On 9 December, Consul Salvatore Napolitano and Queensland Department of Education Assistant Director General Regan Neumann signed the Statement of Understanding on education cooperation.
The SoU sets forth the understandings and the reciprocal commitment to facilitate collaborative projects that include promotion of teaching of the Italian language in Queensland. It also envisages the continuation of reciprocal Principal exchange programs, a strategy to allow for a constant supply of suitably qualified teachers in the Italian language and investigating the development of Italian bilingual schools in Queensland. As a flagship programme of the collaborative links that have developed from the good relationship between the Consulate of Italy in Brisbane and the Department of Education in Queensland, the SoU mentions the StuditaliA Prize, which was established to promote and reward the achievement of Year 12 students at Queensland schools in relation to Italian language and culture, through a work and study experience in Italy. The 7 winners of this year’s edition, the twenty-sixth of the program, were awarded the Prize on October 16 by the Ambassador of Italy to Australia Ms. Francesca Tardioli.
At the ceremony of signature held at the Department of Education, Consul Napolitano presented the SoU as an excellent instrument to support the growing interest of Queensland institutions and Australian students to Italian language. The Consul also underlined the great commitment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote cultural, academic and school exchanges with Australia and Queensland.
Latest data from the Brisbane Department of Education for 2019 show a 15% increase of students of Italian in public schools in Queensland in the last 4 years. Overall, it is estimated that between 25,000 and 30,000 people learn Italian in Queensland, while those who speak Italian are many more given the presence of a large community that has long been established as a state in the Australian that still cultivates Italian language and traditions.
