Uni caps a slam on Western Sydney
The following opinion piece by Vice-Chancellor and President, Distinguished Professor George Williams AO was first published in The Daily Telegraph (print) on Thursday, 15 August 2024.
For too long, universities have been seen as out- of-touch ivory towers, driven by profits and desperate to bring in more international students. It's an unfair perception. But it's understandable why so many people feel this way. Universities, by and large, talk about themselves too much and not enough about the real-world concerns of people contending with the cost-of-living and housing crises.
Take the current debate on the federal government's proposal to cap the number of international students Australia takes. We are more likely to hear how this will affect universities and their budgets, not its impact on communities.
Make no mistake. Caps on international students will hurt Western Sydney.
At Western Sydney University, we are deeply invested in the young, diverse and dynamic communities in our backyard. We are determined to walk our own path, always doing what's best for Western Sydney.
We are proud to educate the world-class nurses making up the backbone of the region's workforce. Go to any hospital and you will see these unsung heroes at work.
Many began life as international students. In fact, last year more than 1350 international students studied nursing and midwifery with us. Most choose to stay on and work in Australia, helping fill acute skills shortages in Western Sydney's overburdened hospitals. Our nursing graduates don't take Australian jobs. Our local health facilities and hospital waiting lists would be stretched even further without them.
So, how does the one-size-fits- all policy of slashing the number of genuine international students who come to Australia to study benefit Western Sydney?
We are the university of aspiration and opportunity. We are determined to unlock the unlimited potential of Western Sydney, and this includes recognising the significant social and economic contribution international students make in our local community that ultimately benefits us all.
Policies that fail to take into account the needs of Australia's vastly different regions will disadvantage communities like ours. Caps will hurt the West.
ENDS
19 August 2024
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