REPORT TO PARLIAMENT

MINISTERIAL TRADE MISSION TO AND SINGAPORE

1 TO 6 OCTOBER 2018

THE HONOURABLE GRACE MP

MINISTER FOR AND MINISTER FOR INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Table of Contents Official Delegation ...... 3 Visit Overview ...... 3 Outcomes for Queensland ...... 4 Itinerary ...... 5 Tuesday 2 October 2018 ...... 6 Bunkyo University Junior and Senior High School ...... 6 Tokyo Global Gateway ...... 7 SoftBank Corporation...... 8 Government dinner with Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education ...... 9 Wednesday 3 October 2018 ...... 10 Queensland Trade and Investment Commissioner for Japan ...... 10 Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education ...... 11 Thursday 4 October 2018 ...... 12 Juying Secondary School – Singapore ...... 12 Ministry of Education – Singapore ...... 13 National Institute of Education ...... 14 Friday 5 October 2018 ...... 15 Trade and Investment Queensland – Singapore ...... 15 James Cook University – Singapore Campus ...... 16

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Official Delegation

The Honourable Grace Grace MP Minister for Education and Minister for Industrial Relations Mr Tony Cook PSM Director-General Department of Education Ms Sharon Durham Chief of Staff Office of the Minister for Education and Minister for Industrial Relations

Visit Overview

The purpose of the Minister’s visit to Tokyo was to attend an official ceremony at the Queensland classroom at the Tokyo Global Gateway (TGG) involving the commencement of the first two Queensland teachers at the TGG. The visit was a follow up to the visit to the TGG earlier this year by the Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk MP, Premier of Queensland and Minister for Trade, to promote the Queensland classroom at the facility. Queensland’s involvement in the TGG will provide an opportunity for Japanese school students to experience schooling in a Queensland classroom, with the hope of potentially leading more international students to consider studying in Queensland.

The visit to Singapore enabled the Minister to meet with the Ministry of Education to explore Singapore’s world class education system including its approaches to capability building for school principals, teaching methods and teacher performance frameworks. Queensland’s school-based education system can benefit from greater exposure to Singapore’s world-renowned approach to student and teacher capability development.

Other meetings in Tokyo and Singapore included visits to schools where Queensland has strong existing relationships, and with governing agencies for education to discuss school education initiatives and reforms. The Minister also met with organisations with strong education links to Queensland such as SoftBank Corporation in Tokyo and James Cook University in Singapore. The Minister also undertook trade discussions with the Queensland Trade and Investment Commissioners.

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Outcomes for Queensland

1. The Minister’s visit strengthened the relationship with the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education (TMBoE) in delivering the Queensland Classroom Project at the Tokyo Global Gateway (TGG). This includes continuing discussions with TGG on the possibility of extending the current program beyond the conclusion of the pilot year (14 August 2019). Discussions will also be held with the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education (TMBoE) on providing Queensland curriculum material to Tokyo teachers while their students participate in the TGG. This could further extend into professional development for Tokyo teachers on this material.

2. As a result of discussions led by the Minister during this trip, the TMBoE has advised the Queensland Government they will be sending a senior ranking official to Queensland in early 2019 to discuss Queensland’s implementation of Prep. The TMBoE has a strong interest in early childhood education and wishes to learn how Queensland successfully implemented Prep, including the early childhood curriculum material developed for young learners.

3. Discussions with Softbank Corporation in Tokyo resulted in an in-principle agreement to further explore the co-development of Pepper coding education programs to make available to all Queensland schools and to schools internationally that access the Pepper robots. Softbank will explore partnering with Queensland to utilise our knowledge and expertise of curriculum development to undertake this work.

4. It was agreed with the Singapore Ministry of Education to further explore and enhance how individual Queensland and Singapore schools could hold exchanges to share intercultural experiences and knowledge. This included a specific focus on areas important to Singapore reform efforts such as STEM education, education technologies, outdoor and sport education and arts and .

