About Study Cairns

Study Cairns is the key stake holder for the education network in the Cairns region. The cluster is the central point of contact for any business involving education or support services within the region. This includes student and agent enquiries along with education businesses wishing to expand their markets into this region.

Study Cairns is also responsible for building relationships between local providers and students wishing to study/live or study/travel. This includes both the long and short term enquiry. It is also the key steak holder that liaises with QETI (Queensland Education & Training International), the Premier's peak education body, Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry, Cairns City Council, Advanced Cairns, Austrade and other industry bodies involved with increasing and improving education and training within Australia, Queensland and more importantly, Far North QLD.

Study Cairns members work together to promote Cairns internationally as an education destination and lobby nationally to improve local facilities and opportunities for all students within the region. The network is dedicated to improving the quality of services offered and has successfully created guidelines and protocols for Best Practice within the homestay and study tour market.

Our elite network of members include James Cook University, a number of VET Colleges, TAFE, The Catholic Schools Association, public schools under the EQI umbrella, the majority of private schools, English Language Colleges, student accommodation companies including homestay organisations and large tourism operators providing niche products for the student market.

Our key objective is to encourage international students to see Cairns as more than a magnificent tourist and working holiday destination but also a safe and serious education option when considering studying in Australia. In line with this objective is to ensure that this emersion is quality controlled ensuring students are supported and their aims are met successfully. International students in Cairns come from Japan, China, India, Europe, Hong Kong, Brazil and Korea to name a few.

Our success is measured by the increase in student numbers studying in Cairns whether it is for the short-term or long term. While inbound tourism numbers have decreased over the last 12months, education has continued to expand. The Cummings report in 2004 showed an increase in all sectors, particularly the vocational/university sector which grew 125% from 1999 to 2004. Further the report indicated that export education was contributing to over 50million locally per annum.

Schools accepting international students, accommodation suppliers, tourism suppliers and restaurants are the immediate beneficiaries from an increase in short-term student numbers. However, all of these providers including local businesses such as real estates, bike shops, supermarkets, general stores etc benefit from long term students.

Visiting Friends and Relatives is another bonus market from long-term students and is traditionally a high yield market. Student’s relatives and friends come to Cairns for various reasons including, setting up their children to start with, visiting during their stay or attending graduation ceremonies. As the Cummings report shows, this brings considerable income into the region with 03/04 figures showing 2,300 visits totaling 2.3 million into Cairns region alone. This figure is considered to be underestimated. Unfortunately, responses were uncertain and not very consistent during the survey’s enquiries.

The following shows the KPIs for Study Cairns:

1. Continue to expand the knowledge of Cairns as a quality and serious education destination
2. Continue to increase long term student numbers into Cairns
3. In turn, increase high yield VFR numbers into Cairns
4. Continue to increase short-term numbers into Cairns, both excursion tourism students and study tour students wishing to study and travel during their stay. The growth in the short-term market is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our regions education and tourism opportunities resulting in guaranteed return visitation.
5. Lobby locally and internationally with other networks to ensure improvements in our local facilities.
6. Work with local police in creating awareness amongst our international students in regards to local crime and safety.

We welcome enquiries from Students, Education Institutions and Businesses, locally, nationally and worldwide.

Study Cairns, “Serious Study in Paradise”