Caps will hurt Western Sydney
Western Sydney University welcomes the federal government’s decision to rescind the discriminatory and unfair Ministerial Direction 107, however proceeding with caps on international students will hurt Western Sydney.
“We are Australia’s most culturally diverse and internationally facing community and today’s decision is a serious blow,’’ Western Sydney University Vice-Chancellor, Distinguished Professor George Williams AO said.
“We are now expecting almost 1,000 fewer international students next year which translates to a 23 per cent decrease in our forecast for 2025.
“This policy shift is so much more than dollars or numbers for Western Sydney University, it’s about people, lost opportunities, and what the decision means to our community.
“We expect to lose about $26.5 million in revenue next year. This is money we use to support the Western Sydney community through ensuring locals have a second chance at education, transnational education, Indigenous equity programs, and initiatives to support low-income students such as our food pantries.
“We are also concerned that the caps could exacerbate skills shortages in the region and undermine our ability to contribute to Western Sydney’s growth.
“Most of the 1,350 international students who studied nursing and midwifery with us last year have gone on to work in Western Sydney’s overburdened hospitals. They are helping ease the region’s nursing gap with the local health system forecast to be short of 10,000 nurses next year.
“We will continue talking to the federal government about Western Sydney’s unique needs and how we can all ensure our vibrant and dynamic region is adequately funded to meet its ambitions.
“Every one of our international students who wants a bed, gets a bed. Our students are not contributing to the housing crisis. It is unfair to penalise an entire region with so much unlimited potential than a clumsy fix to a problem that doesn’t exist.
“Many of our international students choose to stay with local families and their relatives helping to ease cost of living pressures. They do part-time jobs; filling skills shortages and they add to the cultural diversity and social cohesion of our community.
“It will hurt Western Sydney, undercutting the region’s ability to build up a skilled workforce in new and emerging industries, and global supply chains,’’ Professor Williams said.
ENDS
27 August 2024
Photo credit: Sally Tsoutas
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