5. It was agreed with the National Institute of Education (NIE) to further continue the relationship with Queensland school leaders and teachers through study programs and tours and to explore other partnerships to provide leadership development programmes to Queensland school leaders.

6. The Minister invited campus officials to visit the Department of Education when next in Queensland to continue discussions around early childhood education, particularly how the Queensland early childhood curriculum could inform the James Cook University (JCU) Singapore campus Early Childhood Education undergraduate program, as well as how to further enhance opportunities for JCU Singapore students to engage with JCU campuses or early childhood centres in Queensland.

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Itinerary In local time

Monday 1 October 2018 — Brisbane and Tokyo 10:07 – 18:30 QF61 – Brisbane to Tokyo 19:30 – 21:00 Transfer to hotel

Tuesday 2 October 2018 — Tokyo 08:50 – 11:00 Bunkyo University Junior and Senior High School visit 11:50 – 13:30 Speak at formal welcome at the Tokyo Global Gateway facility 16:00 – 17:00 Meeting with SoftBank Corporation 18:30 – 20:30 Government dinner with Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Wednesday 3 October 2018 — Tokyo 09:00 – 10:00 Briefing by Queensland’s Trade and Investment Commissioner for Japan 11:30 – 12:30 Meeting with Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Superintendent 14:00 – 16:00 Transfer to Airport 18:05 – 01:15 NH801 Tokyo to Singapore Thursday 4 October 2018 — Singapore 01:15 – 01:30 Transfer to hotel 09:00 – 10:30 Juying Secondary School visit 11:00 – 12:00 Meeting with Ministry of Education 13:30 – 14:30 Meeting with National Institute of Education Friday 5 October 2018 — Singapore 08:30 – 09:00 Briefing by Trade and Investment Queensland Singapore 09:30 – 11:00 James Cook University campus visit 13:30 – 14:00 Transfer to Airport 15:35 – 00:55 QF8432 Singapore to Brisbane Saturday 6 October 2018 — Brisbane 00:55 Arrive in Brisbane

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Tuesday 2 October 2018

Bunkyo University Junior and Senior High School

Date: 2 October 2018 Location: 3‐2‐17, Hatanodai, , Tokyo Attendees: Official Delegation Ms Hiromi Toda, Principal, Bunkyo University Junior and Senior High School Ms Akari Tojo, English Teacher / Exchange Program Director, Bunkyo University Junior and Senior High School Ms Ayumi Shimano, Principal, Bunkyo University Elementary School Other teachers, students and parents, Bunkyo University Junior and Senior High School (approximately 50 attendees) Mr Yasushi Karakita, Deputy Director, Tokyo Educational Travel Office, Tobu Top Tours Co. Ltd Mr Hiroshi Wantanabe, Executive Manager, Tokyo Educational Travel Office, Tobu Top Tours Co. Ltd Mr Masanobu Umemoto, Sales Manager, Tokyo Educational Travel Office, Tobu Top Tours Co. Ltd

Meeting Summary:

The visit was an opportunity to recognise, celebrate and strengthen the relationship between Bunkyo University Junior and Senior High School (BJSHS) and Queensland Government schools, as well as highlight Queensland’s commitment to encouraging globalisation of our students.

The Minister was given a campus tour which created an opportunity to interact with BJSHS students who have been to Queensland on an Education Queensland International (EQI) program. The visit coincided with the school’s Parent Day providing an opportunity to interact with BJSHS parents.

BJSHS includes a kindergarten, an elementary school, junior and senior high schools as well as a university, with approximately 10,000 students in total.

Since 2013, 337 BJSHS students have taken part in an annual Study Tour hosted by North Lakes State College which includes a farm stay experience in the Gold Coast hinterland, one week of intensive English study at an English College followed by a one-week Queensland Government school program. The Study Abroad program, also hosted at North Lakes State College, is now an annual program that sees approximately seven to 10 students from BJSHS participate in each year.

An official reception was held at the school at which students who had participated in a Study Tour thanked the Minister for the opportunity and explained how they had benefited from the experience. The Minister also met with parents of these students who similarly spoke about how studying in a Queensland school had positively impacted on their children.

