Emily Fabling
Deputy Chief Executive | NZQA
Emily is an experienced senior public service leader, who joined NZQA in August 2025. Emily has held leadership roles within or connected to the education sector for over 20 years, including as Deputy Secretary (Strategy, Planning & Governance) and Group Manager (International Education) at the Ministry of Education.
Emily’s most recent leadership role was as Deputy Secretary | Policy, Performance & Insights at Manatū Taonga | Ministry for Culture and Heritage, where she led arts, heritage and media policy and Crown entity monitoring of organisations as diverse as Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, the Broadcasting Standards Authority and Creative New Zealand. She has held senior roles at Immigration New Zealand, the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment and Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade. Emily was also National Manager of the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) programme for three years.
Emily is a proud alumna of Central Hawke’s Bay College (Waipukurau) and holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours (1st Class) from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, majoring in International Relations (Political Science and Modern Languages).
Emily leads the Quality Assurance Division.
10:50 am
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11:35 am
Stafford & Dodd Room
Breakout session - The International Education Journey: Opportunities, Expectations and Practical Advice
As New Zealand works towards its goal of doubling the value of international education by 2034, more PTEs are considering entering or expanding into the international market. Whether you are exploring international education for the first time or looking to strengthen an existing international operation, this panel will provide practical insights to support informed decision-making. This panel brings together providers and key sector organisations to discuss what it takes to enter and to succeed. Through a facilitated discussion, the panel will explore the international education landscape, market opportunities, regulatory requirements, immigration settings, organisational capability, working with education agents, indicative timelines, and the opportunities and challenges facing the sector. The session will conclude with an opportunity for audience questions.
3:20 pm
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4:05 pm
Batten 1 & 2