Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao

What Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao does

Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is a Crown Entity established in 2011 and headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand. The agency operates as the government-mandated national body for promoting Aotearoa New Zealand as an international study destination and administering the international education sector. ENZ does not generate commercial revenue; it is funded through New Zealand Government appropriations and serves four primary stakeholder groups: prospective international students, education providers (universities, ITPs, PTEs, English language providers), international education agents, and partner government agencies including Immigration New Zealand and MFAT.

ENZ's core offering comprises six interconnected digital platforms unified under the MaiENZ single sign-on ecosystem. Study with New Zealand serves as the prospective student portal for course and institution discovery; NauMai NZ supports enrolled students with resources and community connections; Brand Lab distributes approved marketing collateral to providers; IntelliLab delivers market intelligence and research; and AgentLab provides training, certification, and management for international recruitment agents. The agency also administers scholarship programs including the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships (for students from developing countries), the New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZ$260,000 for Indian students), and the Prime Minister's Scholarships for Asia and Latin America. Supporting activities include in-market roadshows (most recently Sri Lanka in March 2025), the biennial NZIEC conference, and the KIWI Challenge competition series.

The agency's go-to-market combines event-driven recruitment across nine-plus source markets (India, China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Latin America), channel partnerships through certified education agents, and community-led engagement via alumni networks and Whānau Councils. ENZ coordinates the broader New Zealand international education ecosystem with measurable outcomes: 63,610 international student enrolments between January and April 2025 (a 16% year-over-year increase and 49% rise from 2023), NZ$4.52 billion in annual sector economic contribution, and an 87% positive student experience rating in 2025. Leadership transitioned in 2025-2026, with Amanda Malu's departure, Linda Sissons serving as Acting CEO, and David Downs appointed Chief Executive effective 2 June 2026.

Name

Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao

Legal name

Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao

Website

https://enz.govt.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Education Promotion Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Transnational Education Authorities (e.g., cross-border recognition) (EDADAAAJ)

Keywords

• International education promotion
• Government education agency
• Student recruitment services
• Education marketing platforms
• Scholarship administration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellington

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: ENZ is a Crown Entity funded by the New Zealand Government through appropriations. The agency does not generate commercial revenue but receives operational funding to promote international education and administer scholarship programs.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is a New Zealand Government Crown Entity that promotes Aotearoa New Zealand as an international study destination. It delivers a suite of digital platforms (MaiENZ, Study with New Zealand, NauMai NZ, Brand Lab, IntelliLab, AgentLab), administers scholarship programmes (Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships, New Zealand Excellence Awards, Prime Minister's Scholarships), and runs recruitment roadshows and competitions to support NZ education providers and education agents internationally.

Product overview

Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is a Crown Entity government agency that promotes Aotearoa New Zealand as a study destination and manages the international education sector. Its product portfolio consists of six interconnected digital platforms: MaiENZ (core digital hub with single sign-in), Study with New Zealand (prospective student portal), NauMai NZ (current student support portal), Brand Lab (marketing asset toolkit), IntelliLab (market research and insights), and AgentLab (agent registration and management). These platforms are complemented by scholarship programmes including Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships (inbound international students), Prime Minister's Scholarships for Asia and Latin America (outbound NZ students), and New Zealand Excellence Awards (India-focused). Supporting initiatives include the KIWI Challenge competition and the Study with New Zealand Roadshow series. Together, these offerings provide end-to-end coverage from student recruitment and visa support through to alumni engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MaiENZ: Digital services platform with single sign-on access to ENZ services
• Brand Lab
• Study with New Zealand
• IntelliLab
• NauMai NZ
• AgentLab
• Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships
• New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZEA)
• Prime Minister's Scholarships for Asia and Latin America

Products and services

• MaiENZ A single sign-in digital platform that provides education providers, agents, and institutions with personalised dashboards to access ENZ services, tools, and resources. It is the central hub tying together ENZ's digital ecosystem for the B2B provider audience.
• Study with New Zealand The official portal for prospective international students to discover study opportunities in New Zealand, search courses and institutions, learn about scholarships and visas, and begin the application process.
• NauMai NZ Digital platform for current and enrolled international students in New Zealand providing resources, information, community connections, and support services throughout their study experience.
• Brand Lab Online resource providing marketing collateral, toolkits, and approved brand assets for education agents and providers to use in promoting New Zealand as a study destination.
• IntelliLab Research and market intelligence platform providing insights, data, and analysis on international education markets, trends, and student mobility for NZ education providers.
• AgentLab Registration, training, and management platform for education agents working with New Zealand institutions, providing tools, resources, and certification for agent partners.
• Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships Government-funded scholarship programme, delivered through the New Zealand Aid Programme, building future leaders in developing countries by supporting international students to study at New Zealand institutions.
• Prime Minister's Scholarships for Asia and Latin America Government-funded scholarships enabling New Zealanders to study abroad in Asia and Latin America, administered by ENZ in partnership with MFAT to strengthen international relationships and workforce skills.
• New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZEA) Scholarship programme jointly administered by ENZ and New Zealand's eight universities offering funding to Indian students pursuing higher education in New Zealand, emphasising work-ready learning and career outcomes. NZ$260,000 in funding was allocated for the 2025 academic cycle.
• KIWI Challenge Innovation competition for Indonesian students showcasing New Zealand education, with themed challenges (e.g., smart cities and AI, sustainable waste management) designed to attract prospective students to NZ programmes.
• Study with New Zealand Roadshow Series of in-market education roadshows featuring New Zealand institutions across multiple subsectors, used to build brand awareness and drive student enrolments in source markets such as Sri Lanka.

