When worldwide borders started to reopen in 2022 and my workforce ready for a a lot welcome inflow of recent enrolments, we took a step again to ask ourselves if worldwide college students nonetheless had the identical priorities as they did earlier than the pandemic.
It was a aid that many college students nonetheless had an awesome need to decide on our metropolis as their most well-liked examine vacation spot, but we wished to make sure we may meet the expectations of the Covid technology, in order they began arriving we started asking them concerning the issues that mattered most to them within the post-lockdown world.
Whereas aims like the standard of schooling and nice profession outcomes remained excessive on their record, for lots of the college students we spoke to there was a noticeable emphasis on with the ability to stay in a protected setting and a need to achieve one thing greater than only a nice schooling – more and more they have been searching for distinctive experiences exterior of the classroom.
Pupil priorities had shifted as they freely talked concerning the significance of preserving their psychological well being and the prospect of pursuing that elusive idea of labor/life stability. Given how scary the pandemic had been these weren’t stunning responses, and whereas Covid might have enhanced the intersection of expertise and studying, the rise of digital examine additionally heightened a craving for genuine and lived experiences.
Worldwide schooling offers college students the chance to find one thing new and, within the technique of constructing friendships, connections and cultural experiences, the very actual prospect of self-discovery and private development.
The Gold Coast has lengthy prided itself on being a multiculturally numerous and welcoming metropolis. With a 3rd of our residents born abroad and reserving.com naming us one of many Most Welcoming Cities within the World in 2023, there’s good motive for these claims. It’s a precept we’ve carried into each facet of the coed expertise right here and has been elementary to our success as Australia’s quickest rising examine vacation spot, rising worldwide enrolments on common by greater than 10% each year within the 5 years main as much as the pandemic.
Considered one of our metropolis’s best belongings is the exceptional biodiversity and pure magnificence that surrounds our extraordinary a part of the world
As a younger, dynamic, and shortly rising metropolis, the Gold Coast continues to evolve by way of a proactive and forward-thinking mindset. Final yr, a brand new city-wide organisation was launched to deliver schooling, tourism, occasions, the humanities and tradition collectively underneath Expertise Gold Coast to advertise the Gold Coast as a world-class vacation spot, making a unified strategy that reimagines the way forward for our customer financial system. It’s a daring transfer and one that can open up many fantastic alternatives for our worldwide college students.
Considered one of our metropolis’s best belongings is the exceptional biodiversity and pure magnificence that surrounds our extraordinary a part of the world. We all know that it’s a big drawcard for all who select to return right here, so after we started to consider how we may excite college students by way of an enhanced expertise the reply was actually on our doorstep.
As we glance to redefine what a global schooling expertise could be, we’re inviting college students to discover their passions and problem themselves by making an attempt new issues they might in any other case by no means have had the chance to do – and to take action in a tremendous place full of alternatives the place they’ll thrive!
The Gold Coast is in contrast to another examine vacation spot. With world-class schooling suppliers, unparalleled pupil help and a various neighborhood, the town offers an abundance of profession alternatives the place a significant and sustainable work/life stability isn’t simply a great, it’s a actuality.
Concerning the creator: Jennine Tax grew up and studied on the Gold Coast, a metropolis of which she may be very passionate, notably in terms of schooling. Her earlier roles embrace director of enterprise and communications for the worldwide property division at ABN AMRO in London and main the administration consulting providing at KPMG Gold Coast.
As the chief director of schooling for Expertise Gold Coast, Jennine is thrilled concerning the organisation’s unified technique to advertise the town’s arts, tradition, schooling, tourism and occasions. Jennine believes that the creation of this new entity will ship much more alternative for the town’s instructional establishments and their college students.