Toowoomba Region continues to be a hub for cultural exchange opportunities shown by a recent visit from students of our Sister City of Paju.
Last month, 15 students from across different high schools in Paju,a town in the Republic of Korea, participated in an educational exchange program offering studentsa unique opportunity to improve their English abilities and gaina valuable understanding of Australian culture.
This year's touring party was the 22nd group to visit the Region since the program started in 2003. The students and their accompanying teacher were welcomed byToowoomba Region Mayor Cr Geoff McDonald at a formal reception at Toowoomba City Hall in late January 2025.
"I am proud that we can offer students from our Sister City an educational and exciting experiencewhich isspecific to the exchange program format. Our Region benefits from the study tour as it promotes cultural exchange and assists with building global networks," said Toowoomba Region Mayor McDonald.
"It also gives Toowoomba Region residents the chance to become homestay hosts, an enriching experience for residents who have a passion to meet new people and discovernew cultures".
The exchange program upholds the educational principles stipulated in the Toowoomba and Paju Sister City Agreement, signed in 2022. This agreement promotes international relations and fosters commercial, business and educational opportunities between the two cities.
As part of the tour, students undertook an Intensive English Language and Cultural course coordinated for the first time by the Australian Institute of International Understanding (AIIU).
Including this year's group, 402 students have visited Toowoomba to participate in the program previously run by the University of Southern Queensland. In addition, 40 students have participated in three online courses.
To qualify for the popular cultural and educational exchange, students must maintain a great academic transcript and showcase their bilingual ability in an exclusively English-speaking interview with Paju City officials.
As part of this year's 22-day tour, students participated in language courses including lessons on Indigenous history and native geography and wildlife.
These lessons were taken outside the classroom and experienced firsthand with visits to iconic tourism destinations in the Gold Coast and Brisbane's Southbank.
The tour also included an educational visit to Bestbrook Farmstay which is nestled among the Great Dividing Range.
Paju history: Paju Sister City Agreement
- Agreement enhances and develops economic cooperation between the two cities
- Paju is one hour from South Korea's capital city, Seoul
- Population: 588,000
- Area: 672 km²
- 20th anniversary of relationship in October 2022
Photo caption:Toowoomba Region Mayor Cr Geoff McDonald posing spiritedly with seven of the fifteen Paju students from the 22nd group of the study exchange program.
