Program Reviews

Amazing trip with amazing people! Wish we got to spend more time there! We got to experience so much of the culture in just Wellington. If I could do it again, I would want to see other parts of the north island or even travel to the sound island. But I enjoyed all the activities we were able to do! Susie and Jan were very well organized but UC I think struggled with informing us with all we needed to pay for once we got there. As someone with food allergies, I wasn’t over impressed with my options but I brought lots of protein bars which was just fine.

Attending the summit was one of the best experiences I've had, and it went by way too fast. The people I met, the skills I learnt, and all the fun memories will be kept with me for a long time to come. It wasn't uptight and overly formal, but actually really fun and enjoyable. The speakers were all very different but that provided a vast range of topics that they could speak on and that we could learn from. Overall, it was a really rewarding experience and I'd definitely go again if I had the chance :)

I had such an incredible time at the summit last year, and I will never forget the amazing memories I made and the people I met. This summit has not only helped me realise the importance of the relationship with New Zealand and China is, but also my history here, as a Kiwi-born Chinese and about myself as a person. The guest speakers each had their own points in which I learned a lot from, and I will always cherish this unforgettable experience. I highly recommend the summit to anyone who is looking for opportunities to learn about other cultures and the rest of the world and to meet new people who will always be with you.

The Leadership Summit was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. The overall growth I made as a person, the relationships I formed with people in New Zealand and in China and the lessons that I learnt will be with me forever. The knowledge being taught I believe is extremely important and the Summit definitely needs to continue to assist people with building their knowledge on the relationship between China and New Zealand. From this Summit, I am now much more aware on a personal, interpersonal and societal level about the impact of different cultures, religions, attitudes and industries on people around the globe, and the various differences between many cultures. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who is wanting to learn more about the world, learn more about how they can help on a larger scale and who wants to make lifelong, incredible friendships.

Attending the China 2018 summit and the New Zealand 2019 summit were two of the best things I have experienced. The relationship between China and New Zealand is extremely, extremely important that the Summit is one of the best places to learn that importance. New Zealand has so much to offer China, and China can offer so much more to New Zealand. Understanding the culture is important. The summits are planned so well with the most incredible guest speakers who know what they are talking about. And have a large passion for young people, and the relationships between the two countries.

It was amazing. We saw a lot of country side, talked with locals, learned a ton. I would hands down repeat this trip if I could. Shout out to Murray our bus driver! He was awesome! And all our amazing hosts! Looking back, I don’t know how we were able to see two countries and nearly every region of eastern Australia in just 19 days, but we did. Amazingly, it still felt like we had an adequate amount of time in each location. The worst part of the trip was leaving. Admittedly, the hostel in Cairns was a close second, but the Great Barrier Reef made up for the extremely cramped rooms we were in. Other than that, everything was perfect!

I had an incredible experience in New Zealand which was perfectly tailored to my specific program. We learned so much about the local environment, culture, and history and had tons of fun in the process. The staff were great and always helpful and all the teachers and guides we met along the way were wonderful and incredibly knowledgeable. The highlights for me were visiting the Waitomo glow worm caves, Hobbiton, seeing parliament in Wellington, hiking at Aoraki, and learning about invasive species across the country.

We had a wonderful experience with IGENZ in Australia and New Zealand in May 2019. Our Study Abroad group focused on agriculture, and we were very pleased with our experience.

IGENZ provided flawless logistics, travel arrangements, timely stops, and just-right accommodations and food. Their expertise in travel management allowed our students to fully focus on our learning objectives.

We also fully appreciate that IGENZ is focused on education. They understood our educational objectives and provided experiences that exceeded our expectations.

Finally, Laurel, Susie and Jan were delightful to work and travel with - they understand students and kept the entire experience enjoyable and fun. We are planning additional trips with IGENZ as soon as we can travel again!

This was an experience I will never forget and I had wished that it would never end. I got to experience this trip with a wonderful group of fellow students and two professors, and our guide from Global Engagement was wonderful in every way. She was very sweet, she helped us earn great deals on some incredible adventures including zip lining and bungee jumping, and she always made time for us to jump into the nearest lake. We packed so many activities into our one month trip, but it was the greatest month of my life! New Zealand is by far the most beautiful place I have ever been, and I am so lucky to have had the opportunity explore and learn so much about this country and it's amazing people. I hope to go back someday!

This trip was easily one of the best months of my life. While most study-abroad experiences are pretty stationary, we had just the opposite. Moving locations every 1-3 days, we were able to see almost the entire country of New Zealand in only a few weeks. Our guides, Susie and Jan, were incredibly supportive and we all saw them as good friends by the end of the trip. The frequency of our travel became a bit tiring by the end, but it was well worth it for the diversity of places we were able to visit.