Youth activities
The USQ's faculties provide invaluable skills to the youth of our community through a number of programs and events. The USQ faculties have the opportunity to share their knowledge and skills with our local community youth to provide them with a feel for university life and extend their learning opportunities:
USQ Artsworx
Shakespeare in the Park Festival
Shakespeare in the Park Festival features a mainstage production along with a selection of associated events including the immensely popular School Workshop Days, and Blackbox Shakespeare annual tours into Darling Downs and Springfield high schools.
Childrens Festival
The USQ Children's Festival is a week-long festival of entertainment for children of all ages. The week is filled with performance and visual art experiences that give children insight into issues like belonging and friendship. In conjunction with the schools the university provides teachers with information and class activities for each of the performances the children attend.
This year's Breez Finance Childrens Festival was enjoyed by adults and children alike.
Performing and visual arts
USQ Artsworx offers local and regional schools who attend most annual theatre performances with theatre engagement opportunities on-line Teachers' Notes, post-show forums, in-school workshops and teaching resources such as the Brecht DVD.
Faculty of Business
Funny Business
Funny Business is a program designed to give students the opportunity to gain skills in business planning. Further information can be found at Funny Business.
Boys and Girls in ICT
One of the major activities of the School of Information Systems is its annual IT Breakfast for Year 12 students from Toowoomba and district high schools.
This event is seen to be a major factor in maintaining linkages between USQ, local high schools and their students. It is well known that many local Year 12 students are now graduates from the School of Information Systems who find employment in IT businesses locally, within Queensland, interstate and overseas.
The Year 12 breakfast provides students with a valuable insight into the IT industry through addresses by local IT business representatives. Also, by hearing our graduates talk about the challenges and rewards of their degrees, lets the students know it can be done – and done locally, without leaving home.
CPA Day
CPA/USQ Business Careers Forum is designed for Year 11 & 12 students, to provide them with insights into accounting as a exciting and varied career choice, with presentations being made by academics and practitioners working in the business area of accounting and finance.
Business Experience Day
The Business Experience Day is a fantastic opportunity for a select group of students to experience a full day at USQ, exploring the faculty and programs that they may hope to study in the very near future.
Each of these day features a program that involves attending real university tutorials, discovering in depth and hands on information about Faculty of Business Degree programs, a free lunch, and a number of fun activities that will both excite and engage.
Faculty of Education
School Debating
The Faculty of Education is involved with the Queensland Debating Union (QDU) school debating on the Darling Downs. The Faculty supports the recruitment and training of adjudicators from the student body. Lesley McAuley-Jones is the Darling Downs QDU Coordinator.
Youth Leadership Program
This initiative was proposed by local secondary schools to enhance and extend the skills of students as youth leaders. Students are chosen by their school for their commitment to leadership as school captains and prefects. The workshop currently runs for one day and gives these school leaders knowledge and encouragement to build on their skills.
Faculty of Engineering and Surveying
Science and Engineering Challenge
The Science and Engineering Challenge allows students to participate in group activities involving the principles of science, engineering and technology.
Faculty of Sciences
Science Week
Science Week gives students the opportunity to explore the world of science and how it relates to their everyday lives. This program is no cost to students and provides a fun approach to science.
The Centre for Australian Indigenous Knowledges
ICT Intensive Indigenous Program
This program gives indigenous students skills in rebuilding computer systems through the USQ Division of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the USQ Centre for Australian Indigenous Knowledges. These computers are then given to worthy community organisations.