef, Mr Pope finds it easy to serve up the virtues of “a region that offers some of New Zealand’s most popular and reputable courses in a safe environment”.

“Excellent pastoral care of all students at Aoraki adds to a caring environment,” he said.

“Add to that the wonderful accommodation options such as homestays, hostels and backpackers, and students, both national and international, quickly see an attractive opportunity – and that’s even before they consider the beautiful scenery and fun seasonal activities that people like to do at certain times of the year like ski-ing and jet boating, tramping and pristine areas in which to camp and relax.

A visit to France in May has already borne fruit. He sees his recent exchange arrangements between Aoraki Polytechnic and two French educational institutions, the St Joseph’s School in the Champagne wine region of France and Notre Dame du Rock in the Véndee Province, as being of enormous benefit to both foreign and domestic students.

“We believe it is important to give Aoraki students the opportunity to travel. An exchange arrangement gives them a chance to work and live for a short period in a foreign country, experiencing a foreign language and culture.

“We are in the process of formalising an exchange agreement with these two French institutions that will see not just students swapping countries but tutors as well.”

Mr Pope said his work in promoting Aoraki was not limited to overseas educational institutions.

“We are also utilising what New Zealand Trade and Enterprise is doing at the massive world trade expo currently under way in Shanghai.

“That is an exciting market for us as well and we will be reaching out to people there and offering learning opportunities to them.”

ENDS