Making Global Links
A unique and distinctly Māori team building experience was had by international company GlobalLinks when they were hosted by AUT University at the Ngā Wai o Horotiu Marae this week.
Jason King, from AUT’s Te Ara Poutama, has spent time working with GlobaLinks and when he was asked by the company whether he could help produce an International Noho Marae programme like the ones run for international students by the International Student Support office of Student Services , he jumped at the chance.
GlobaLinks Learning Abroad works in the field of international education, serving both students and advisors. New Zealand is just one of the countries they work with internationally and AUT University is one of the universities they send students to.
On Wednesday November 28 and Thursday November 29, 14 GlobaLinks senior management staff and directors came together at AUT, with members of the AUT whānau to learn about Māori culture, language, history and people and engage with staff members from Te Ara Poutama and International Student Support.
Cynthia Banks CEO of GlobaLinks praised AUT as a wonderful university to have a relationship with.
“AUT is the single best partnership we have,” she says.
Staff from GlobaLinks USA, Australia, London and Thailand attended, and Shelia Houston, the Director of Operations in the Pacific Region said the Noho Marae was a fabulous thing for her staff to do.
King, from AUT, says this is the first time GlobaLinks have come to AUT and done anything quite like this with a New Zealand university.
“This relationship is not just on paper,” he says. “GlobaLinks’ taste of New Zealand is coming from AUT.”
Dean of Te Ara Poutama Pare Keiha says GlobaLinks is an incredibly important stakeholder for AUT in terms of international students.
“We are privileged to have been able to share the Noho Marae experience with some of the GlobaLinks staff so that they understand the experience student receive when they come to AUT.”