What’s happening?
Top-performing students from Townsville and surrounding North Queensland communities will join the 2025 QUT Future You Summit in Brisbane. The four-day event runs from 1 to 4 July and welcomes over 340 high-achieving Year 11 and 12 students for a university immersion like no other.
Students begin with orientation at Somerville House on 30 June, followed by an action-packed week of campus workshops, industry seminars, and future-focused skill building.
Why it matters
For students from regional centres like Townsville, the summit provides a vital link to tertiary education, leadership development, and academic mentorship—often for the first time.
“This is the 13th year of the QUT Future You Summit,” said Professor Rowena Barrett, QUT Pro Vice-Chancellor. “It gives high school students the opportunity to expand their skill sets beyond the classroom, explore future career ambitions with like-minded peers, and experience the QUT community.”
Local Impact
North Queensland is sending 18 students, including representatives from:
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Townsville
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Proserpine
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Mount Isa
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Bowen
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Ingham
“Bringing together young people from every corner of the state is what makes this summit special,” said Professor Barrett. “It’s wonderful to see Townsville’s youth so engaged in shaping their future.”
By the Numbers
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18 students from North Queensland, including Townsville
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341 participants in total from 165 schools
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69% of the students are female
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105 current QUT first-years once attended the summit
Zoom In
The program features workshops in disciplines like sports tech, astrophysics, privacy law and more. Every student receives Inspired Success, a goal-setting book by QUT alumnus Rashan Senanayake.
Zoom Out
The summit is fully funded by QUT and aims to level the playing field for students in regional and remote areas. It plays a major role in connecting the next generation of changemakers to tertiary education.
What to Look For Next?
Townsville students who attend this summit often return to QUT after high school. “It really does give them a chance to see their future and get a head start,” Professor Barrett said.