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Tokyo Global Gateway

Date: 2 October 2018 Location: Time24 Building, 2‐4‐32, Aome, Koutou‐Ku, Tokyo Attendees: Official Delegation Mr Nobuo Oda, President, Tokyo Global Gateway Ms Motoko Nagao, Chief Operating Officer, Tokyo Global Gateway Ms Akiko Mori, Director, International Education Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Mr Yoshihiro Takizawa, Director, International Education Section, Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Other key partners of Tokyo Global Gateway and students visiting the Tokyo Global Gateway facility.

Visit Summary:

The Minister was welcomed by the Tokyo Global Gateway (TGG) President and delivered a speech to thank the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education (TMBoE) and TGG for their partnership with Queensland and to wish the two Queensland teachers commencing at TGG that day, well in their work. The Minister met with key partners and students visiting the TGG facility including the Queensland Classroom and observed a science lesson conducted by a Queensland teacher to a group of Japanese students.

The new experience-based English facility, TGG, is an initiative led by the TMBoE. The TGG was designed to raise the English proficiency of Japanese children ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

TMBoE and the Department of Education International (DEi) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 2 November 2016. The TGG facility, including the ‘Queensland Classroom Project’, was developed by DEi in collaboration with TGG to have a strong STEM focus. Lessons are delivered by rotations of two Queensland teachers, on a three-monthly basis. It is anticipated up to 200,000 Japanese students will attend the TGG over the next few years, which provides a key opportunity to showcase Queensland education.

DEi’s current contract with TGG to deliver the Queensland Classroom Project expires on 14 August 2019. TGG has already raised the possibility of extending the program past the pilot year.

The possibility of sharing Queensland curriculum materials with Tokyo teachers who attend the TGG with their students was discussed during the visit and will be explored further through the Tokyo office of Trade and Investment Queensland.

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SoftBank Corporation

Date: 2 October 2018 Location: 1‐9‐1 Tokyo Shiodome Building, Higashi, Shinbashi, Minato‐ku, Tokyo Attendees: Official Delegation Mr Dai Sakata, Senior Executive VP, SoftBank Robotics Corp. Mr Yutaro Kotaki, Director, SoftBank Robotics Corp. Mr Yasuyuki Omori, Manager, SoftBank Robotics Corp. Ms Sayuri Ishigaki, SoftBank Robotics Corp. Mr Kimihisa Kudo, Senior Director, SoftBank Corp. Mr Tomonaga Ogita, Manager, SoftBank Corp. Ms Erina Kitajima, SoftBank Corp.

Meeting Summary:

Meeting with SoftBank was an opportunity to thank them for their commitment to Queensland and supplying and supporting six Pepper and 10 Nao humanoid robots in Queensland Government schools, as well as explore future collaboration opportunities with Queensland in education technology applications.

Since Semester 1 2018, the Pepper and Nao robots have been used in 58 Queensland schools as part of the Department of Education’s Robotics for the future initiative. This supports the Queensland Government’s commitment to implementing the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies in all Queensland Government schools by the end of 2020.

The partnership with the department has provided SoftBank with valuable examples of how students use their robots with their learning program. The robots currently use Choregraphe as a programming software.

SoftBank and some of its partners are proposing alternative visual programming interfaces similar to Blockly or Scratch programs for users to more easily program the Pepper and Nao robots. This development would be of interest to the department once the software is completed and released.

SoftBank is considering providing Pepper robots to the TGG Queensland Classroom for Queensland teachers to use.

Softbank officials were particularly interested in exploring further the possibility of partnering with the Queensland education department to utilise our curriculum development expertise to support coding education programs for schools internationally using the Pepper robots.

The Queensland office of Softbank, located in the Fortitude Valley start-up and innovation precinct, will further explore this with Department of Education officials.

