Monash staff mutiny over ad spend

A leading Australian university has been splashing out on glitzy marketing while staff and research funding were under threat, insiders claim.

A leading Australian university has been splashing out on glitzy marketing while staff and research funding were under threat, insiders claim.

Monash University launched a new marketing campaign about social issues on Monday, including a focus on the environment and global health.

The university’s marketing team has also commissioned a movie, which sources claim is titled Endangered Generations.

Monash refused to reveal how much the yet-to-be released film would cost.

But insiders claim the overall project cost would be in the millions.

Multiple sources have raised concerns about Monash’s marketing programs with the university estimated to lose at least $120 million next year.

The Fortress Australia policy has meant that thousands of international students, particularly in business courses that are lucrative for the university, have not been able to come.

“When unis are laying off staff and making budgetary cuts left, right and centre, it seems surprising that money would be used in ad campaigns, marketing and communications departments,” a source said.

“It’s not really a good look for those researchers or students doing it tough.”

Monash’s marketing team has doubled in size in two years to 130, insiders say.

It is now part of a 380-people team in the university’s marketing, admissions and communications department.

The marketing team has previously funded video campaigns that do not directly advertise the university’s teaching or research strengths, but instead highlight social issues.

A previously released “Change It” video included images of wars, a child pointing a toy gun at the camera and workers carrying a dead body.

The tag line was: “If you don’t like it, change it”.

There was only a glancing mention of Monash in the advertisement.

Monash slashed 277 jobs in 2020 following a $350 million drop in revenue.

Monash University has been slashing jobs as the pandemic keeps away lucrative foreign students. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

A further 200 jobs were saved because staff took pay cuts, or delayed pay rises.

Monash University said in a statement that the new marketing campaign was “within the current budget” and less than previous years.

“The material that is put before potential students (as well as the broader community) in this campaign highlights the impact of Monash’s research on significant challenges to our environment, health and wellbeing,” the statement said.

The university said research spending was higher than budgeted in 2021.

Monash accepted that next year’s budgets would be hit by the lack of international students.

The university refused to say how much it was putting towards the new movie, which sources claim had a working title of Endangered Generations.

“The film will feature Monash academics and other members of the Monash community, as well as many global leaders providing solutions to global threats on our habitat, health, equalities and trust,” the university said.

“Monash will be appropriately accredited, as will our agencies, for the creative idea.”

Universities across the country have been shedding staff, with estimates the sector was set to lose $5 billion.

Higher education was Australia’s fourth largest export industry before the pandemic.

The sector had been forecast to grow to 940,000 international students by 2025, however, it is unclear when Australia’s borders will reopen.