Winners announced for Best Semester Abroad

Twenty international student ambassadors will be heading to Queensland for a semester in the Sunshine State after winning the Palaszczuk Government’s Best Semester Abroad competition.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment Jackie Trad said that the Best Semester Abroad campaign was part of the Government’s program to boost the State’s international education and training industry and generate jobs across the state.

“Last year, Queensland’s international education and training sector generated $2.9 billion in export revenue and supported around 19,000 jobs, making it the state’s second-largest service export behind tourism,” Ms Trad said.

“But Deloitte Access Economics estimates that with the right strategy in place, this industry could be worth $7.5 billion in export income each year and create an additional 6,800 jobs for Queensland by 2026.

“Best Semester Abroad is just one example of the work that we are doing to grow this important sector, with the campaign reaching more than 5 million people and attracting over 2,000 student entries.

“The winners, who come from Chile, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Italy and Spain, will act as honorary Queensland international student ambassadors and promote Queensland’s education institutions and lifestyle to the world during their time here.

“The winners’ experiences in our great State will be documented through a web series aimed at increasing Queensland’s profile to prospective students across the globe.  

“This program is one example of the innovative campaigns that will be developed as part of our $25.3 million investment in a new, international education and training strategy.”

The Government’s global business agency, Trade and Investment Queensland, promoted and managed the competition, supported by 39 organisations, who are providing more than $500,000 worth of in-kind sponsorship.

Competition entrants had to upload a one minute video on why Queensland is the next step in their life journey. The winners also faced a rigorous interview process.

The winners arrive in October and will be based in Brisbane, Cairns and the Gold Coast. They will automatically enter the next stage of the competition – competing for a further five scholarships worth up to $30,000 each at a Queensland university of their choice.

The winning video entries can be viewed on the Study Queensland website – www.studyqueensland.qld.edu.au 

ENDS

Media contact: Anna Jabour 0429 890 942