Kalandra hosts a senior delegation from Yichang City in Hubei Province

Published on 21st October 2025

Kalandra was honoured to host a senior delegation from Yichang City in Hubei Province, led by Mr. Yang Qingshan, Director of Municipal Affairs. Although their visit was brief, the delegation made the most of their time by visiting both our campus — to discuss training programmes supporting workforce development — and St Andrews Village, where they explored the range of aged-care services available in New Zealand.

The delegation was impressed by the diversity of programmes Kalandra offers, and discussions focused on areas where additional training is needed in China, such as dementia and palliative care. During the visit, our students demonstrated the use of a hoist — something that is not currently used in China — much to the delegation’s delight.

The visit concluded with the signing of a cooperation agreement and a formal request from Director Yang for Kalandra to support training initiatives in Yichang City.

Situated along the Yangtze River, Yichang is a key regional city known for its strong social service systems. With a rapidly ageing population, the city is placing increasing emphasis on developing its aged-care sector — particularly in training and upskilling care professionals, building community-based aged care models, and enhancing service quality and management standards.

It is encouraging that New Zealand is recognised for its expertise in this area, and that we are seen as a willing partner in advancing aged care internationally. By working together, we can continue to improve care for older people — ensuring they receive the support, dignity, and quality of life they need and deserve.