Te Hononga a Kiwa SEACAPE scholarship recipients at the Aotearoa Ball in Singapore with New Zealand music industry stalwarts Tiki Taane and Anika Moa.
Four Massey business students have been given first-hand experience of the Asian market through two government-funded study tours to the region.
The Te Hononga a Kiwa SEACAPE (South East Asia-Pacific Excellence) study tour took three Massey students to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to learn about the culture and business protocols of the region. Bachelor of Business student Ezekiel Raui and Bachelor of AgriCommerce students Ariana Hadfield and Keenan Kaiwai all agreed it was an amazing experience. The trio also attended the Aotearoa Ball in Singapore, which celebrated all things New Zealand.
“We were able to see businesses from the inside, gaining specialist insight on a range of areas, including demand, international law and the marketing strategies being developed throughout the businesses,” Mr Kaiwai says.
He says he also learned a lot about international business and the importance of agricommerce, which was relevant to his degree. “It’s shown me how my theory, learned here at Massey, applies in practice across a range of areas.”
In business, culture matters
Bachelor of Business student Michaela Martin got the opportunity to visit China as part of a delegation of Māori students participating in the NACAPE (North Asia Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence) study tour.
The group visited a range of successful New Zealand organisations operating in China, including Zespri China, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and FoodView.
“Being able to see the growth of these companies and the scale in which they operate has given me incomparable first-hand industry knowledge,” Ms Martin says.
She says the trip gave her a greater appreciation for the need for cross-cultural communication and the importance it plays in business economic development, specifically in relation to Māori.
Ms Martin says the tour was not only an opportunity to meet with industry experts, but also a chance to travel with like-minded tauira toa (student leaders) from around the country.
“Being able to stand beside other young Māori leaders has been both a privilege and an honour.”
All the students were supported by Massey's International Relations Office and the DVC Māori and Pasifika and with travel scholarships funded by SEACAPE and NACAPE.