General News
5 August, 2025
Students consider uni life
HUNDREDS of high school students from across Far North Queensland descended on James Cook University’s Nguma-bada campus last week for the 2025 Cairns open day.
Designed to give year 11 and 12 students a real-world taste of university life, the event featured live music, food stalls, campus tours and the chance to speak directly with academics and current students. Many also explored JCU’s new Clinical Teaching and Education Centre (CTEC) and experienced immersive VR technology at the Ideas Lab.
Professor Stewart Lockie, director of JCU’s The Cairns Institute, said open day played a unique role in helping students decide whether university was right for them.
“You can read the course guides online, but open day gives people a chance to ask: is this somewhere I can see myself fitting in?,” he said. “It’s about connecting aspirations with a campus that feels like home.”
Cairns State High School student Claudia Kurowski, who says she wants to study either law, economics or commerce, described the experience as “incredible.”
“JCU has been a big help in narrowing down what I want to do. I’m definitely interested in the political and diplomacy side of things.”
Smithfield High student Annalise Turner said the day was “super engaging,” and that “the activities are fun for all the kids and everyone’s just having a great time, with smiles on all their faces.”
