China’s focus on JCU Cairns

James Cook University will be the focus of a documentary being filmed in Cairns this week by China’s Hebei Provincial Television (HBTV).

HBTV is producing a 20-minute segment on JCU’s Cairns and Townsville campuses, as part of a one-hour documentary on higher education in Australia.

Heather Parris-Kidd, Manager of International at JCU in Cairns, said the University was looking forward to strengthening its ties with China following the introduction of direct flights from Shanghai to Cairns.

“Our current Chinese students, along with graduates and Chinese-born staff, will be helping us present the University in interviews about their research and their experiences of studying, working and living in tropical Queensland,” Ms Parris-Kidd said.

“The documentary team will also visit our research and teaching centres, including our Dental School, the aquarium and the Australian Tropical Herbarium.

“China provides just over 28 per cent of international students to all Australian education sectors, and the numbers continue to grow,” Ms Parris-Kidd said.

“It’s an important market, and the introduction of direct flights is a major boost to our efforts to promote tropical Queensland as an education destination.”

JCU currently has 577 Chinese students enrolled at its Singapore campus, 20 in Cairns and 76 in Townsville.

“We have four PhD students and four Masters students in Cairns, and twelve undergraduates, most of whom are studying business,” she said.

“It’s a small base, but we are hopeful that marketing exercises like this documentary, along with the very warm welcome Cairns is giving our Chinese visitors, will help us expand our enrolments over the next few years.”

The filming will include interviews with senior city officials in both Cairns and Townsville, as well as JCU senior management. HBTV will also be filming local tourist attractions and meeting with local government and community leaders.

Issued November 6, 2012

Media enquiries: E. linden.woodward@jcu.edu.au T. 07 4042 1007