The ITP (Institute of Technology and Polytechnic) delegation of 11 institutes, including SIT CEO Bharat Guha, visited Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou from 26 – 31 July with Hon Penny Simmonds, Minister for Tertiary Education, Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, and Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment, supported by China-based ENZ staff.
In line with the Government’s International Education Going for Growth Plan – a strategy to develop New Zealand as a destination of choice for international students and grow the economy - ENZ arranged the July China delegation to support and grow New Zealand ITP engagement with their second largest international student market - the sector’s second largest source market for international students – some 2,220 enrolments at ITPs in 2025. According to ENZ, overall, New Zealand rates well with international students; 87 percent of international students in New Zealand gave positive ‘overall experience’ ratings in 2025. And China is New Zealand’s largest source of international students, comprising 34 percent of all student enrolments in 2025 (Ministry of Education data).
ENZ aims for the visit included strengthening New Zealand’s bilateral education relationship through high-level engagement with Chinese government and education sector stakeholders; supporting and growing New Zealand ITP institutional and government partnerships, with a focus on the joint programmes between New Zealand and Chinese partners, and to raise the visibility of New Zealand as a safe and welcoming destination for Chinese students.
Minister Simmonds and ITP leaders held a series of events and meetings in the three locations, to connect with high-level government officials, educational leaders, and education agents.
In Beijing, the delegation met with China’s Minister of Education, Minister Huai Jinpeng, who acknowledged the significant delegation led by Minister Simmonds, and said that the visit would “inaugurate” a new chapter in education cooperation between China and New Zealand. He hoped that “concrete and practical exchanges” would take place during the visit to further promote education cooperation between the two nations.
Minister Huai identified public health, agriculture, maritime sciences and AI as key areas for future cooperation with New Zealand. He suggested that ITPs, industry representatives and officials could work together, and proposed that the two sides consider establishing a joint working group, with industry representatives included, to help identify and address future cooperation opportunities.
After the conclusion of the ENZ event, Mr Guha continued his travels and met with five universities: Jianghan University (Wuhan, Hubei province) and Shandong Jiatong University (Jinan, Shandong province) to sign MOU agreements, as well as Guangzhou University and Guangdong Innovation and Entrepreneurship Incubation Base, and longtime partner university, Hubei University of Education (HUE), to celebrate their delegation’s recent visit to SIT.
Jianghan University (JHU) ranks in the top 1% worldwide for materials science, chemistry, environment/ecology, and clinical medicine categories. The university is founded on application-oriented undergraduate education. JHU and SIT share aligned educational philosophies and highly complementary flagship disciplines. This will allow for multiple forms of collaboration, including faculty and student exchanges, credit recognition, joint curriculum development and industry-education integration.
Shandong Jiatong University specialises in transportation and engineering programmes, supported by management and science disciplines; the SIT MOU reflects this with a focus on transportation, automotive engineering and modern logistics. The university is actively engaged in international collaborations, having established partnerships with over 50 universities in nearly 20 countries, to foster faculty and student exchanges and research collaborations.
Both universities will be looking to collaborate with SIT in areas such as Information Technology (IT), Engineering, and Screen Arts.
Mr Guha also acknowledged SIT’s long relationship with Suqian University with a new MOU. Located in Invercargill’s sister city Suqian in Jiangsu province, the two cities signed a sister city agreement 13 years ago; SIT will be looking at further cooperation with the university.
Mr Guha said the highlight of the trip was the opportunity to witness the dialogue between New Zealand’s Minister for Tertiary Education, Hon Penny Simmonds, and China’s Minister of Education, Minister Huai Jinpeng. “The 90-minute meeting was both substantive and constructive, reflecting the strength and importance of the education relationship between our two countries.”
The dialogue also built on an established relationship between the two Ministers, following Minister Huai’s visit to New Zealand last year and his meeting with Minister Simmonds. “It was particularly impressive to see New Zealand, a country of just over five million people, engaging at such a high level with China, a nation of around 1.4 billion people.”
In closing the meeting, Minister Huai extended an invitation to Minister Simmonds and all ITP Chief Executives to attend the World Vocational Education Conference in China in late October 2026. “This was a significant gesture and reinforced the value China places on its educational relationship with New Zealand, particularly in the vocational education sector,” Mr Guha said.
SIT International Marketing Manager, Michelle Zhao, who travelled to China also, described the meetings as very productive. She explained SIT was attractive for Chinese students because it offered unique, innovative programmes, strong government and local government support, and connections with local industry that provide job opportunities for international students. Other benefits were Invercargill’s safe, friendly environment and SIT’s affordable fees. “By having connections with the Chinese institutions, it provides students with learning opportunities in both worlds.”
Ms Zhao thought the trip highlight was New Zealand educational leaders showing respect for the longstanding, valued friendship between the two nations. “This gives Chinese institutions, agents, students and family, confidence to choose us as a study and living destination or cooperation partner.” She added the trip was also a great opportunity for SIT management to learn more about China’s current economic and technology development for future cooperation.