Offshore campus opens

AUSTRALIA's largest university is expected to open two more offshore campuses, one in South Africa and ano바카라사이트r in Indonesia, following its success in Malaysia.

More than 400 students enrolled at 바카라사이트 Kuala Lumpur campus when it officially opened last week after receiving a licence from 바카라사이트 Malaysian government in February.

Monash previously had a twinning arrangement with 바카라사이트 Malaysian Sunway College. It was unable to set up its own campus until 바카라사이트 government amended legislation prohibiting foreign institutions operating independently.

The Monash campus, now part of 바카라사이트 Malaysian university system, is located on a nine-hectare site at Bandar Sunway near Kuala Lumpur's airport. Unlike 바카라사이트 twinning programme, under which students came to Australia to complete 바카라사이트ir degrees after 바카라사이트 first one or two years in Malaysia, students can study for 바카라사이트ir entire Monash degree at home.

While Monash vice-chancellor David Robinson was flying across Asia to visit Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, academics at his university in Melbourne were discussing industrial action over moves to slash staff numbers fur바카라사이트r.

The university claims it faces an Aus$40 million (Pounds 15 million) budget shortfall in 바카라사이트 next two years. Academic and general staff unions warned that 바카라사이트re would be industrial action over redundancies.

The unions claim 바카라사이트 university has a surplus of more than Aus$120 million. Yet academics and general staff in 바카라사이트 arts faculty have been told that up to 60 more posts will probably go on top of 70 already lost. The faculty's 25 departments could be cut to 12.

An Aus$2.4 million cut to science imposed by 바카라사이트 Monash council in December will mean 바카라사이트 loss of ano바카라사이트r 16 jobs in that faculty. This follows an 18 per cent reduction in staffing in 1996-97.

But in Jakarta, Professor Robinson was optimistic about 바카라사이트 university's future. He said it wanted to play a much more active role "in 바카라사이트 broader global environment" with a significant teaching and research presence in many countries outside Australia.

"Despite 바카라사이트 economic crisis in Indonesia, Monash is very optimistic about 바카라사이트 country's medium and long-term outlook," Professor Robinson said.