Quantifiable outcome

• 87% positive rating from international students for overall experience
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Thames International (Sri Lanka)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2025ENZ partnered with Thames International to deliver the first-ever Study with New Zealand Roadshow in Sri Lanka (March 5-8). The partnership included student fairs in Colombo and Kandy featuring 19 NZ education institutions across three subsectors, supported by the 'New Zealand Taught Me' campaign.
• New Zealand UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENZ works jointly with New Zealand's eight universities to administer scholarship programs including New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZ$260,000 funding for 2025 academic cycle) and coordinate international recruitment activities.
• Immigration New ZealandcoreTechnology or IntegrationENZ coordinates with Immigration New Zealand on visa processing, policy updates, and student visa initiatives. ENZ can receive updates on visa application status with student consent.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENZ collaborates with MFAT on government-to-government education activities, Prime Minister's Scholarships for Asia and Latin America, and Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships funded through the New Zealand Aid Programme.
• Pacific Cooperation FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPCF provided summer internship opportunities for Manaaki scholarship recipients, enabling students to gain work experience in large multicultural organizations in New Zealand.
• Latin America Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence (LatAm CAPE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLatAm CAPE funds the Winds of Change programme hosted by Otago University, enabling collaboration between NZ and Chilean students on climate change research and sustainable strategies.
• Study in Wellington (WellingtonNZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudy in Wellington, a specialist team within WellingtonNZ, partners with ENZ to promote the Wellington region as a study destination and develops programmes including Work Ready, Alumni Connect, and Employer Connect for international students.
• Tourism New ZealandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerENZ coordinates with Tourism New Zealand on joint initiatives to promote New Zealand internationally, leveraging shared marketing efforts for maximum impact.
• New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerENZ collaborates with NZTE on offshore government-to-government activities and promotional initiatives to raise the profile of New Zealand education.
• Ko Taku Reo Deaf Education New ZealandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Kelston Deaf Education Centre (now part of Ko Taku Reo) that led to development of Kara Technologies, a start-up using digital sign language avatars for accessibility.

Scale indicators15 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Campus France: French national agency promoting higher education and managing international student mobility, including scholarship programmes and agent networks. Operates with a mandate nearly identical to ENZ's.
• DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service): Germany's national agency for international academic exchange, administering scholarships, promoting Germany as a study destination, and supporting transnational partnerships. Closest functional analogue to ENZ's scholarship and recruitment programmes.
• British Council: UK government's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, operating programmes very similar to ENZ: scholarship administration, student recruitment, agent training, and country brand promotion. Direct functional peer.
• Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE): National membership-based organisation supporting international education in Canada, including scholarship administration, research, and global promotion. Directly comparable in mandate to ENZ, though structured as a non-profit rather than a Crown Entity.
• Study in Australia / Australian Government Department of Education: Australian government-led initiative to promote Australia as a study destination, administered through the Department of Education. Direct regional competitor with comparable mandate and tools.
• EducationUSA (U.S. Department of State): U.S. State Department network promoting U.S. higher education to international students through advising centres and agent engagement. Direct government-peer for international student recruitment.
• JASSO (Japan Student Services Organization): Japanese government-affiliated organisation supporting international student exchange, scholarships, and study-in-Japan promotion. Comparable in scale and function to ENZ.
• NUFFIC (Netherlands): Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education, supporting study-in-Netherlands promotion, scholarships, and credential recognition. A European peer with closely aligned functions.

Broad incumbents

• IDP Education: Global education services company (listed on ASX) that places international students with universities across major destinations. Unlike ENZ it is commercial and operates as a placement intermediary rather than a destination marketing agency, but it is a major force in the same student-recruitment market.
• QS (Quacquarelli Symonds): Global higher education analytics and student recruitment company. Operates in the same international education ecosystem as ENZ through rankings, events, and lead-generation services, though as a private commercial operator rather than a government agency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/educationnewzealand
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.enz.govt.nz
• Xx.com/educationnz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao