Opinion
Australian universities are so dependent on international students for cash that if only one if five don’t re-enrol this year, many institutions will be in serious trouble with impacts on staff and research, writes Omer Yezdani.
News
Australia’s universities are warning further job losses are on the horizon after more than 17,000 people in the sector were left unemployed last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Australian universities have come to rely not only on international students, but high levels of casual staff. Many claim they are systemically underpaid, with some institutions under audit for wage theft more akin to the hospitality industry. Damien Cahill argues that ending exploitation and putting staff back on the books should be part of the sector’s recovery.
Universities across Australia are increasingly setting up in CBDs, with federal government funding tied to a wider policy of revitalising cities. But sacrificing space and amenity for vertical expansion often isn’t a great deal for students, research or the university’s bottom line, argues Geoff Hanmer.
The SA cross-bench senator whose support will deliver the Morrison Government’s controversial university funding Bill says he will vote for it despite conceding it is “far from ideal” and will leave humanities, law and commerce students with debts of up to $50,000.
University arts students have been told to “mix and match” subjects as the federal education minister tries to double their fees.
The federal government has a right to be concerned about the financial cost of university student course failures but has over-reached in its response, argues Andrew Norton.