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Government dinner with Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education

Date: 2 October 2018 Location: Tokyo Shiba Tofuya UKAI, 4‐4‐13, Shibakoen, Minato‐ku, Tokyo Attendees: Official Delegation Mr Keizo Nakai, Superintendent, Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Mr Tatsuo Masubuchi, Executive Director, Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Mr Motonari Suzuki, Director of Olympic Paralympic Office, Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Ms Akiko Mori, Director, International Education Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Ms Hiroko Igarashi, Chief Supervisor, Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education

Meeting Summary:

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education (TMBoE) and department continue to build strong ties with each other, through collaboration on various international programs such as the Global Citizens of the Future and Japanese Immersion #Tokyo study tours, and the Jisedai (Next Generation) Leaders Scholarship program.

This dinner provided the opportunity for the Minister to thank TMBoE for their support of these collaborations. Discussions focused on two main topics – continued support for international student programs between TMBoE and Queensland and on the importance of early childhood education.

The Minister expressed sincere thanks to TMBoE for their continued trust in the quality of Queensland education by again awarding study abroad tenders to Queensland to host Japanese school aged students.

The TMBoE indicated an interest in introducing early childhood education into their education system, which currently doesn’t exist. During dinner the Minister outlined how kindergarten and Prep provision operates in Queensland and particularly the introduction of Prep into Queensland schools over recent years.

The TMBoE expressed a very strong interest in learning further about how Queensland had introduced Prep, with this discussion continuing the next day while formally meeting with TMBoE.

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Wednesday 3 October 2018

Queensland Trade and Investment Commissioner for Japan

Date: 3 October 2018 Location: Imperial Hotel Tokyo ‐ 1‐1 Uchisaiwai‐Cho 1‐Chome, ChiyodaKu, Tokyo Attendees: Official Delegation Mr Tak Adachi, Queensland Trade and Investment Commissioner – Japan Ms Iori Forsyth, TIQ Japan

Meeting Summary:

Discussions were held in relation to future trade and investment opportunities between Queensland and Japan, particularly focusing on education. These discussions explored how further international student tours could be agreed between Japan and Queensland and how Queensland curriculum materials could be marketed to the Japanese education system. Study tours for school aged Japanese students provide a pathway for these students to continue their study in Queensland post- formal school.

Japan is Queensland’s seventh largest source market for international student enrolments. As at end 2017, there were 5319 enrolments recorded in Queensland, which makes up 33% of the national share. Over half of these enrolments (53.5%) were in English language programs (ELICOS), followed by Vocational Education and Training (VET) at 25.9%, and higher education and schools at 8.4% and 7.8%, respectively.

EQI was awarded the TMBoE one-year study abroad tender for 2018 to host 60 Japanese students in Queensland Government schools. EQI has previously won the tender in 2013, 2014 and 2017.

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Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education

Date: 3 October 2018 Location: Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education, 2‐8‐1, Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku‐ku, Tokyo Attendees: Official Delegation Mr Keizo Nakai, Superintendent (Director-General), Office of Education, Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Mr Tetsuhiro Saikai, Deputy Director-General Mr Takeo Hayakawa, Senior Director, General Affairs Division Mr Tetsuo Masubuchi, Special Advisor on Education Ms Akiko Mori, Director, International Education Project Ms Hiroko Ikarashi, Chief Supervisor, International Education Section

Meeting Summary:

This meeting recognised, celebrated and strengthened the ongoing Queensland-Tokyo education partnership. It also confirmed Queensland’s interest to liaise further with the TMBoE about initiatives involving professional development for teachers and short-term student study tours with EQI.

DEi was recently awarded the TMBoE one-year study abroad tender for 2019 to host up to 29 Japanese students across Queensland state schools.

The Advancing Education: An action plan for education in Queensland highlights the importance of preparing students to engage in the new opportunities of a connected and global world.

The Japanese Government is aiming to double the number of Japanese students studying abroad by 2020, the year of the Tokyo Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. It aims to double the number of university students studying abroad from 60,000 in 2013 to 120,000 and the number of high school students from 30,000 in 2013 to 60,000.

As at June 2018, Australian Education International reported a total of 3858 Japanese student enrolments in Queensland education and training institutions, including 349 students in Queensland schools (201 in state schools and 148 in non-state schools).

