Get set, go for students

THOUSANDS of extra international students could be flocking to the Gold Coast after the mayor announced the “go button” will be pressed on more student accommodation.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate’s scheme to accommodate 34,000 international students comes after the Coast was named Australia’s top regional study location by the International Educational Association of Australia (IEAA).

Following the achievement, a stylish new student hub has opened in Southport in Nerang St.

Mayor Tate said the recognition was wonderful but he was focused on growing the international population even further.

One of his key aims was to set aside property for international student housing.

“I’ll leave it to the lawyers to work that out,” he said.

“The numbers show 22,000 international students living here on the Gold Coast.

“The next target is that we will be competing head on with Sydney and Melbourne to get our numbers up to 34,000 by 2024.”

The mayor said he would make this happen with “shovel ready projects”.

“My focus for the first half of next year will be building the student hubs and accommodations if council finds it economically viable,” he said.

“We are going to make sure infrastructure charges have been reduced.

“Our occupancies are getting very high now so we must forward plan. We will look at kickstarting development with ‘shovel ready’ projects. There are still areas I believe that student hubs and accommodation can be born from.

“You’ll see the go button pressed on a lot of student accommodation projects and by the end of the year I would like to see that infrastructure rise.’’

Study Gold Coast CEO Shannon Willoughby said connecting international students with the city would boost the local economy.

“We launched Australia’s largest citywide employability program this year,” she said.

“This is aimed at showcasing career opportunities ... and boosting the local economy through the development of a thriving education.

“The Gold Coast’s first student hub in Southport has been visited by 1600 students from 56 countries and across 30 different institutions.”