Program Reviews

I had an absolutely amazing time on my 4 week study abroad program. I got to know many different parts of the country with a neat balance of urban and rural, tourist and local, educational, and entertaining. I loved getting to know our bus drivers and tour guides. I really felt welcomed and we received a personalized and unique experience. We visited most major cities, lots of different swimming spots, beautiful beaches, yummy local candy, etc. I especially loved seeing the Maoraki boulders, the museum in Wellington, and the glow worms in Rotorua. (Sorry if I misspelled any oth those)
20/10 would do again!

I took a group of my undergraduate business students from the U.S. to New Zealand over winter break in 2019 and it was a terrific experience for all of us. Jan and Sari did a fantastic job setting up company visits for us and giving my students the opportunity to learn first-hand about the New Zealand food production industry. From a coffee roaster to an urban winery to dairy farms and more, the educational experience was top-notch. Add in the unique Kiwi sightseeing opportunities and it was just about the perfect trip. I can't recommend the Institute of Global Engagement enough - I can't wait to work with them again!

We spent 4 weeks literally gallivanting all over New Zealand, learning on site in more than 10 cities/towns and nature sites on both the North and South Island of New Zealand. We had amazing professors of different expertise join us at different stages of our trip. Our fun professors ensured our learning experience was engaging and never once boring: field trips, hands on experiments and speaking from experience. The Institute of Global Engagement also sent one of their staff at each point of our journey with us to ensure everything was smooth sailing.

I went to New Zealand with a group of students from my college to study environmental science, we had an amazing time and were able to visit so many places! Traveling with a guide from Global Engagement enabled us to get a kiwi perspective and personal tour guide, she also provided the support and organization that made our trip so free, fun, and educational. The coursework was very insightful, engaging, and dynamic but not very stressful. I never felt uninterested in the lectures or field trips, they were always very informational and offered unique perspectives on Maori culture and environmental challenges. It was a truly amazing month, an experience that I would highly recommend.

Participated in a custom tailored program for higher education Brazilian students. The whole experience was amazing, with everyday including inspiring talks from successful leaders and experts from various fields, as well as dynamic activities with local students. I left with an accurate picture of how leadership made New Zealand the well-faring country it is.

The organizers made a great work with a tidy plan for each day, at the same time caring if the group suggested some changes and quickly reacting if something went unexpected, like bad weather for an outside day. Besides the talks, big highlights were the Maori Marae experience, sailing day and Waikato's adventure camp.

New Zealand is still pretty exotic for Brazilians and spending a month in the country wasn´t enough to change that impression. A real melting pot of cultures, New Zealand was the perfect country to take a course on global leadership, since they are avant-garde in many of the global trends, like sustainability, economic development and culture preservation. Jan´s organisation skills never failed to impress me, as we didn´t have a single mishap during the whole trip. The course approached all kinds of topics and gave a comprehensive overview of a global leader´s main skills.

The whole experience was amazing. From great lectures to incredible cultural experiences!
Between my favorites are the Maori camp and the trip to Wellington where we spoke with a congressman and visited a great museum.