02 October 2025
STUDENT RECRUITMENT EVENT CONNECTS 200+ STUDENTS WITH TOP GOLD COAST EMPLOYERS
Over 200 students filled the Lakeside Room at HOTA on 16 September for the Student Recruitment Event, making it the most successful edition yet.
The event brought together 20 of the Gold Coast’s leading employers, offering both seasonal positions and long-term career opportunities. Feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive, with students praising the chance to connect directly with hiring managers and employers impressed by the calibre of candidates.
Julia Macaskill, Director of Human Resources at The Langham Gold Coast, shared her experience:
“We have received a large number of quality candidates and are already working to secure them as employees at The Langham Gold Coast.”
Her words highlight the exceptional talent within the local student community and the value of connecting education with industry on the Gold Coast.
If you’re interested in joining future recruitment events, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact our Career and Employability team at Tayla.Naicker@experiencegoldcoast.com.
EXPERIENCE GOLD COAST APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EDUCATION
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Matthew Boyd as Executive Director, Education. Matt is a collaborative leader with over 15 years of experience in the education sector, where he has developed data-driven strategies across both domestic and international markets. His career includes senior leadership roles, including his current role as Director, Brand and Marketing at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) and Director, Brand and Market Development at La Trobe University.
Widely respected for building partnerships and leading cross-functional teams, Matt brings extensive expertise and a strong record of impact to EGC. In his new role, he will guide the continued growth and strategic direction of the Education Stream, strengthen sector partnerships, and build on the solid foundations of the Education team to deliver even greater outcomes for our city. Matt will formally commence in this role on 22 October 2025.
We appreciate your ongoing support and look forward to working with you to ensure a smooth transition ahead of Matt’s commencement.
NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN FOR THE 2025 GOLD COAST STUDENT EXCELLENCE AWARDS
The Gold Coast Student Excellence Awards are back, celebrating the city’s brightest minds, leaders, and changemakers. The awards recognise students who have made a positive impact across six categories, spanning innovation, community, diversity, sport, the arts, and the environment.
This is your chance to shine a spotlight on an outstanding student making a difference. Nominations are open until 9am, Monday 20 October, with winners to be announced at a Jungle Soirée-themed gala evening at HOTA on Thursday 20 November 2025.
GOLD COAST SHOWCASES EDUCATION AND LIFESTYLE DURING AUSTRALIA–INDIA T20 SERIES
As the Gold Coast prepares to host the much-anticipated Men’s T20 International cricket series between Australia and India, Experience Gold Coast is proud to leverage this world-class sporting stage to highlight the city’s outstanding education, lifestyle, and cultural offerings.To maximise the impact of this spotlight, Experience Gold Coast will host a famil tour for interstate education agents, offering them first-hand insight into why the Gold Coast is a premier destination for international students from India. Alongside this, the student experience team will deliver a vibrant week of cultural activities, including a Diwali celebration, beach cricket and BBQ, Holi colour festival, yoga sessions, traditional Indian tea tastings, and Bollywood dance workshops.
India remains a critical education partner for the city, ranking as the second-largest source country for international students on the Gold Coast, with 3,871 students recorded as of December 2024. With India’s strong economic growth (6.5% GDP in 2024) and rising global student mobility, the Gold Coast continues to stand out as a strategic destination — combining high-quality education with an enviable lifestyle and strong graduate employability outcomes.
CELEBRATING BRAZIL WEEK EDUCATION DAY ON THE GOLD COAST
Brazil Week is celebrated nationwide, and Experience Gold Coast was proud to deliver the Education Day program here on the Gold Coast — bringing together industry partners, agents, event producers, and key stakeholders for an inspiring evening.
A huge thank you to the Brazil Week Team and the Australia-Brazil Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) for their leadership, and special recognition to Val Noleto, Luisa Coelho Pinheiro, and Pedro Giesel for their contributions.
We are equally grateful to our dedicated Experience Gold Coast team, top agencies, universities, business leaders, accommodation providers, and event producers who continue to make the Gold Coast the ultimate destination for international students from Brazil.
This special event highlighted the invaluable contributions of Brazilian students to the city’s education sector, marking 80 years of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Australia.
Together, we are strengthening connections, expanding opportunities, and celebrating the vibrant cultural and educational ties that make the Gold Coast a welcoming and inspiring place to study, live, and thrive.
MAYOR'S STUDENT AMBASSADORS REACH NEW HEIGHTS
This September, for their official experience, the Mayors Student Ambassadors took part in an inspiring and practical workshop led by facilitator Josh Farr, where they explored the power of a growth mindset and how it shapes leadership, learning, and impact.
