UC Vice-Chancellor Bill Shorten has given an update on the uni’s fiscal situation. Photo: Ian Bushnell.
The University of Canberra will launch a new round of voluntary redundancies on Wednesday (9 April) for professional staff, offering the same option that has already been given to some academic staff.
Cost-saving measures being implemented also include a pause on all non-critical recruitment, as well as other “non-salary budget savings”.
The measures are the latest step in UC’s response to forecasting last year an expected deficit of $36 million.
UC Vice-Chancellor Bill Shorten updated staff on Tuesday on the university’s fiscal position and said its “sustainability improvements” are on track.
“The collective efforts of everyone at the university to date have achieved substantial results,” Mr Shorten said.
“I would say we are 80 per cent of the way there, and it is my 100 per cent intention to have no more forced redundancies.”
The Vice-Chancellor shared his plans to start a voluntary separation program (VSP) for professional staff, which will be run via an expression of interest (EOI) process and be consistent with the uni’s enterprise agreement.
“A VSP option was not offered to professional staff during the initial organisational change process undertaken in 2024,” he said.
“We are not looking to achieve certain targets, nor have we identified further positions as excess to requirements.
“Instead, we are giving any interested professional staff the opportunity to submit an EOI to resign from the university in return for compensation by way of a separation payment.
“This will contribute to further reducing salary costs, balancing our staff complement, and achieving an appropriate staff to student ratio based on current student enrolments.”
Mr Shorten noted that the university’s student load targets for semester one are on track with an overall growth of 4 per cent in commencing students’ Equivalent Full-Time Study Load when compared to 2024.
He said student experience continues to be his first priority, and any concerns relating to workload pressures by staff and students would be addressed.
Revenue is broadly in line with the uni’s forecast, positioning the UC to continue addressing its operating deficit.
“Student experience, course delivery and student and staff safety remain priorities. These are all core aspects of university life and need to be respected,” Mr Shorten said.
“We are committed to supporting staff through this period of change, working with the union and proactively identifying and addressing potential impacts and risks when implementing the VSP process.
“Whether or not we bridge the whole operating deficit in one year is an ambitious goal, but I’m confident that the whole university will give its best endeavours to accomplish this.”
Mr Shorten said the approach remains collaborative, with the university council, senior leadership, unions, and staff.
Significant organisational restructure already undertaken has resulted in cost savings of about $30 million.
This has been achieved through the “disestablishment” of 190 positions, of which 150 staff have already left the university.
“Since starting here at the end of January, I can see a genuine commitment to do everything possible to return to a balanced budget by the end of 2025,” the Vice-Chancellor said.
“UC can and will grow, but we need to operate within our means first.
“I know UC has great potential, but we need to have the resources to invest in our future.”
The university’s professional staff will be able to apply for a voluntary redundancy through the VSP process between 9 and 27 April 2005.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton plans to put a cap on foreign students in Australia’s public universities. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
In broader university sector news, Peter Dutton has used the federal election campaign to promise a reduction in the number of overseas students coming to Australia each year.
The Opposition Leader announced a cap of about 25 per cent would be applied to the number of international students admitted to public universities in Australia.
That would roughly equate to a reduction of 80,000 international students each year.
Mr Dutton said the policy is aimed at addressing housing affordability in Australia.
“International student numbers are up by 65 per cent under this government over the last 12 months,” he said.
“When you think about that, that is what has contributed to the driving up of rents …
“We want to provide support to regional universities, and we will put in place a cap which will be 30,000 lower than what Labor has in place, or 80,000 lower than what the numbers were just a couple of years ago, so, this is a very significant step that we’re taking.
“It is all about making sure that we can do what we can to help young Australians get into home ownership more quickly.
The Coalition said “unsustainable” migration levels were leading to housing unaffordability.
