Vive la student travel.

Historic international agreement signed this evening

French exchange opportunities for Aoraki Polytechnic students

Vive la student travel.

Aoraki Polytechnic hospitality students are soon to have an exciting opportunity to be selected for an exchange programme that will take them to the heart of France.

An historic agreement signed this evening by chief executive Kay Nelson and Daniel Arnou, chief executive of the French educational institution Notre Dame du Roc has formalised an exchange arrangement that will offer international travel and training experiences to both local and French students.

The agreement is a product of an almost year-long international marketing initiative by Aoraki Polytechnic designed to offer its students a chance to work and live for a short period in a foreign country, experiencing a foreign language and culture.

Ms Nelson said efforts towards the French connection for its hospitality students began when Aoraki first decided to purchase the former Aoraki International College.

One or two students each year would be eligible for the fully subsidised travel and four-week exchange programme in a country well known for fine food, fine wine and fine service. Competition would be hot, though, with approximately 60 students currently in hospitality courses at Aoraki and in Ms Nelson’s words, “plans to grow”.

“The selections will be made by independent hospitality and local business leaders in a process that will test applicants’ knowledge of France and Noirmoutier, the local area of the French school; problem solving, responsibility, integrity and knowledge of Aoraki Polytechnic as well as our region,” Ms Nelson said.

Also critical was the students’ design of an application, including covering letter on why they should be chosen; their attitude to hospitality as an industry, current ability, ambition and commitment for the future.

The successful students would travel to Notre Dame du Roc in the Véndee Province, famous for salt, potatoes and farming cheese, fulfilling an initial visit there in May by Aoraki’s international partnership manager Stephen Pope.

The newly-created position has also opened student and tutor exchange opportunities in Western cuisine training in Timaru for Asian students.

Ms Nelson said she was delighted to be able to bring further exchange opportunities to Aoraki’s hospitality students.

“I am unsure if anything like this has ever been in place at Aoraki before.

“The international department is working at the moment on increasing the opportunities for students by adding another French school in the Champagne region to add to the portfolio and we hope to sign that agreement in the New Year,” she said.

Ms Nelson is experienced in brokering international student exchanges. Her previous management role at the Wellington Institute of Technology saw successful yearly exchanges with hospitality schools in France, Mexico and Bali over a period of five years.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for both students and tutors of Aoraki Polytechnic to experience internationalisation at an academic level,” she said.

ENDS

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