Education cluster gets green light

Study Toowoomba ready for 2019

A NEW organisation designed to promote and engage Toowoomba’s educational institutions could be week away from forming.

Councillors voted yesterday to start establishing Study Toowoomba Inc as a beneficial enterprise for the region.

The study cluster, based on enterprises in other cities, would be an incorporated association funded eventually through a membership base, with the council as its foundation member.

Economic development officer Shamus Garmany told councillors at the meeting the State Government and the University of Southern Queensland would also offer $220,000 for the next two years to get it off the ground.

“I’m happy to say the Queensland Government has supported it to the tune of $145,000 (over two years) and with the commitment that council made and also from USQ ($70,000 over two years), we believe we’re now at a position to operate a good enterprise for the coming two years,” he said.

“We won’t be accepting partnership for two years so we can get some runs on the board so Study Toowoomba can earn some results.”

Study Toowoomba, developed through a steering committee since 2017, will receive $35,000 per annum for the next three years from the TRC.

Economic development portfolio leader Anne Glasheen said she was excited to see what the cluster could achieve with the education sector.

“We have some excellent educational facilities in this town, ranging from primary school all the way to university,” she said.

“Hopefully it will be formalised before Christmas.”

Cr Bill Cahill attempted to have the recommendation amended to state explicitly the council would review the funding after 2021, but it wasn’t adopted.