Case Study: Happy 1-Year Birthday to NauMai NZ Mini Programme

About the Initiative

It’s been a year since Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) launched the NauMai NZ WeChat Mini Programme, the first Mini Programme by a government agency focused on enhancing the international student experience. Developed in collaboration with UMS, this platform is a ‘one-stop-shop’ designed to inform, support, and empower international students, particularly Chinese students in New Zealand. Since its launch in October 2020, it has attracted over 12,500 users.

Content and Features

The NauMai NZ WeChat Mini Programme provides Chinese-language content tailored for Chinese students, covering topics such as:

• Getting ready for New Zealand
• Student visa information
• The New Zealand education system
• Kiwi culture
• Student accommodation
• Tips for student job searches

To enhance interactivity, a user-generated content forum was launched, allowing students to share knowledge and experiences across six key topics:

• Being new to New Zealand
• Study & education
• Tuition fee & scholarships
• Jobs & careers
• Wellbeing & healthcare
• Covid-19-related discussion

Intelligent features include topic filtering by popularity, date, and category, with notifications for engagement. The most discussed topics, such as finding summer jobs, writing CVs, and navigating Wellington, are highlighted on the homepage.

Live Streaming and Student Stories

The platform includes a live-streaming feature, with six sessions broadcast over the past year, covering topics like:

• Experiencing the New Zealand summer
• Networking tips
• Chinese New Year celebrations
• Career path building
• Stress management

These sessions, hosted by student and alumni MCs, averaged nearly 500 viewers per session with 3,000 total engagements. All live streams are available on-demand.

Student-Centric Approach

The platform features ‘Kiwi ambassadors’ sharing their New Zealand stories. For example, Sunny, a Massey University student, shared her experience returning to New Zealand as part of a border exception cohort, offering pre-departure and arrival tips.

Partnership and Impact

Faymie Li, Senior Advisor for Student Experience and Project Lead at ENZ, praised UMS for their insights and expertise in shaping the Mini Programme. For inquiries about China marketing activities, contact Becty Yan, leader of the UMS Engage Domain, at becty@umssocial.com.