Education New Zealand's SheLeads Event Celebrates Women in Education; Winners Announced for Inter-school Debate and Video Essay Competition

Education New Zealand's SheLeads Event Celebrates Women in Education; Winners Announced for Inter-school Debate and Video Essay Competition

Education New Zealand- Media Release

21st May 2024: Fostering dialogue on gender diversity in education, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) hosted the SheLeads: Celebrating Excellence event, at the New Zealand High Commission in Delhi. The event was a culmination of Education New Zealand’s SheLeads campaign launched on International Women’s Day to celebrate women leaders, experts, and drive positive change among students. 

As part of the campaign, Education New Zealand hosted a debate competition at five prestigious schools across Delhi-NCR in April and May, where students deliberated on the topic of underrepresentation of women in STEM. The inter-school finale was hosted at the New Zealand High Commission where winners from each school presented their arguments on the topic: The Impact of flexible work policies on gender diversity in leadership. The students presented their arguments to an eminent panel of the jury from across education and diplomatic representatives. 

SheLeads campaign also included an all-India video essay competition addressing the importance of achieving gender parity in education in alignment with SDG 4. Education New Zealand received over 50 entries from some of the most prestigious tertiary institutions of India. Professor Carol Mutch, Faculty of Education and Social Work, from The University of Auckland, was the faculty jury who selected the top three winning entries, the winners were felicitated at the finale held at the High Commission. 

Jugnu Roy, Director of Engagement East Asia & India, Education New Zealand, said: “We are thrilled with the enthusiastic response to the 'SheLeads' campaign. The talent and passion displayed by the students in their essays and debates highlight the potential future leaders we have among us. We look forward to continuing our support for educational initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion.”

The event also celebrated the journey of women leaders who have been driving transformation in the context of international education. A panel discussion featuring alumni from New Zealand Universities, all of which are ranked in the top 3% globally, discussed their journey on breaking the glass ceiling and how a New Zealand education helped them pave their success stories that will inspire future aspirants. Panellists included Nazima Parveen, Associate Research Fellow studied at Victoria University of Wellington; Manvi Singh, Assistant Professor, Delhi Metropolitan Education studied at the University of Auckland, and Medha Mathur, Founder & Creative Director, Artyykase and Founder of MM Agencyz, an adverting and marketing agency studied at Auckland University of Technology 

The winners of the inter-school debate competition are:

Shaurya Datta, Delhi Public School R.K.Puram (for the motion)

Arohi Ghosh, Shiv Nadar School Gurugram (against the motion)

The winners of the video essay competition are:

Katyayani Singh, Symbiosis Law School Noida

Hardik Mahendru,  Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi)

Adhyaa Malik, FLAME University

Prominent schools and colleges participated in the debate and video essay competition including Delhi Public School (RK Puram), Kunskapsskolan International School (Gurugram), Heritage International Xperirential School (Gurugram), Delhi University, Mumbai University, Symbiosis International University, Bhimrao Ambedkar University, FLAME University, to name a few. 

Education New Zealand’s SheLeads campaign launched on International Women’s Day embraced the achievements of women who are leading the way in the education sector. The campaign spotlighted the inspiring stories of Vice Chancellors, Deputy Vice Chancellors, professors, and alumni, on Education New Zealand’s LinkedIn handle.

Notes to Editors:

About Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) https://www.enz.govt.nz/

Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao is the government agency responsible for taking New Zealand’s education experiences to the world. ENZ promotes a New Zealand education as one that teaches students to be critical thinkers, problem solvers and lifelong learners, which will help them succeed in their future careers and create a positive impact on the world. In 2019, New Zealand’s education system was ranked first among English-speaking countries and third in the world for delivering a future-focused education (out of 50 economies) by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

With approximately 100 staff in 18 locations around the world, ENZ works closely with New Zealand’s diverse education sector, including schools, English language providers, Private Training Establishments, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics, universities, and internationally with NZ Inc agencies, Government agencies and education providers to encourage sustainable growth and identify opportunities.