They discovered how to approach setbacks as opportunities, step outside their comfort zones with confidence, and turn effort into excellence.
And then… it was time to put that Growth Mindset into action with the ultimate challenge the SkyPoint Climb!
A few of the Mayors Student Ambassadors conquered their greatest fear: heights. They leaned on their cohort for support, stepped bravely into the challenge, and came away so proud of themselves.
It was inspiring to see the group bounce their different energies off one another, all finishing the day on such a high.
WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY AT THE HUB
The Gold Coast Student Hub is proud to be hosting a special event for World Mental Health Day on 10 October, with the mission of brightening as many students’ days as possible. Donuts, Deep Breaths & Connection will offer a full day of wellbeing and creative activities, beginning with a calming sound healing session in the morning, followed by all-day donuts and crafts for students to enjoy at their own pace.
In the afternoon, local artist Claudio Kirac will lead a Positive Postcards workshop, encouraging students to create and share uplifting messages through art. Throughout the day, the Hub’s Wellbeing Wheel will also be spinning, giving students the chance to win prizes and take home something special. The Gold Coast Student Hub aims to ensure that every student leaves feeling lighter, more connected, and with a meaningful takeaway, whether it’s a handmade postcard, a prize, or even a new friend. Students can get their tickets via our What's On page on our webiste.
DISCOVER & CONNECT: A GLOBAL EDUCATION SHOWCASE
The countdown is on for the Experience Gold Coast (EGC) Education Famil Tour 2025!
As part of this exciting program, we are delighted to invite you to our inaugural Discover & Connect event — a dynamic gathering designed to bring the education community together in one place.
Open to education providers, agents, study tour operators, influencers, and other industry professionals, this event will be a true celebration of showcasing, networking, and collaboration.
This year’s Discover & Connect event forms part of the EGC Famil Tour 2025, welcoming international delegates from across the globe, including Brazil, China, Japan, Panama, Philippines, PNG, USA, Ecuador, South Korea, Taiwan, and the UAE.
Register your attendance by 10 October 2025.
For more information, contact us at education@experiencegoldcoast.com.
2025 MAYOR’S TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION AWARDS: PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD – VOTING NOW OPEN
The Gold Coast is bursting with talent, creativity, and big ideas — and the 2025 Mayor’s Technology and Innovation Awards are here to shine a spotlight on our city’s brightest high school innovators.
Designed for Gold Coast high school students with groundbreaking ideas in technology and innovation, the Awards provide a platform for young minds to showcase their vision for a better future. From problem-solving solutions to world-changing concepts, these projects represent the power of creativity and innovation at work.
Now it’s your turn, Gold Coast! The People’s Choice Award invites the community to explore the ten finalist projects and vote for the idea you believe will make the biggest impact on our city.
Voting closes 13 October — don’t miss your chance to support the innovators of tomorrow!
To make it even easier to share and inspire others to get involved, we’ve created a toolkit with social media assets. Use these resources to promote the People’s Choice Award, encourage voting, and help us celebrate the creativity of Gold Coast students.
Together, let’s discover, support, and champion the next generation of tech leaders and innovators right here on the Gold Coast.
KEEPING OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIP INFORMATION UP TO DATE
At Experience Gold Coast, we value our industry partners and the important role you play in showcasing our city as a premier study destination. To ensure our website continues to reflect the most accurate and up-to-date information, we kindly ask all partners to review and update their details.
Please update your information on our website via this link.
In addition, if you would like to connect directly with our Industry Partnership Specialist for Education, Gus Cominese, we invite you to book a meeting at a time that suits you.
Book your meeting with Gus here.
Together, we’re building stronger partnerships, enhancing visibility, and ensuring the Gold Coast remains the ultimate destination for international education.
QUICK SNIPPETS
- Sympled 2025 at Torrens University united policymakers, educators, agents, and students to tackle key issues in international education. With reform on the horizon and integrity under scrutiny, the conference delivered a powerful mix of data, debate, and calls to action. READ MORE
- Join Study QLD on 10 October for an exclusive DHA webinar for all CRICOS-registered providers, featuring updates on visa statistics, policies, integrity measures, and best practices, followed by a live Q&A to stay aligned with current processes and expectations. READ MORE
VIEW THE 18 SEP 2025 EDUCATION UPDATE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Experience Gold Coast acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are situated, the Kombumerri families of the Yugambeh Language Region.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise their continuing connections to the lands, waters and their extended communities throughout Southeast Queensland.