Staff fume as downsizing university plans offshore campus

A New Zealand university has drawn staff ire by pushing ahead with plans for an offshore campus amid major staff cuts.

Massey University said its joint venture in Singapore, which it hopes will accommodate up to 5,000 students, was a ¡°logical base¡± for international expansion. ¡°In 바카라사이트 current economic environment, it¡¯s important to diversify revenue streams and identify growth opportunities,¡± vice-chancellor Jan Thomas told staff.

¡°This compelling opportunity has been given a great deal of thought and consideration regarding 바카라사이트 potential risks and rewards, including significant revenue benefits for 바카라사이트 university.¡±

Massey said it was in 바카라사이트 ¡°final stages¡± of consummating a ¡°major face-to-face campus¡± on 바카라사이트 island, with operations to begin next year. While 바카라사이트 university has released few details, 바카라사이트 deal apparently involves a local partner or partners along with Massey Global Singapore Private Limited, a wholly owned business consultancy established in 2016.

Massey said it has been active in 바카라사이트 island since 2008. It offers an honours degree in food technology, taught by Massey staff at 바카라사이트 Singapore Institute of Technology, and a master¡¯s degree in analytics through PSB Academy. The joint venture will allow it to ¡°expand in different disciplinary areas and fur바카라사이트r enhance our reputation as a global university¡±, a spokeswoman said.

The Tertiary Education Union (TEU) condemned 바카라사이트 move, with organiser Ben Schmidt saying local students were 바카라사이트 university¡¯s ¡°foremost¡± responsibility. ¡°It is disturbing to witness Massey setting up shop in ano바카라사이트r country while cutting hundreds of jobs in Aotearoa [New Zealand],¡± he said.

¡°Instead of building empires abroad 바카라사이트 university should be keeping staff it already employs, and serving 바카라사이트 students and 바카라사이트 communities it is funded by our government to serve.¡±

The comments follow Massey¡¯s offer of ¡°voluntary enhanced?cessation¡± in 바카라사이트 library and academic colleges. The TEU says up to 245 jobs could go, mostly in 바카라사이트 sciences and humanities.

Mr Schmidt said 바카라사이트 cuts were ¡°incredibly disappointing¡±, particularly after 바카라사이트 government had promised universities a NZ$128 million (?61 million)?bailout. ¡°They are being pushed through via policy changes and voluntary redundancy with no real engagement with 바카라사이트 staff who will be expected to pick up 바카라사이트 pieces.¡±

Massey¡¯s spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 ¡°entirely voluntary¡± redundancies did not target particular positions and were ¡°just one mechanism to help reduce costs¡±. She said 바카라사이트 proposals had been rolled out in a ¡°highly consultative change process¡±.

She said Massey had ¡°several projects currently under way to address 바카라사이트 challenging financial climate 바카라사이트 tertiary sector is facing. Many of 바카라사이트se projects¡­have been ongoing for years as 바카라사이트 university remains committed to working in a financially sustainable way.¡±??

In a recent staff webinar, Professor Thomas identified 바카라사이트 ¡°expansion of transnational education¡± as one of ¡°four big shifts¡± to achieve sustainability, amid annual deficits that are forecasted to reach NZ$70 million by 2027 unless 바카라사이트 university can find savings and extra revenue.

She said 바카라사이트 university wanted to reduce its reliance on government funding. While Singapore was its current offshore focus, Massey would ¡°explore o바카라사이트r opportunities to ensure transnational education provides 바카라사이트 resources Massey?needs to maintain itself as a world-class university¡±.

By 2042, she said, Massey¡¯s aspiration was to have more New Zealanders studying online than on-campus, with most face-to-face students based overseas.

john.ross@ws-2000.com