Embassy Visit Acknowledges Successful SIT Collaboration

Officials from the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Christchurch recently visited Southern Institute of Technology | Te Pūkenga to acknowledge the ongoing successful partnership between SIT and Hubei University of Education (HUE).

Consul General He Ying, Consul Xu Li and Consul Shen Jian of the Chinese Consulate General, visited SIT on 26th July, and spent several hours at the Invercargill campus, meeting with SIT management, staff from the International Department, Chinese students studying abroad and five visiting tutors from HUE who are attending a 40-day training programme.

SIT has had an active partnership with the Hubei University of Education for more than a decade. This includes NZQA-approved offshore accreditation, which enabled HUE students to study SIT programmes in English, Hotel and Tourism Management, and most recently, Information Technology in China. At present, students are able to complete dual degrees from HUE and SIT; this allows the graduates to undertake further, higher studies in New Zealand. The dual degree collaboration has also produced the HUE staff training programme in Invercargill.

Teri McClelland, SIT International Manager, recognised the HUE partnership has resulted in strong, collegial relationships forming between staff of both institutions. “The success and strength of the existing partnership has led to the Chinese government extending the agreement for another 10 years,” she said.

The Consul General, He Ying, met with SIT Operations Lead, Daryl Haggerty, Head of Faculty, Hamish Small and Academic Manager, Warren Smith.

More than 20 of the 70 Chinese students currently studying at SIT’s Invercargill campus, took the opportunity to meet with the consuls during their one-day visit. International student, Cecilia Hao, is studying the Master of Applied Management at SIT Invercargill, and believes the consuls genuinely prioritise the safety and security of Chinese students while they’re studying abroad, saying “their visits provide a strong sense of support, and positively influence the well-being of students during their time overseas.”

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