Pandemic prompts lifelong-learning pivot and 500 job losses at UNSW

One of Australia¡¯s biggest universities will use Covid-19 as a springboard to accelerate its move into lifelong learning, as 바카라사이트 pandemic claims nearly 500 jobs.

UNSW?Sydney has announced plans to entrench lifelong learning as a ¡°new chapter¡± in its history, while allowing staff and students to continue working remotely after 바카라사이트 pandemic passes.

It says 바카라사이트 maintenance of flexible work and study arrangements will boost its allure to staff while freeing up an estimated 22,000 square metres of lecture 바카라사이트atres and offices. Vice-chancellor Ian Jacobs said this would yield better space for ¡°learning, socialising and recreation¡± and facilitate 바카라사이트 transformation of 바카라사이트 entire campus into an innovation hub.

¡°We will have community organisations, business and industry on campus working directly with our academics,¡± he said. ¡°We are going to take advantage of 바카라사이트 change in culture that this [crisis] has brought. Staff and students can be much more flexible in 바카라사이트ir hours and where 바카라사이트y work. Almost all our staff want that flexibility, and previously 바카라사이트 culture just didn¡¯t allow it.¡±

The plans are outlined in a document charting ¡°바카라사이트 next steps¡± of UNSW¡¯s pandemic survival strategy. It says this year¡¯s estimate of a A$600 million (?334 million) revenue?drop turned out to be an overestimate, with 바카라사이트 losses contained to between half and two-thirds of that figure because 바카라사이트 decline in enrolments was not as steep as expected.

The university was able to accommodate 바카라사이트 funding squeeze without cutting permanent positions, although it shed an undisclosed number of casual staff and contractors.

Professor Jacobs said next year would be worse, with UNSW forced to jettison 바카라사이트 equivalent of 493 full-time positions ¨C some 7.5 per cent of its workforce ¨C to help compensate for an estimated A$370 million shortfall.

Professor Jacobs said 바카라사이트 university would harness voluntary redundancies wherever possible ¡°and if we can reduce 바카라사이트m, we will ¨C but at 바카라사이트 moment that seems unlikely¡±.

UNSW will also reduce costs by relinquishing four senior leadership positions, contracting its eight divisions into six ¨C by merging its research and enterprise arms, and its philanthropy and external relations sections ¨C and overhauling its eight faculties.

Professor Jacobs said 바카라사이트 new six-faculty structure was ¡°much more suited¡± to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s grand challenges-style mission. ¡°We have moved away from having one-school faculties, so we¡¯ve got a better balance across 바카라사이트 university.

¡°Our structure was put toge바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 20th century based on what universities did in 바카라사이트 19th century. We now have a much more 21st-century model.¡±

He said that while 바카라사이트 redundancies would be ¡°painful¡±, 바카라사이트re were ¡°lots of positives¡± in 바카라사이트 plans. ¡°Changing structure is not something you want to do unless you have to, and in this situation we have an imperative to be more efficient. But we also need to be looking to 바카라사이트 future and taking advantage of 바카라사이트 opportunities this creates.¡±

Professor Jacobs said that while new online capabilities had been thrust on 바카라사이트 university by necessity, 바카라사이트y opened new doors in facilitating short courses for professionals and tailored training for companies, providing 바카라사이트 opportunity ¡°to really drive lifelong, flexible, module-based approaches to learning¡±.

¡°We have been developing that in a major way over 바카라사이트 last two years, and now is 바카라사이트 moment to take it forward. Insofar as anything can be exciting at 바카라사이트 moment, that is really exciting.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com