Beyond the Brochure: Yiru Zhao’s First Class Quest to Redefine the International Student Experience
From personal passion to pioneering research, Queen Margaret College’s International Director is challenging New Zealand schools to look past international student recruitment and truly deliver on the promise of pastoral care.
Earlier this month, Queen Margaret College’s International Director, Yiru Zhao, had her Master of Education at Auckland University conferred with First Class Honours – the culmination of three years spent pursuing a deceptively simple but urgent question: what is life really like for international secondary school students in New Zealand?
New Zealand has long promoted itself as a world leader in pastoral care. Yet behind the glossy brochures and recruitment drives, Zhao wanted to know whether schools were truly delivering on the promises of the NZ International Education Strategy 2022–2030. Her thesis, High Quality International Student Programmes? An Examination of Education Review Office Reports on the Provision for International Students in New Zealand Secondary Schools, set out to uncover the reality.
From Inspiration to Inquiry
The spark was personal. “My husband completed his master’s degree, and I thought – why not me?” Zhao recalls. But finding her focus took time. It was her own experience as an international student in the UK that crystallised her passion for international education. “I was 18, away from China for the first time, and my English wasn’t strong. What made the difference was staff who cared. That support shaped me. I wanted to bring that same level of care to students here.”
At Queen Margaret College, Zhao saw a gap in the national conversation. “In New Zealand we talk so much about recruiting international students, but less about how we support them once they arrive. I wanted to change that.” That determination became the foundation of her master’s research.
What the Research Revealed
Zhao analysed 170 Education Review Office reports from 2019–2024. Her findings were encouraging in some areas: most schools provide strong language support and opportunities for integration. Yet challenges remain. Accommodation standards vary, and reporting can sometimes lack transparency. making it difficult for parents to get the full picture.
Her conclusion is clear: international students thrive when schools listen to their voices, integrate them fully into community life, and treat them not as outsiders but as teenagers with the same hopes and challenges as their peers. It’s a conclusion she has wasted no time putting into practice.
Bringing Research into Practice
At QMC, Zhao has already translated her findings into action. She has led professional development and training sessions for staff, sharing student feedback and raising awareness of cultural challenges. “Teachers work with these students every day. Equipping them with knowledge and cultural competency helps ensure our students feel understood and supported.”
Integration is central to her vision. “Some schools create separate programmes for international students. I don’t believe in that. At QMC, we want our international students to experience everything our domestic students do. That’s how they build friendships, confidence, resilience, and a true sense of belonging.”
A Vision for the Future
Asked why QMC provides such a positive experience for international students, Zhao points to strong academic support, wide subject and extracurricular choice, and a welcoming atmosphere. “We engage them in the local community and pair them with a Kiwi buddy to help them settle in well. Our students are hardworking and friendly, and our environment nurtures that excellence and a sense of sisterhood.”
Looking ahead, she sees opportunities for New Zealand schools to strengthen cultural competency among leaders and staff. “Awareness is key. International students bring richness to our communities, but we need to understand their challenges to support them fully.”
As for her own journey, Zhao is keeping the door open to doctoral study. “I waited years to find my passion for my Master’s. I’ll wait until I find the right question for a doctorate. For now, I’m focused on making a difference at Queen Margaret College and ensuring we’re always continuously improving.”
Zhao’s achievement is more than a personal milestone. It reflects the calibre of staff at Queen Margaret College – reflective, research informed, and continuously learning. And it leaves New Zealand schools with a challenge: if we pride ourselves on being world leaders in pastoral care, are we truly living up to that promise? Her work suggests the answer lies not in recruitment numbers, but in listening, integrating, and deeply caring for every student who chooses to call New Zealand home.