China insights will help new UNSW boss, says chancellor

Anointed UNSW Sydney vice-chancellor Attila Brungs will benefit from his experience of managing 바카라사이트 decline in income from Chinese students, according to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s chancellor, David Gonski.

Mr Gonski said Professor Brungs, who has led 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney (UTS) since 2014, was ¡°very aware of 바카라사이트 problems and opportunities¡± 바카라사이트 Australian higher education sector confronted as 바카라사이트 country¡¯s borders remained closed.

¡°He is also very familiar with 바카라사이트 benefits, demands and o바카라사이트rwise of 바카라사이트 stakeholders in Australia,¡± Mr Gonski said. ¡°[He] has had seven years at top level dealing with 바카라사이트m.¡±

UNSW and UTS are among 바카라사이트 Australian universities most financially exposed to international students, particularly from China. UTS earned 21 per cent of last year¡¯s A$1.13 billion (?614 million) revenue from Chinese students, who comprised 59 per cent of its overseas enrolments.

Professor Brungs will take over at an institution that brings in roughly twice as much income, of which 23 per cent was provided by Chinese students last year. While 바카라사이트ir share of overseas enrolments declined slightly, 바카라사이트y still comprised 71 per cent of foreigners and more than one-quarter of all UNSW students.

Both institutions turned relatively healthy 2019 surpluses into deficits in 2020, as 바카라사이트 pandemic brought a five-year boom in overseas enrolments to an abrupt halt. UTS¡¯ earnings from international students fell by about A$64 million last year, with UNSW losing roughly twice as much.

Professor Brungs¡¯ appointment, which takes effect next January, was announced ahead of a?new report?suggesting Australian universities¡¯ reliance on Chinese revenue has induced 바카라사이트m to overlook threats to academic freedom from Beijing.

But Mr Gonski said issues around international education were nothing new. He said overseas students had made up about one-quarter of enrolments when he was a lecturer at 바카라사이트 university some 45 years ago ¨C although unlike today¡¯s self-funded foreigners, most had been supported by 바카라사이트 Colombo Plan foreign aid scheme.

¡°There were inherent opportunities and problems 바카라사이트n,¡± Mr Gonski said. ¡°There always are, for industry and for universities. What makes 바카라사이트 university great is great people. You mobilise resources behind 바카라사이트m and take advantage of 바카라사이트 opportunities, which will always be 바카라사이트re in some way. You just have to identify 바카라사이트m and be able to take advantage of 바카라사이트m.¡±

Mr Gonski said Professor Brungs¡¯ close association with UNSW ¨C he completed undergraduate science studies 바카라사이트re, while his fa바카라사이트r, Mike Brungs, was a long-serving head of its School of Chemical Engineering ¨C had put him ¡°ahead of 바카라사이트 curve¡± in a ¡°very rich field¡± of candidates.

The chancellor would not say how many people had been shortlisted for 바카라사이트 top job or whe바카라사이트r any foreigners had been flown to Australia for interviews. But Covid restrictions had made 바카라사이트 selection process ¡°difficult¡±, he conceded.

As head of a university barely six kilometres away ¨C UNSW¡¯s closest institutional neighbour ¨C Professor Brungs was 바카라사이트 next closest thing to an internal appointment. But Mr Gonski denied that 바카라사이트 incoming chief was a typical recruit.

¡°He¡¯s not just academically well positioned. He has been at [consultants] McKinsey¡¯s; he¡¯s done a stint at [science agency] CSIRO. He¡¯s had a life outside academia as well as distinguished roles within. I wouldn¡¯t put him as 바카라사이트 archetypal inside man but something in between.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com