The Australian Higher Education Industrial Association (AHEIA) has welcomed an extension of the reporting time for a Senate committee inquiring into a federal government Bill that will cap international student numbers at universities.
AHEIA's Executive Director, Craig Laughton, said the extension reflected a prudent approach to the work of the Senate committee, the high level of interest in the subject and the consequences of a Bill passed without appropriate amendment.
Mr Laughton said there was a lot at stake, particularly for regional universities. He said Australia’s regional universities would likely be major losers as a result of changes to industrial laws and proposed caps on international students.
Such universities attracted talented people and generate economic activity to country areas, with approximately half of Australia’s higher education providers either based in a region or are capital city headquartered with campuses in a regional centre.
Mr Laughton said that changes to industrial law in the areas of fixed-term contracts and casual employment would cause contractions in universities’ staffing capability.
“Under new federal legislation, universities cannot commit to a regular pattern of work or any guaranteed work – they can no longer, for example, have a casual present an agreed number of lectures in a semester. These severe restrictions on casual employment will have a fundamental, adverse impact on the way the higher education sector operates. Additionally, fixed-term contracts, which often are used to employ researchers, will be severely limited and that will mean fewer jobs and less ground-breaking research. Courses and jobs will go,“ he said.
“On top of that we have the prospect of a cap on the number of international students from January next year – this at a time when regional universities are aiming to increase their share of such students and have the capacity to do so.
“Furthermore, international students aiming to study at a regional university next year are receiving offers from those universities now.
“Universities and students are flying blind, because of the uncertainty caused by the federal government’s capping proposal.
“Taking thousands of students out of the higher education system through caps on international students, there is going to be significant impact on universities’ operations.”
Mr Laughton said regional business that would suffer as the result of fewer international student enrolments included: rental housing providers, such as real estate agents or mum and dad investors; supermarkets, milk bars, restaurants and petrol stations; and there would be job losses in these businesses as a result.
“In a regional centre there will be fewer residential properties being rented if international student numbers are cut, there will be less business for the local supermarket and other convenience stores and fewer jobs for local people on university campuses,” Mr Laughton said.
“It is estimated that each international students spends at least $20,000 a year, not including fees, while they study.”
Mr Laughton said the Senate inquiry into the international student business has heard that these students contributed $48 billion to the economy last year and supported 250,000 jobs nationally.
Ends
Craig Laughton
Date: 20 August 2024
Contact details:
Craig Laughton | (he/him)
Executive Director | Australian Higher Education Industrial Association |
phone: 0477 799 149
[email protected] | www.aheia.edu.au |