Study Toowoomba launch will build the region’s role as an ‘education destination’

Study Toowoomba, Queensland’s newest regional study cluster will be up and running in early 2019, following endorsement from Toowoomba Regional Council this week.

The launch of Study Toowoomba will be the centrepiece of a new public campaign to become a national and international education destination of choice, according to Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio.

“Education and training is today the second largest industry in the Toowoomba Region and is expected to create an additional 4,391 jobs by 2041, so the establishment of this program will no doubt benefit the entire region,” he said.

“Our region is serious about being an education hub and the establishment of Study Toowoomba will initiate a major campaign to attract students from within Australia and internationally. For example, our visit last week to our new Chinese Friendship City, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing, has already resulted in USQ signing an agreement with the Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages and the first group of middle school students will be visiting Toowoomba in February next year. This is the type of real success that we expect Study Toowoomba to replicate through effective local and international partnerships.

“Because of the importance of education to our region, Toowoomba Regional Council has partnered with University of Southern Queensland (USQ), TAFE Queensland, and other regional education and training sector stakeholders to establish one voice for our education and training sector.”

Supporting the new program, USQ Vice Chancellor Professor Geraldine Mackenzie, said the Toowoomba Region was recognised nationally as an education centre, having a higher concentration and greater variety of educational assets than most regional centres in Australia.

“The education sector makes a significant contribution to the Toowoomba Region’s economy, providing almost 8,000 jobs and over $200 million in exports,” she said.

“Positioning the Toowoomba Region as an education and training destination of choice needs a vehicle for coordination and promotion of the sector and this is why Study Toowoomba is so important.”

Mayor Antonio said that in the battle to become an education destination of choice the Toowoomba Region must use every tool at its disposal to gain a market advantage.

The launch of Study Toowoomba has been made possible through a grant of $145,000 over two years from the Queensland Government under the International Education and Training Partnership Fund, with matching funding being provided by Toowoomba Regional Council and the University of Southern Queensland.

For more information about Study Toowoomba visit www.tr.qld.gov.au or contact Council on 131 872.