"International exchange and international students play an incredibly important role. The ability to understand different cultures, to identify opportunities for us to contribute to common problems but from different perspectives and different degrees of expertise is now more important than ever," said Smith.

He explained that common problems, such as how to have healthy societies, educating children to live successful lives and realize sustainable ways for living together, can only be solved through partnership, which can be built through common interests, diverse expertise as well as enriching exchanges.

"In the current world that we live in, we have a duty to support and nurture a shared understanding. New Zealand has a deserved reputation for being a place of belonging, safety and a place that includes people as part of a community. In a world that sometimes now is lacking tolerance, those are very important features that we value in our country and we'll continue to do so," he added.