Congratulations to the 30 participants of this year's highly successful Young Leaders Forum. A key component to the week long event was the leadership challenge. Young leaders were divided into groups to work on five minute short films on an Asia:NZ programme. They can now be viewed on our website. Participants kept us updated on their work through the course of the week. Read their blog entries here.

Most Asian business graduates who attended New Zealand tertiary institutions say they are positive about their experiences of living and studying in New Zealand, according to a new Asia:NZ report. This longitudinal tracking study, which uses repeat surveys and in-depth interviews over three years (2008-2010), examines the role that these graduates play in the development of New Zealand-Asia business relationships.

The Business Education Partnership was launched in Wellington on 16 November and aims to encourage schools to prepare young New Zealanders for a future with the Asian region. In this case study, we look at the INSTEP programme which links Bay of Plenty secondary schools with local businesses. One initiative of INSTEP is the annual principals’ day out, where principals from the region's eight secondary schools visited local engineering firm Beca who see their future growth in Asia.

Asia:NZ offers a fantastic professional development opportunity for teachers of Japanese at the beginners level. A total in-country language and cultural immersion programme, to take place between 2 and 17 April 2010 in Osaka, is designed support teaching practice in the classroom. Applications now welcome. And we've also announced an opportunity to attend a four day Forum for New Zealand principals in Singapore in July 2010.

A freelance Wellington choreographer and film director will be the first New Zealander to undertake a new performing arts residency in the Chinese capital Beijing next year. Alyx Duncan, who is about to complete her Masters in Theatre Arts at Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School and Victoria University in Wellington was chosen from seven applications and awarded the prestigious two month Theatre in Motion residency.

We've recently added a number of improvements to our website, including a two minute long video introducing our programmes. We've also compiled an interactive online quiz with which you can test your Asia awareness. We've also enhanced our events calendar . Continue to visit our homepage www.asianz.org.nz for the latest updates on our work.