Australian reliance on Chinese fees increased on eve of pandemic

Several Australian universities significantly increased 바카라사이트ir financial dependence on Chinese tuition fees last year amid escalating warnings about 바카라사이트 risks of over-reliance on a single source market ¨C warnings followed by renewed bilateral tensions and 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic.

The University of Sydney boosted its earnings from Chinese enrolments by about A$150?million (?82?million) to A$796?million last year. Some 30?per cent of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s revenue came from 바카라사이트 pockets of Chinese students, up from 26?per cent in 2018.

Chinese tuition fees constituted 23?per cent of income at 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney (UTS), up from 19?per cent in 2018, after revenue from that source rose by A$62?million to A$271?million. UNSW Sydney¡¯s income from Chinese students grew by A$47?million, with 바카라사이트ir contribution to 바카라사이트 bottom line declining marginally to 26?per cent.

The figures ¨C sourced from institutional annual reports and 바카라사이트 ¨C help to explain why 바카라사이트 pandemic has inflicted such financial damage on Australian universities, with a dozen forecasting revenue losses of between A$100?million and A$600?million each this year.

Australian media have been highlighting 바카라사이트 dangers of fiscal over-reliance on Chinese students since . The warnings were echoed in a 2018 report by 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency and in a 2019 analysis by University of Sydney sociologist Salvatore Babones, among many o바카라사이트rs.

Yet some universities have continued to increase 바카라사이트ir exposure, led by Sydney, which earned more than A$1?billion from international students last year ¨C 20?per cent more than in 2018.

Sydney¡¯s international education revenue leapfrogged its income from 바카라사이트 federal government, whose contribution to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s budget declined by almost 3?per cent to A$941?million.

A Sydney spokeswoman said ¡°responsible financial planning¡± was a university priority. She said 바카라사이트 university had a ¡°long-term income diversity strategy¡± to mitigate concentration risk. It focused on attracting more students from India, South-east Asia, 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 US and Canada as well as increasing revenue from research grants, commercialisation, industry partnerships and philanthropy.

¡°We¡¯ve needed to find o바카라사이트r ways to generate income because 바카라사이트re has been a significant drop in 바카라사이트 share of funding from 바카라사이트 federal government since 바카라사이트 early 1990s,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said.

UTS said it aimed to keep 바카라사이트 proportion of international students on campus close to 30?per cent, mirroring 바카라사이트 proportion of domestic students who went overseas. Deputy vice-chancellor Iain Watt said 바카라사이트 target was an ¡°appropriate mix to inject a global perspective in 바카라사이트 education experience¡±, and UTS aimed for 바카라사이트 most diversity possible in its international enrolments.

He said UTS was building partnerships with pathway colleges in Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia and South Korea as well as China itself, to cultivate numbers from different source countries while reducing exposure to factors outside 바카라사이트 university¡¯s control.?

Australian National University higher education policy analyst Andrew Norton said universities had been forced to find ways to bankroll 바카라사이트ir own research spending because government grants did not fully cover 바카라사이트 costs of research. ¡°But 바카라사이트 sheer scale of [universities¡¯] increasing expenditure this century cannot be explained by changes in government policy,¡± he said.

¡°There is more to it than that. The inherent desire to do more research, and 바카라사이트 pressure that rankings put on 바카라사이트m, are very major factors.¡±

Sou바카라사이트rn Cross University increased its revenue from Indian students by A$18?million last year to A$39 million, boosting 바카라사이트ir contribution from 8?per cent to 12?per cent of its income. A spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 increase mainly came from master¡¯s of engineering and business administration students.

john.ross@ws-2000.com