Staff Spotlight: Samuel Davis

Sam previously worked at AUT and is now completing his Masters in Norway. The international education adventure has not stopped for him!

Seeing an old friend in London after a rough day of travel!

I had started the day with a 3:30 am flight from Bergen getting into Manchester later in the morning for an event starting at 12. It ran until the late afternoon, at which point we had to quickly pack up and catch a taxi to the train station. We were crammed into a packed train to London. With my over-sized luggage in tow, I then had to navigate the Tube to find my hotel. My phone was dead by this time, I was relying on passers-by for directions. I eventually got there to find an old friend waiting for me. I was exhausted at this point, but there was no greater feeling than sharing a beer with a mate after a long, long day!

Estonia in my opinion is a country that more people should visit! Just a ferry ride from Helsinki, Tallinn is a beautiful city, with a lot to see and do. The cost of living is quite low, so a beer and meal won't set you back much. If you get out of Tallinn, you really should visit some of the islands, like Saaremaa. A magical place, filled with natural beauty and history.

On the other hand, Amsterdam was not that amazing in my opinion. Far too many tourists for my liking!

For me, it's how we engage with our stakeholders. In my role, the most important are the students and partner universities. Students have lots of questions before they arrive, and then need a welcoming introduction once they get here. If we can give them a good experience, they will tell their friends and family back home. Word of mouth is a great way to encourage more students to choose AUT when they study abroad.

When I started at AUT, I really had no idea about the scope of International Education. I've learned how vast this industry is, and how exciting it is to work in. Before starting in this role, I would never have seen myself working in this industry. But I can now see a career path for myself, in an area which I'm passionate about. The most rewarding aspect for me is seeing international students coming to study in New Zealand, and the positive experiences and impressions they leave with.

We had a German design student who planned to come for one semester last year, who ended up staying for the whole year because he loved AUT and Auckland so much. He is now planning to finish his studies in Germany and return to AUT for postgraduate study, with hopes of landing a job at Weta Workshop in Wellington.