2 July 2026
GOLD COAST TO HOST GLOBAL LEADERS AT THE PIE LIVE ASIA PACIFIC 2026
The Gold Coast is set to welcome international education leaders, policymakers, institutions, agents and industry professionals from around the world as The PIE Live Asia Pacific 2026 returns to HOTA, Home of the Arts, from 27 - 29 July 2026. The event is expected to attract more than 375 delegates from 19 countries, featuring over 60 speakers and 30 exhibitors from across the global education sector.
The two-day conference will explore some of the most important issues shaping international education, including student mobility, visa integrity, employability, transnational education, skills development, market diversification, geopolitics, student experience and the future competitiveness of study destinations.
As a proud destination partner, Experience Gold Coast encourages education providers, industry stakeholders and partners to take advantage of this unique opportunity to connect with international education leaders, gain valuable industry insights and showcase the Gold Coast as one of Australia's leading study destinations. The conference provides an important platform for collaboration, networking and discussions that will help shape the future of international education across the Asia-Pacific region.
Education partners interested in attending can access information regarding ticket discounts and partner incentives by contacting Gustavo Cominese at gus.cominese@experiencegoldcoast.com.
For more information about the conference program and speakers, visit The PIE Live Asia Pacific website.
EXPERIENCE GOLD COAST CONNECTS WITH MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITIES AT MCCGC EMPLOYMENT EXPO
Experience Gold Coast was proud to participate in the MCCGC Multicultural Employment Expo 2026, connecting with students, job seekers, graduates and members of the Gold Coast's diverse multicultural community.
Held at the JW Marriott Surfers Paradise, the Expo provided an excellent platform to promote the Gold Coast Student Hub, careers and employability initiatives, volunteer opportunities, and upcoming recruitment events across the city.
The Experience Gold Coast team engaged with attendees from more than 28 nationalities, highlighting the rich cultural diversity that makes the Gold Coast such a vibrant place to study, work and live.
The MCCGC Employment Expo demonstrated the value of working collaboratively with multicultural communities to support student success, workforce participation, volunteering and social connection. Experience Gold Coast looks forward to continuing these conversations and helping connect people with opportunities across the Gold Coast.
WHAT'S ON AT THE GOLD COAST STUDENT HUB THIS JULY
July is shaping up to be another exciting month at the Gold Coast Student Hub, with a fantastic lineup of free activities designed to help students connect, learn and make the most of their Gold Coast experience.
This month’s program includes English Language Conversation Workshops, Games & Pizza, Sound Healing & Meditation, and a Student Jobs Recruitment Event Preparation Workshop to help students build confidence and develop employability skills.
Students can also enjoy a Dreamworld excursion and celebrate culture and community at the Colombian Social Lunch & Live Music event.
Whether you're looking to improve your English, meet new friends, enhance your wellbeing, or prepare for future career opportunities, there's something for everyone at the Hub.
All events are exclusive to Gold Coast students and most activities are free to attend. Visit the Gold Coast Student Hub website to view the full calendar and register for upcoming events.
GOLD COAST UNIVERSITIES SHINE IN GLOBAL RANKINGS
The Gold Coast's reputation as a world-class study destination continues to grow, with both Griffith University and Southern Cross University achieving outstanding recognition in major global university rankings.
Griffith University climbed 38 places in the 2026 QS World University Rankings to 230th globally, the largest improvement of any Australian university in the world's top 250—and now ranks 15th in Australia. The university also cemented its global leadership in sustainability, being recognised as Australia's #1 university and equal #2 in the world in the 2026 Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings, including equal #1 globally for Life Below Water (SDG 14) and Australia's top performer across four Sustainable Development Goals.
Southern Cross University also celebrated a significant milestone, rising into the world's top 300 universities in the 2026 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, improving from the 401–600 band in 2025. The university ranked 71st globally for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16) and 94th for Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), while also placing among the global top 200 for Gender Equality, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Climate Action, and Life Below Water.
These achievements reinforce the Gold Coast's position as a globally recognised education destination, showcasing the city's commitment to academic excellence, sustainability, innovation and producing graduates equipped to meet future workforce needs.
EXPERIENCE GOLD COAST REPRESENTS THE GOLD COAST AT IEAA YOUNG PROFESSIONALS EVENT
Experience Gold Coast recently attended the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) Young Professionals networking event hosted by Kaplan Business School in Brisbane.
The event provided a valuable opportunity to connect with emerging and established professionals across the international education sector, strengthen industry relationships, and share insights on the Gold Coast's growing reputation as a leading study destination.
Representing Experience Gold Coast, the team engaged with education leaders, practitioners, and sector stakeholders from across Queensland and Australia, highlighting the city's strengths in student experience, employability, industry engagement, and educational excellence.
Events such as the IEAA Young Professionals gathering play an important role in fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and professional connections that support the continued growth and success of Australia's international education sector.
GOLD COAST EDUCATION LEADERS CELEBRATED AT GCSPA AWARDS
Experience Gold Coast was proud to attend the Gold Coast Secondary Principals' Alliance (GCSPA) Education Excellence Awards, an evening dedicated to recognising the outstanding educators, leaders and school communities shaping the future of education on the Gold Coast.
A sincere thank you to Heidi Wallace, Ben Weeks and the GCSPA team for hosting such a memorable event and bringing together education professionals from across the region to celebrate excellence, innovation and leadership in schools.
We were especially proud to have Matt Boyd representing Experience Gold Coast and presenting one of the evening's awards, recognising the remarkable achievements and contributions of local education leaders.
Congratulations to all finalists and award recipients on this well-deserved recognition.
QUICK SNIPPETS
- From 1 July 2026, the standard student visa (Subclass 500) rises from AUD $2,000 to $2,500, while ELICOS and Non-Award visas increase slightly to AUD $2,050, and the Graduate (Subclass 485) visa rises from AUD $4,600 to $5,750. Over the past two years, the student visa fee has increased from AUD $710 to $2,500—a 252% increase—raising widespread concerns that Australia is becoming increasingly unaffordable and less attractive as a study destination. Read more.
- Feezy and HE Comply are helping education agents and providers simplify partnership management through smarter contract, commission and compliance solutions. By bringing agreements, commission structures, bonus arrangements and renewal tracking into one central platform, they provide greater transparency, reduce administration and support stronger, more efficient partnerships across the international education sector.
- For Education Agents: Trent Tighe – trent.tighe@feezy.io | www.feezy.io
- For Education Providers: John – john@hecomply.com | www.hecomply.com
VIEW THE 18 JUNE 2026 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.