Teachers to share Shanghai learning with their students

Teachers to share Shanghai learning with their students

Ten New Zealand teachers will be able to pass on their first-hand insights into business in Asia to their students after an upcoming study trip to China.

The teachers will head to Shanghai this weekend (June 24, 2012) to participate in a week-long business studies forum organised by the Asia New Zealand Foundation (Asia:NZ).

The study tour is designed to help the teachers learn more about the importance of Asia to New Zealand and deepen their knowledge of New Zealand’s business connections with China.

Asia:NZ’s director of education Vanessa Lee, who is leading the tour, says the programme will help teachers gain first hand understanding of the business, culture, customs and development of the region, and identify key skills that their students will need in the “Asian Century”.

It is the second time the foundation has organised the trip. “Teachers who participated last year have undertaken a range of initiatives to boost Asia content in their schools, such as including business case studies from the trip into their teaching, organising study trips to Asia, and suggesting that their school introduce Mandarin as a subject.”

This year’s Shanghai visit will include presentations from Zespri, Air New Zealand, Disney Corporation, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Tourism New Zealand and others. The teachers will also travel to the city of Hangzhou to visit the global headquarters of e-commerce giant Alibaba.com.

The participating teachers are:

• Glendowie College head of economics and business studies Bridget Rothbart

• Takapuna Grammar School business studies teacher Emma Johnson

• Lynfield College head of business Ravindra (Ravi) Reddy

• John Paul College head of business and economics Minka Webb

• Tauranga Girls’ College business studies and economics teacher Amanda Haines

• Samuel Marsden Collegiate School head of humanities Fiona Crawford

• Rangiora High School head of business and enterprise Paula McDonald

• Christ’s College head of commerce Graeme Christey

• Christchurch Boys’ High School teacher in charge of business and junior commerce Steve Aldhamland

• Otago Girls’ High School head of commerce Gemma Boel

The teachers will be accompanied by members of Asia:NZ’s Young Leaders Network who have experience doing business in China.

Onehunga High School principal Deidre Shea will also be participating in the forum. As well as learning more about China, the trip will also help her prepare to send Onehunga High School business studies students to Shanghai for the first time next year. Students have previously visited New York as part of the business studies programme.

“This is a major shift in focus for the school,” Vanessa Lee says. “It’s fantastic to see they have recognised the need for their students to become Asia-ready.”

She says the trip is part of Asia:NZ’s wider work aimed at increasing the amount of Asia-content in school curricula. Many of the schools participating in the trip are involved in Asia:NZ’s Business Education Partnership, http://www.asianz.org.nz/our-work/business-education-partnership/what-it, which connects schools to influential companies doing business in Asia.

For instance, Christ’s College has a partnership with Jade Software and Takapuna Grammar School has one with Cathay Pacific. http://www.asianz.org.nz/our-work/business-education-partnership/individual-partnerships/takapuna-cathay

Asia:NZ’s education programme will also see 13 New Zealand school principals travelling to Singapore in July, where they will be involved in a range of business, education and cultural activities designed to increase their understanding of the city-state.

Asia:NZ is a non-profit, non-political organisation dedicated to building New Zealand’s links with Asia through business, culture, education, research and media.

ENDS

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