By Jason Graham, Sales Specialist at Wisenet.
There are few better places to bring the education community together than Rotorua. It’s a gorgeous, welcoming town with a relaxed atmosphere, surrounded by some of New Zealand’s most spectacular scenery. While, yes, you do occasionally get a reminder that Rotorua sits in a geothermal wonderland, even the famous sulphur smell couldn’t put me off the thought that it would be a beautiful place to live and learn so much!
The conference explored some of the changes affecting PTEs, including developments in policy and quality assurance, alongside bigger questions about the growing role of AI in education and what that could mean for quality and the learner experience. Hearing from inspiring speakers and presenters, while also speaking directly with providers about their experiences, gave me a valuable perspective on both the opportunities and challenges ahead.
It was also a privilege for Wisenet to be part of the ITENZ Excellence Awards 2026, and to present the Outstanding Performance award to Tiffany Andrews from Fruition Horticulture. Congratulations also to Robert Blucher, who won our conference prize draw and headed home with a pair of AirPods and our Wisenet bonsai!
Outside the conference, I managed to experience a little more of Rotorua for myself with a visit to the Redwoods Treewalk. Walking across raised bridges among the enormous trees was a brilliant way to get out into nature, and the whole setting felt like stepping into another world. For Lord of the Rings fans, think Lothlórien. For Star Wars fans, think Endor. Add glow worms into the experience and it was a memorable way to round out the trip.
This conference was particularly meaningful for me because it was my final adventure with Wisenet. Getting back to New Zealand, a country I’ve always loved visiting, and spending that time connecting with customers and representing Wisenet was a wonderful way to finish my journey with the company. I’m grateful to everyone who stopped by for a conversation and to ITENZ for creating such a welcoming event. It was a great conference, a great destination and, personally, a very special way to end my time at Wisenet on a high.