Advertising campaign launch reaffirms multicultural message

University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay has helped launch an advertising campaign on Brisbane buses, part of a state-wide strategy instigated by higher education officials in collaboration with Queensland's nine universities.

The campaign follows a higher education forum attended by vice-chancellors and the Minister for Education Mr Dean Wells and is designed to raise community awareness of the importance of international students to Queensland.

For up to two months, photographs of students, many from the University of Queensland, will appear on a series of exterior advertisements on 30 buses in Brisbane, Rockhampton and Townsville.

The advertisements bear a slogan "Forging friendships, building futures ? Queensland universities - in touch with the world".

Each features a Queensland student and three international students in graduation gowns, with brightly-coloured backgrounds and a map of Queensland. The campaign materials have five variations.

The campaign follows a recent barbecue at Parliament House attended by 60 international students from the state's three biggest universities, Queensland Premier Mr Peter Beattie and Mr Wells. At the function, the Premier reaffirmed the state's commitment to multiculturalism.

The State Government, with the cooperation of universities, has coordinated the domestic advertising campaign to complement a series of international activities designed to send positive signals to Asian students and their families.

For further information contact University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay on (07) 3365 1300 or Nicole Brigg, of the Office of Higher Education, on (07) 3235 4480.