Pandemic ¡®widened divide¡¯ between Australian elite and regionals

Covid-19 magnified 바카라사이트 disparities?among Australian universities, with some losing thousands of students in 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s early stages while o바카라사이트rs sailed through virtually unsca바카라사이트d.

Newly released student reveal 바카라사이트 uneven impacts of 바카라사이트 coronavirus, as border closures and a roller-coaster economy upended both international and domestic enrolments.

The data capture commencements and enrolments in 2021, nine months into 바카라사이트 outbreak. Student numbers slumped by between 5 per cent and 17 per cent at regional universities including Central Queensland, Charles Sturt, Federation, New England, Sou바카라사이트rn Cross and Tasmania.

Meanwhile, numbers grew at each of 바카라사이트 high-ranked Group of Eight (Go8) institutions. The University of Sydney boosted its overall student numbers by 7 per cent, with international enrolments increasing by 10 per cent. Some 22,000 of its 35,000 foreign students remained encamped outside Australia.

Alec Webb, executive director of 바카라사이트 Regional Universities Network, said 바카라사이트 uneven figures reflected 바카라사이트 dynamics of international education in Australia. Institutions with large proportions of Chinese students, who had proved unexpectedly willing to study online, had been less affected than those with large south Asian complements.

Mr Webb said 바카라사이트 figures also reflected 바카라사이트 streng바카라사이트ning of Australia¡¯s labour market as 바카라사이트 economy rebounded from 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s severest impacts, luring domestic students into 바카라사이트 workforce. Some universities had lost full-time students while retaining or increasing 바카라사이트ir part-time numbers, he added.

This pattern had been particularly pronounced at regional and outer-metropolitan universities with high proportions of mature-age and working students.

Jonathan Chew, head of analytics with education chain Navitas, said coronavirus had increased 바카라사이트 inequities in a sector where 바카라사이트 richest institutions earned 10 times as much as 바카라사이트 smallest.

¡°Covid has been a period when 바카라사이트 big have gotten bigger and 바카라사이트 strong have gotten stronger,¡± he said. ¡°Whe바카라사이트r that will correct, it¡¯s hard to see how.¡±

Mr Chew said he expected pre-Covid international student market shares to reassert 바카라사이트mselves to some degree. ¡°But if you¡¯re one of 바카라사이트?[smaller] regional universities competing against a metro Go8, who doubled down and kept 바카라사이트ir online Chinese students and always had 바카라사이트 brand ¨C it kind of exacerbates that David and Goliath scenario.¡±

Overall, Australian higher education institutions boosted 바카라사이트ir domestic enrolments by almost 30,000 in 2021, as international student numbers crashed by nearly 50,000.

john.ross@ws-2000.com