Education New Zealand Strengthens Bilateral Ties with India at Applied Learning & Employability Connect 2026

Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is actively scaling up its engagement with India’s skills and education ecosystem, riding on the momentum of deepened economic and strategic ties between New Zealand and India. Bringing together a high-level delegation of New Zealand applied learning institutions and senior Indian government, education, and industry stakeholders, the capital hosted the Applied Learning & Employability Connect 2026 at the New Zealand High Commission.

This engagement stands as one of the pioneering initiatives following the landmark New Zealand–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which emphasizes bilateral cooperation across tertiary education, skills training, and workforce development. Built further upon the elevation of ties to a Strategic Partnership in July 2026, the Connect served as a practical platform to examine how New Zealand’s globally recognized applied learning frameworks can support India’s national priorities for employability and future-ready talent.

Institutional Participation and Key Highlights:
The delegation featured representatives from seven prominent New Zealand institutions, showcasing strong institutional commitment to tangible academic partnerships:

Ara Institute of Canterbury

Manukau Institute of Technology and Unitec

Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT)

New Zealand Skills and Education College (NZSE)

Otago Polytechnic

Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec)

Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT)

Speaking on the occasion, Adrian Hirst, Regional Director for India and South Asia at ENZ, noted: “As India and New Zealand enter a stronger phase of their bilateral relationship, Education New Zealand remains committed to building deeper and more meaningful partnerships with India across education and skills. Applied Learning & Employability Connect 2026 reflects that commitment by bringing together India’s vision for a future-ready workforce with New Zealand’s strengths in applied and industry-connected education, creating opportunities for collaboration that can deliver lasting outcomes for learners, institutions and industry.”

Strategic MoUs and Collaborative Pathways:
The event resulted in the formal signing of four strategic Mous between participating New Zealand and Indian institutions, paving the way for international learning pathways and joint initiatives:

Manukau Institute of Technology & Unitec partnered with ASB Academy to facilitate direct student pathways into Bachelor’s degree programs in Business and Computing.

Otago Polytechnic signed an agreement with Vishwakarma Institute of Technology (Pune) and Vishwakarma University (Pune) focusing on student mobility and joint research.

Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) established agreements with GSMS Maritime Training Institute and Sri Chakra Maritime Institute, opening new avenues for international maritime qualifications.

The program’s core deliberations centered around themes like “Transforming Skills for Viksit Bharat @2047: Global Collaboration in Skill Education & Workforce Development” and “Navigating the Applied Learning Landscape: Insights from International Approaches,” laying a robust framework for long-term educational mobility between the two nations.