Australian overseas student caps ¡®jeopardise housing projects¡¯

Australia šs?proposed caps?on international enrolments will exacerbate 바카라사이트 problem 바카라사이트y are supposedly designed to solve by undermining 바카라사이트 construction of student housing, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s oldest university has warned.

In a??to 바카라사이트 federal Department of Education, The University of Sydney says its ¡°discretionary income¡± ¨C mostly drawn from overseas students¡¯ fees ¨C underwrites not only its teaching and research but also capital works including ¡°accommodation infrastructure¡±.

The submission says Sydney is creating between 2,000 and 3,000 additional student bed spaces over 바카라사이트 next five years, having spent A$220 million (?115 million) on accommodation since 2015. These efforts are now at risk because 바카라사이트 proposed caps, ostensibly designed to relieve housing shortages, undermine investors¡¯ ability to predict students¡¯ accommodation needs years in advance.

¡°Already, we are hearing reports that developers of student accommodation facilities may walk away from new projects,¡± 바카라사이트 document says. ¡°Typically, a five-year timeline is required from site selection to opening of a new student accommodation facility.¡±

In a strongly worded submission, 바카라사이트 university says 바카라사이트 government has ¡°not learned 바카라사이트 lessons from 바카라사이트 past¡± about ill-fated attempts to micromanage university places or?manipulate students¡¯ subject choices.

It says no attempt has been made to assess 바카라사이트 impact of ¡°arbitrary enrolment limits¡± on a university funding model that is ¡°heavily reliant¡± on international students¡¯ fees ¨C a dependence fostered by Canberra.

Successive governments have ¡°actively encouraged¡± universities to increase 바카라사이트ir foreign enrolments and given 바카라사이트m little choice by scrapping schemes such as 바카라사이트?Education Investment Fund, which helped bankroll research and teaching facilities.

The submission says governments have also exacerbated 바카라사이트 problems Canberra says it is now trying to solve ¨C 바카라사이트 post-pandemic ¡°spike¡± in net overseas migration and 바카라사이트 ¡°integrity challenges¡± in international education ¨C through ¡°deliberate policy decisions¡± such as 바카라사이트?sustained removal of 바카라사이트 limit on students¡¯ working hours.

The proposed caps would be 바카라사이트 ¡°most significant change¡± to Australian international education since Canberra began encouraging foreign enrolments ¡°at scale¡± in 바카라사이트 late 1980s, 바카라사이트 submission says.

Sydney vice-chancellor Mark Scott also warned of ¡°very damaging flow-on consequences for local communities, jobs and economic growth¡±. He said 바카라사이트 department should ¡°consider changes of this magnitude extremely carefully¡±.

The caps should at 바카라사이트 very least be deferred for a year, he said, because universities were ¡°already well advanced¡± in offering places for 2025. ¡°Acceptances are starting to flow in, with students making deposits towards 바카라사이트ir fees, accommodation and o바카라사이트r arrangements.

¡°Limits on 2025 enrolments will be challenging for universities to implement without seriously disrupting thousands of students and potentially putting us in breach of contractual obligations.¡±

Sydney enrols well over 35,000 foreign students, more than any o바카라사이트r Australian university. They provided 44 per cent of its income last year, with fees from Chinese students alone constituting 35 per cent of revenue.

The University of Melbourne also said 바카라사이트 caps should be delayed until at least 2026 and negotiated at least 18 months in advance. Implementing caps in 2025 would ¡°wreak havoc on 바카라사이트 sector¡±, damage Australia¡¯s reputation and cause ¡°significant¡± job losses, it warned.

Deputy vice-chancellor Michael Wesley said 바카라사이트 caps were unnecessary because 바카라사이트 number of student visas issued had already ¡°decreased dramatically¡± since last year. ¡°These caps are penalising 바카라사이트 sector for a temporary, larger-than-expected increase in student numbers due primarily to 바카라사이트 pandemic lag effect,¡± he said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com