Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) management team members hosted the 2025 Manaaki Scholars and Minister for Vocational Education and MP for Invercargill the Hon Penny Simmonds, at Kahu Ariki café on Monday, for a luncheon to officially welcome students to SIT and Invercargill from across the Pacific Island nations.
The five recently arrived students who’ve come from Palau, Samoa and Papua New Guinea to gain their qualifications at SIT, had the opportunity to meet and chat with Ms Simmonds and management team members over the lunch.
Ms Simmonds stated the Manaaki Scholars programme is a fantastic opportunity to strengthen ties between New Zealand and the Pacific region through education. “It’s wonderful to see these students choosing SIT as their study destination, where they’ll gain valuable skills to take back home and contribute to their communities. The warm welcome and strong support network they receive here in Invercargill will help set them up for success."
SIT Pasifika Liaison, Sam Sala, said the lunch was to help the new Pasifika students settle into their new surroundings. “We’re welcoming and celebrating them being at SIT,” he said, and to facilitate management learning more about the students by connecting with them directly.
The Manaaki Scholarship initiative funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and managed by Education New Zealand offers full scholarships to selected students. The last couple of years have seen an increase in the number of Manaaki Scholarship students coming to SIT from the Pasifika region. “We’re getting more scholars than in previous years,” Mr Sala said, explaining that SIT was one of only three institutes of technology nationwide approved to take Manaaki scholars.
The aim of a Manaaki New Zealand scholarship is to support citizens from developing countries to study and gain qualifications in New Zealand, so they can positively impact their country's development by sharing new skills and knowledge gained from their studies. The scholarships include expenses such as tuition fees, return airfares, insurance, basic living costs, and set-up costs in New Zealand. It is a requirement of the scholarships that the students return home for a minimum of two years to give back to and help advance their communities.
So far in 2025, SIT has two Manaaki scholars undertaking full degrees, with one more currently due to arrive soon; and three short-term Manaaki scholars completing six months to one-year qualifications. Mr Sala is expecting further scholars to arrive from East Timor, Kiribati and Vanuatu later in the year. He believes the numbers will continue to trend upwards as SIT established itself, and more graduates returned home to spread the word. “We’re holding our own in getting scholars here (and) certainly doing something right,” Mr Sala stated. “SIT’s value as a study destination seems to be spreading by word of mouth.”
While some students initially thought they would attend university in a larger centre, those who enrolled at SIT and came to Invercargill “were pleasantly surprised” when they arrived. “What surprises most of them when they come to Invercargill, is how well it suits them,” said Mr Sala. “A lot are from villages. It’s quieter (here) than the larger urban centres; they can get around the city easily.”
There was also a high satisfaction rate amongst the Pasifika students. Mr Sala believed it was because of the support offered to SIT students. “We have approachable staff and excellent Student Support Services”, which offered wide-ranging support from mentors, health nurses, and counsellors, to learning assistance, campus activities, interest groups and more. Connecting the students with management team members was “so they know they are valued at SIT. All these factors combine to give them a very satisfactory experience”, Mr Sala said.