Study Toowoomba forum identifies housing as major issue for international student sector

Urgent assistance is needed to find accommodation for a growing sector of Toowoomba’s economy, with experts claiming $113 million is at stake. Here’s how you can help.

WEDNESDAY – HIGHER EDUCATION- BORDERLINE FAIL What next for international students (generic students on campus pic)

Toowoomba’s already lucrative international student education sector can’t continue to grow unless specialist accommodation is created.

That was the message from Study Toowoomba’s Purpose Built Student Accommodation Forum, which brought together developers and education professionals from across the region to find housing solutions for the hundreds of overseas students in the Garden City.

As many as 1700 internationals are studying in Toowoomba right now, with the sector injecting $113m into the local economy in 2021.

At Study Toowoomba’s Purpose Built Student Accommodation forum are (from left) Rural Medical Education Australia CEO Megan O’Shannessy, ST chair Nancy Sommerfield and Study Queensland's Sarina Hibbing.

But Study Toowoomba chair Nancy Sommerfield said students, like many residents across the city, were struggling to find appropriate housing.

“Accommodation is an issue for all, there are terrible stories coming from other areas about where students are living and what they’re paying for it,” she said.

“We want to make sure we can provide accommodation to all students.

“One of the big things is the stakeholders that are all in the room haven’t been talking – TAFE, unis and developer conversations haven’t been had before.

“The international student sector provides really good economic stimulus, so it is really worth it.”

Karl Bernstone of Toowoomba construction firm McNab said the forum had identified some great opportunities for the building of specialist student accommodation.

“When you’ve got a big demand, builders need to be a part of that effort and we need to understand the state of play and how we can get in there and help out,” he said.

“It’s about understanding what our prospective client needs and wants.

“With that much demand, there needs to be new supply so McNab sees an opportunity in the Toowoomba around being able to deliver some of that.”

Mr Bernstone said rather than taking away traditional accommodation, the construction of student housing could improve supply.

“Students are looking for something different, something that is respectful of their needs, and how they socialise,” he said.

“My takeaway is education providers are using traditional housing for students, which is taking those houses out the market.

“If we can provide fit-for-purpose student housing, we can release existing housing supply to the market.”

Rural Medical Education Australia CEO Megan O’Shannessy, who was a guest speaker at the forum, said the Griffith University-backed organisation was currently recruiting for a special program preparing 14 overseas students for the health, aged and disability care sectors.

She said the current student accommodation situation was “really challenging”.

“Our focus (with the program) is on the communities already well-established in Toowoomba, because international students need support, so we’re focusing on the Filipino community,” Ms O’Shannessy said.

“The housing situation is really difficult, really challenging.

“We’re very lucky that we’re in a position to assist (but) I really feel for the students trying to secure accommodation.

“You would hate for it to impact on the existing domestic residential situation.”

A working committee is set to be established between developers and education institutions as a result of the forum.