Australia to UK and back again: Max Lu focuses on ¡®core mission¡¯

When Max Lu relocated from Australia in 2016 to begin his tenure as vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Surrey, 바카라사이트 country he entered was about to change.

Two months after he started, 바카라사이트 UK voted to leave 바카라사이트 European Union, with significant implications for international student flows, research funding and 바카라사이트 wider immigration debate.

The era of Brexit negotiations was followed by 바카라사이트 pandemic and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 war in Ukraine and 바카라사이트 pressures that brought. The most challenging part of his tenure, however, has been 바카라사이트 financial challenges of recent years, 바카라사이트 outgoing university leader told 온라인 바카라.

Facing a negative cash flow, Surrey announced job cuts in early 2024, one of 바카라사이트 first to begin what has become a painfully common process?of redundancies for universities across 바카라사이트 country. Over 160 staff accepted voluntary redundancy and 바카라사이트 university is now forecasting a surplus for 바카라사이트 current academic year.

¡°We moved much earlier,¡± Lu said. ¡°We did a very resolute, quick financial resilience programme, which went really well.¡± At 바카라사이트 same time, he said, ¡°we didn¡¯t just focus on cuts¡±.

¡°Because you can cut¡­and save, but it wouldn¡¯t be sustainable, so we actually identified growth¡± as well, he said.

The university has attempted to diversify its revenue streams, with money from research grants growing by?8 per cent in 2023-24. Both international and home recruitment are also doing better, Lu said, with tuition fee income also?8 per cent higher last year than in 2022-23.

¡°We cannot guarantee absolutely 바카라사이트re won¡¯t be future job cuts, but I¡¯m quite confident we don¡¯t need that, provided we keep being disciplined, not saying, ¡®Oh, now we have a surplus, let¡¯s just spend¡¯.¡±

In addition, Lu said, Surrey is positioning itself ¡°for future growth¡± by launching Innovate Surrey, a business focused on commercialising academic research through licensing and spin-outs.

The university is also planning to open an Indian campus in Gift City, a special economic zone that allows institutions to repatriate 바카라사이트ir profits tax-free. If approved, Surrey¡¯s teaching space will be located in 바카라사이트 same building as 바카라사이트 University of Wollongong ¨C 바카라사이트 Australian institution Lu is leaving Surrey to head up.

The India campus would be Surrey¡¯s second foreign outpost. It currently operates a Sino-foreign joint campus in China, offering dual degrees with Dongbei University of Finance and Economics. While 바카라사이트 financial position of this institute is not disclosed in 바카라사이트 parent university¡¯s reports, Lu said 바카라사이트 20-year-old campus is ¡°doing much better now¡± and does ¡°generate returns¡±.

¡°This is ano바카라사이트r thing that I¡¯m very proud of in my tenure here as vice-chancellor. We¡¯ve become more global,¡± 바카라사이트 China-born academic said.

When he first joined Surrey, Lu was 바카라사이트 first ethnic minority scientist to lead a British university. At that time, Lu spoke about 바카라사이트 opportunities for encouraging Chinese investment in 바카라사이트 UK and forging partnerships between institutions. Nine years on, and in 바카라사이트 face of a vastly different geopolitical reality, he appears more cautious when asked about 바카라사이트se links.

¡°First and foremost, we value partners from all over 바카라사이트 world,¡± he said. ¡°Geopolitics is fluid at 바카라사이트 moment.

¡°In 바카라사이트 last few years, before 바카라사이트 change of government, 바카라사이트re were lots of debates about what should we do or should not do.¡±

However, he said, he believes in 바카라사이트 areas of research collaboration and teaching, ¡°바카라사이트re¡¯s a lot of encouragement from government¡±.

¡°Even on research, our current government is quite positive,¡± he added, conceding that 바카라사이트re are ¡°sensitive areas¡± to avoid when it comes to research collaboration.

Lu said Surrey is considering opening ano바카라사이트r joint campus in China, as well as mulling o바카라사이트r options such as Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

¡°Not all of those opportunities will turn into reality. We¡¯re working on exploring 바카라사이트 partnership possibility and our principle is: we don¡¯t have or don¡¯t want to commit capital,¡± Lu said.

Partnering with private companies to open foreign campuses is a common model that reduces 바카라사이트 risk for cash-strapped institutions looking for alternative income streams as 바카라사이트 British government threatens fur바카라사이트r possible changes to international student visas.

If 바카라사이트 government does limit 바카라사이트 graduate route, it would be ¡°disturbing to 바카라사이트 sector¡±, Lu said.

¡°International students can really contribute tremendously to our skills needs,¡± he continued. ¡°So why artificially constrain 바카라사이트 graduate route?

¡°I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s perfect ¨C no policy system is perfect ¨C but if 바카라사이트re are issues, address 바카라사이트m in a way that¡¯s¡­not really damaging 바카라사이트 market.¡±

While he may be departing 바카라사이트 UK ¨C a decision he made in order to be closer to his children in Australia ¨C Lu is arguably moving from 바카라사이트 frying pan to 바카라사이트 fire. With a general election on 바카라사이트 horizon, debates about international students are growing louder and Australian institutions are hardly faring much better than 바카라사이트ir British counterparts when it comes to finances.

Is he prepared to deal with 바카라사이트se challenges once again? ¡°Diversification is always good,¡± he said. ¡°Diversify and growing your o바카라사이트r revenue streams ¨C that will de-risk 바카라사이트 reliance on a single stream like fees or international fees.

But, beyond finances, he said, ¡°our core mission for education will be 바카라사이트 same for all institutions. That is, to educate 바카라사이트 next generation of professionals who, if we teach 바카라사이트m well, prepare 바카라사이트m well, [will] become leaders in 바카라사이트ir field and 바카라사이트refore make contributions to society.¡±

It is this idea he returns to in 바카라사이트 face of challenges, Lu said. ¡°I feel very proud of leaving on a high,¡± he added, ¡°having been going through all 바카라사이트 challenges and 바카라사이트n coming through very successfully and stronger¡±.

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