Universities in Sydney will lose over a billion dollars because of COVID-19
A drop in international admissions because of coronavirus will see universities across NSW lose more than a billion dollars as many expand their criteria for Year 12 students hit by school shutdowns.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Sydney’s workout crisis: concrete dumbbells and wooden benches
- Two Sydney schools caught up in new COVID-19 cluster
A huge drop in international students will cost the state’s universities more than a billion dollars this year as many expand admission criteria for Year 12s hit by school shutdowns.
The University of Sydney has estimated it will lose $470 million due to the COVID19 crisis, while the University of NSW has flagged an expected $600 million drop in revenue for 2020.
Sydney’s vice-chancellor Michael Spence emailed staff yesterday (WED) revealing there had been a 16.8 per cent drop in international students, and 4.8 per cent fewer domestic students for semester one.
Mr Spence said the university had spent about $55 million on additional cleaning, technology resources for online teaching and hardship funding for students as a result of the coronavirus.
“With these considerations in mind, we estimate the university’s COVID-19 related shortfall for this year will be $470m,” he said.
Earlier this week UNSW vice-chancellor Ian Jacobs told staff massive cost cuts would be required to stay operational.
“Based on our current projections, UNSW faces a budget shortfall this year of about $600 million, close to 25 per cent of our annual revenue,” he said in an email.
Meanwhile the Australian National University has announced it will admit Year 12 students based on their Year 11 results because of the COVID-19 school shutdown.
ANU chancellor Julie Bishop said the move was designed to remove the stress and anxiety for final year students.
“Year 12 students are going to experience a tough year in 2020 and we decided to make these offers now based on Year 11 results,” she said.
Ms Bishop said ANU was well placed to handle the economic fallout of the coronavirus, but acknowledged many universities would be challenged by the coronavirus as it impacted on Australia’s $34 billion international student industry.
UNSW has also flagged it will be flexible about the admissions process for the cohort of 2020.
“UNSW currently operates with a nuanced admission process that involves consideration beyond the ATAR alone … (and) we are discussing refinements to adjust to the evolving situation,” a spokeswoman said.
However the University of Sydney is not currently planning to change its admission requirements.
“We’re monitoring developments closely … (and) we already offer a range of admission pathways, including for students that have experienced disrupted schooling or financial hardship,” a spokeswoman said.
Meanwhile a Western Sydney University spokeswoman said work was underway to ensure the “extraordinary circumstances” Year 12 students are facing would not compromise their access to tertiary studies.
“Western Sydney University is a sector leader when it comes to developing alternative pathways to university, such as our post-HSC True Reward program, to ensure fair and equitable access to higher education,” she said.
“We have always believed that the ATAR is not the sole indicator of a student’s potential to succeed at university.”
The spokeswoman said it was too early to share census data but the university was
expecting a downturn” in international student enrolments as well as a “level of disruption” among domestic students.