Discussions continued on the importance of early childhood education and Tokyo’s interest in learning how Queensland had implemented a Prep year in schooling. It was agreed during this meeting that further discussions will be held on this issue, with TMBoE subsequently advising a high-ranking senior official will travel to Queensland in early 2019 to explore further partnerships with Queensland, focused on early childhood education provision.

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Thursday 4 October 2018

Juying Secondary School – Singapore

Date: 4 October 2018 Location: 33 Jurong West Street 91 Singapore 649038 Attendees: Official Delegation Mdm Soh Beng Mui, Principal, Juying Secondary School Mr Peter Quah, Vice‐Principal, Juying Secondary School Ms Jennifer Wong, Vice‐Principal, Juying Secondary School Ms Christina Ng, Head of Department for Aesthetics, Juying Secondary School Ms Koh Shu Jiun, School Staff Developer, Juying Secondary School Ms Yang Wenqing, Subject Head, Science, Juying Secondary School Mr Dayan Tan, Subject Head, Humanities, Juying Secondary School

Meeting Summary:

The visit to Juying Secondary School (JSS) was an opportunity to further the established relationship between JSS and the department and to explore opportunities for future collaboration. JSS was visited in September 2017 by 20 senior officers from the department as part of DEi’s World Class Education: Shanghai and Singapore Study Program. JSS has established a program called 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens based on the work of Stephen Covey that integrates the 7 Habits principles with Singapore Ministry of Education’s Character & Citizenship Education curriculum. This signature program helps students to master personal and inter-personal effectiveness strategies in order to achieve their goals, nurture healthy and meaningful relationships, renew themselves and continue learning and improving. The visit included a campus tour and student engagement. The Minister met with students and teachers of the school and learnt of their experiences of education in Singapore. Particularly that day, students were undertaking external exams and the Minister discussed with students how they viewed external examinations. This discussion was timely with the introduction of new senior assessment and tertiary entrance (SATE) systems in Queensland in 2020. The Minister also discussed with teachers how their own professional development and learning is undertaken in Singapore and their experiences with the Academy of Singapore Teachers programs. One teacher reflected on the difference between his experience in a Queensland school compared to his own school, and particularly the greater flexibility available to Queensland teachers both within their teaching program but also outside of school time.

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Ministry of Education – Singapore Date: 4 October 2018 Location: 1 North Buona Vista Drive, Singapore 138675 Attendees: Official Delegation Ms Chan Lai Fung, Permanent Secretary (Education) Ms Tan Bee Leng, Senior Officer, , Planning Division

Meeting Summary:

During this meeting, the Minister was briefed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education (MOE) on a range of MOE activities, in particular, the National Institute of Education (NIE) which is responsible for preservice initial and the Academy of Singapore Teachers (AST) which manages professional development of existing teachers.

NIE is the single provider of initial teacher education in Singapore and AST is leading the professional development of MOE staff, which includes Subject Chapters (networked learning communities for teacher development and professional sharing for the respective subject disciplines, focusing on subject mastery and pedagogical content knowledge).

Queensland looks to Singapore to engage leading education thinkers around and policy development and implementation.

Discussions were held about possible opportunities for cooperation between MOE Singapore and the department including the sharing of , teacher and/or student exchanges. It was agreed to further explore how school to school exchanges between Queensland and Singapore schools could be facilitated. The Singapore Ministry expressed a specific interest in their school aged students spending more time on ‘engaged learning’ and how they could learn from teaching and learning practices of Queensland teachers in this area.

Discussions were also held on how Singapore undertook their initial teacher education selection and training, specifically the initial selection of teachers by the Ministry (not universities as happens in Australia) and the payment of stipends to student teachers during their university study. All Singapore initial education teachers are trained by the NIE, which allows consistency of training.

The Minister extended an invitation to the MOE Executives to come to Queensland to visit a range of government schools and to meet key departmental representatives.

