Chinese Education Leaders Visit Wintec
The visiting group met with Wintec leadership and kaimahi (staff) at Wintec's City campus to discuss New Zealand's vocational education sector and identify opportunities for further collaboration.
Warwick Pitts, Wintec Operations Lead, gave the delegation a warm welcome, introducing himself with pepeha, a Māori introduction.
'It [pepeha] is an important part of the way that strangers become friends, and how long partnerships and relationships start and are maintained,' said Warwick.
'Wintec deeply values its long-standing relationship with CEAIE, a relationship that, by extension, connects us with a vast network of Chinese institutions.'
Warwick highlighted the importance of vocational learning and acknowledged Wintec's involvement in various collaborative programmes with China.
'Vocational education plays a pivotal role in keeping up with the needs of today's evolving and increasingly complex world.
'Wintec was proud to have led the Sino–New Zealand Model Programme, through which we trained many Chinese leaders and teachers… We look forward to continuing to work with CEAIE to identify further collaboration opportunities.'
The head of the visiting delegation, Dr An Yan, CEAIE Deputy Secretary-General, also expressed appreciation for the long-standing partnership between Wintec and the CEAIE and looks forward to more collaboration in the future.
"It was a great pleasure to visit the Waikato Institute of Technology with the delegation from higher vocational education institutions. This visit has been highly rewarding, and we believe it will mark the beginning of more collaboration in the future," said An.
The campus visit concluded with the exchanging of gifts, a custom in Chinese culture, followed by a waiata (song) from Wintec kaimahi.
Wintec has led and contributed to numerous key education partnerships with China, including the Sino–New Zealand Model Programme, interactive design collaborations with Jinhua Vocational and Technical University, and the Train the Trainer initiative.
Through its delivery of effective on and offshore programmes, Wintec continues to develop and maintain international partnerships in China.
About Wintec
Wintec (Waikato Institute of Technology) is an institute of technology based in New Zealand's Waikato region. Wintec offers a wide range of degrees, diplomas and certificates. With a focus on practical, hands-on learning, Wintec is dedicated to equipping students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in their chosen careers.
Wintec is currently part of Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, located in region 2 of the national network.
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