USQ Vice-Chancellor invited to speak at Chamber of Commerce event

USQ Vice-Chancellor Jan Thomas speaks at the recent Chamber of Commerce business breakfast

The weather was cold but the welcome was warm for University of Southern Queensland’s (USQ) new Vice-Chancellor Jan Thomas at the recent Business at Breakfast event hosted by the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce.

The breakfast function attracted a larger crowd than usual as Toowoomba business and industry leaders gathered at the Picnic Point venue for their introduction to hear the Vice-Chancellor talk about her academic backgrounds and aspirations for USQ.

‘I really believe that higher education is unique in its capacity to deliver on social inclusion and national productivity through innovation and education,’ Professor Thomas said during her talk.

Professor Thomas said she was very much looking forward to working with the community and promoting the education sector.

‘I am delighted to be joining such a vibrant and healthy community here in our region,’ she said.

‘Successful universities need to be surrounded by a healthy community and healthy communities rely on social capital.

‘Education builds personal self-confidence, self-efficacy and cultural capital, employability and career paths; it creates opportunities and social mobility.’

Professor Thomas said she was proud of the large number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds who took up studies at USQ.

‘Universities do more than make access physically possible, they open up the door to horizons not previously imagined for many,’ Professor Thomas said.

‘Queensland has one of the highest rates of readiness for tertiary entry and Toowoomba is alive with exceptional schools and demonstrates a palpable focus on education.

‘Other regions and states are not so fortunate.

‘I suspect the answer lies in communities rich in social capital; we need community champions of education and it is my view that universities such as USQ have a special role here.’


Professor Thomas challenged all levels of the community to continue to work with and support USQ to further meet the needs of current and future students through innovation and research.

‘Let’s show the nation what regional communities and their university can do to build a better Australia,’ Professor Thomas said.

Contact Details:
Callum Johnson, USQ Media, +61 7 46 31 1163