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National Institute of Education Date: 4 October 2018 Location: 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616 Attendees: Official Delegation Assoc Prof Chang Chew Hung, Chief Planning Officer, National Institute of Education Assoc Prof Eddy Chong, Assistant Dean (PGDE), Office of Teacher Education Dr Lim Seok Lai, Assistant Dean (Practicum), Office of Teacher Education

Meeting Summary:

The Minister held discussions identifying areas of potential co‐operation with Queensland in relation to teacher training and professional development. The National Institute of Education (NIE) is Singapore’s national teacher education institute with a key role in shaping Singapore’s education.

This meeting provided an opportunity to discuss future collaboration between NIE and the department, including the possibility of collaborative teaching and research activities, professional development programs, and professional visits.

Discussions were held on the Leaders in Education Programme International (LEPI) which is conducted through the NIE and provides a two week program for school leaders around the world focusing on the Singapore education system, visits to local schools and strategic school leadership.

Observations and comparisons were also made between entry standards and practicum requirements in Queensland initial teacher education courses and those implemented for Singapore teachers through NIE.

The Minister invited NIE officials to visit Queensland to explore further links between Queensland initial teacher education providers and the Department of Education with NIE.

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Friday 5 October 2018

Trade and Investment Queensland – Singapore Date: 5 October 2018 Location: Intercontinental Hotel – Ash and Elm restaurant meeting room Attendees: Official Delegation Mr Tom Calder, Queensland Trade and Investment Commissioner – ASEAN Ms Tomoko Nakanishi, Business Development Manager

Meeting Summary:

Discussions were held in relation to future trade investment opportunities between Queensland and Singapore focusing on education. These discussions focused on how further opportunities could be developed to encourage Singapore students to choose Queensland as a study destination.

It was acknowledged that there is limited market for Singapore school-aged students to study in Queensland schools due to the local education system being ranked as one of the best in the world. However further possibilities exist in Singapore schools organising overseas study tours to provide their students with greater exposure to international communities and for teacher development in areas of outdoor and sports education, arts and music, and technology.

It was also agreed that there are possibilities to share with Singapore the learnings Queensland has from the implementation of STEM initiatives such as #codingcounts and the STEM Schools of the future reforms. The Singapore Trade and Investment Queensland office will continue discussions with Singapore education officials and schools on these issues.

As at end June 2017, there were 1232 Singapore student enrolments in Queensland education and training institutions, representing Queensland’s 16th largest source market and 17% of Singapore student enrolments in Australia. The majority of Singapore students enrolled are in the higher education sector (92.4%).

Singapore has become an Asian education hub with many education providers from around the world setting up campuses or forming partnerships. James Cook University opened its first international campus in Singapore in 2003.

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James Cook University – Singapore Campus Date: 5 October 2018 Location: 149 Sims Dr, Singapore 387380 Attendees: Official Delegation Mr Abhishek Singh Bhati, Campus Dean & Head of Teaching, Learning and Student Engagement Mr Andrew Chew, Director, Marketing Ms Shobha, Director, Resources Mr Kelvin Liu, Chief Operating Officer Mr Jim Tan, Director, Internal Audit and Standards

Meeting Summary:

The Minister toured the recently opened James Cook University (JCU) Singapore campus Tropical Futures Institute which will deliver world class research in science, and social sciences. The Singapore campus also offers an extensive range of study options at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. These courses cover a wide range of disciplines such as Business, Tourism & Hospitality, Information Technology, Education and .

During the meeting, the Minister discussed the important contribution to research, teaching and learning being provided by the Singapore campus; the leadership role of the Singapore campus in bringing the tropics to international attention; and opportunities to expand linkages with Singapore’s education and industry sectors.

The campus delivers an Early Childhood Education undergraduate program and expressed interest in learning how Queensland teachers use technology in early childhood education and how this could be reflected in their program.

The Minister invited campus officials to visit the Department of Education when next in Queensland to continue discussions around early childhood education as well as how to further enhance opportunities for JCU Singapore students to engage with JCU campuses or early childhood centres in Queensland.

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