Success of Council and JCU collaboration

A video promoting the benefits of studying medicine in Cairns, student placements and employment opportunities, and helping to guide the city’s future growth were some of the initiatives Council and James Cook University (JCU) collaborated on in 2023.

Council and JCU signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 10 October 2019 with the intention of working together to create lasting educational, intellectual, cultural, social, health, environmental, and economic benefits for both parties, as well as the broader Cairns community and region.

A report tabled in Council today outlined projects and activities delivered in 2023, which included:

• JCU’s participation and contribution within the Towards 2050: Shaping Cairns Growth Strategy.
• Joint delivery of an exhibition at the International Business, Environment and Climate Conference, showcasing research projects within the Smart Green Economy.
• Joint production and delivery of a promotional video under the Choose Cairns brand to promote the enviable lifestyle of studying Medicine in Cairns, while also highlighting the career pathway for future doctors within the expansion of the Cairns Hospital and the opportunities within the Far North Queensland Health and Innovation Precinct (FNQHIP).
• Support of JCU’s bid to the Federal Government for funding of the Future Tourism Cooperative Research Centre.
• Several initiatives to support student placements within Council and develop student employability skills.