Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has revealed the largest budget deficit in 70 years and an unemployment rate set to peak at 9.25 per cent by December. But that’s not news to Australia’s tertiary education sector.

It’s already on thin ice.

In the video above, Central News’ Student Editor Daniella Scotti, discusses the impact of COVID-19 with 2019 Young Economist of the Year and Head of UNSW’s School of Economics Gigi Foster; UTS Vice-Chancellor and President Attila Brungs; and Professor Emeritus and Former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne Frank Larkins.

Those with the most to lose in the sector’s financial restructure are staff.

As Daniella also reports, UNSW has announced plans to cut almost 500 staff, while UNE in Armidale is axing almost 200 jobs.

 

 

Universities across Australia are now engaged in daily crisis meetings, budget reviews and cost cutting – in the hope of recovering from this catastrophic loss of international student revenue.

— Story, video and audio, Daniella Scotti @daniella_scotti  Featured image, Mark Kriedemann @KriedemannMark