One of the highlights of any study abroad experience is the opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture of a new country.

At OPAIC, you are fortunate to have the chance to interact with staff and students from a vast array of countries and cultures. You can miss out, however, if you primarily speak your own language on campus and associate with others from your own part of the world.

That’s why we’re introducing an initiative, called Let’s Speak English, which aims to get you speaking English whenever possible on campus.The initiative will include competitions, events and communication about the benefits of speaking English. 

We believe this initiative will have many benefits. Studies show the more you are exposed to a new language, the quicker you’ll learn.*

Ensuring you become proficient in English could help you land a job  and help us achieve our vision of developing New Zealand’s most employable graduates.

Students from our smaller markets will also feel more included if everyone is speaking a common language.

We don’t believe it’s necessary or appropriate to prevent you from speaking your native language. Our initiative will instead encourage you to speak English, by reminding you of the benefits.

While this initiative will focus on the English language, we’ll encourage Maori and Sign Language too, through smaller campaigns.

Look out for our Let's Speak English messages on the digital screens, StudentHub and in your student newsletter. You’ll be able to spot news and events related to the initiative as they’ll carry our new logo featuring the Tui, a native New Zealand bird with two voice boxes, allowing it to perform a variety of songs. Read more about the initiative here.

*From Langports’ “The benefits of speaking English only.”