The rollout of UTS’s redesigned Bachelor of International Studies has been delayed beyond a possible 2027 commencement, and with no guarantee the degree will be ready for 2028.
Amid criticism staff were initially given too little time to prepare the new course, there have also been concerns raised about ongoing psychosocial harm to university staff affected by both the university’s two-year change process, that has seen the axing of hundreds of jobs and courses, and the ongoing implementation of structural changes to degrees and courses.
The business case for the redesigned degree was submitted to faculty for discussion three weeks ago. But International Studies staff were initially given only six to eight weeks from February 12 to complete it for commencement in 2027, Faculty of Design and Society health and safety representative Siobhan Irving confirmed to Central News
NTEU UTS branch president Sarah Attfield said a redevelopment and approval process of this complexity would ordinarily take around 12 to 18 months.
“The original timeline was unreasonable in terms of pressure on staff who are already dealing with extraordinary workloads,” Attfield told Central News.
According to the UTS branch of the National Tertiary Education Union, the redesigned Bachelor of International Studies had been intended for a 2027 intake, but there was not enough time to complete the required development and approval processes ahead of relevant Universities Admissions Centre deadlines.
“From what we understand, the planned launch was therefore moved to 2028,” then-acting NTEU UTS branch president Paul Brown told Central News.
UTS confirmed an initial working timetable indicated a possible 2027 commencement, but has not said if the redesigned degree will begin in 2028.
“An initial working timetable contemplated a possible commencement in 2027,” a UTS spokesperson said. “As the proposal developed, additional time was provided to refine the academic model and business case and to undertake the university’s normal governance processes.”
Combined degrees are very distinctive from other degrees and administratively, they are incredibly complex… simply the timeline was not sufficient.
An unnamed academic
The university said the proposal is still being considered and that a final decision will only be made after all required stages of review and approval have been completed.
UTS has not publicly announced a 2028 launch. Its International Studies web page states only that the Bachelor of International Studies is being redesigned and is not currently available to new students.
The delay follows months of upheaval surrounding International Studies as part of UTS’s Operational Sustainability Initiative.
New admissions to the Bachelor of International Studies were paused from 2026 as part of the initiative before the International Studies teaching team developed a proposal for a redesigned degree.
International Studies had faced being discontinued during the university’s academic change process, before UTS announced in November 2025, following consultation and fierce staff opposition, that the discipline would instead be retained and redesigned.
On February 12, UTS released its final Academic Change Implementation Plan, confirming the existing Bachelor of International Studies and Bachelor of International Studies (Honours) would be phased out while a new International Studies course was developed.
Just one month later, UTS was publicly discussing International Studies in the context of a 2027 return.
At the university’s Careers Advisers and Teachers Day on March 13, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students) Jacqui Wise told attendees that courses paused for 2026 would “come back in 2027 redesigned and reshaped”.
An International Studies banner lies discarded beneath a stairwell. Photo: Central News.
During a later question-and-answer session, a careers adviser specifically referred to Education and International Studies being “revamped for 2027” and asked whether the programs should already be promoted to prospective students.
Dean of the Faculty of Design and Society James Bennett responded that advisers dealing with students interested in “that space” should “absolutely talk to them about it and promote it”, adding that UTS expected to have further material available within six to eight weeks.
By UTS Open Day on August 29, however, a stall for the redesigned Bachelor of International Studies was conspicuously absent and the degree was not promoted to prospective students.
Faculty staff were informed days later in an email from Head of the School of Communication and Social Sciences Nick Manganas about the delay and continuing redevelopment of the course.
A UTS academic familiar with the redevelopment process, who Central News agreed not to name, said the structure of International Studies made the redevelopment particularly complex.
“Combined degrees are very distinctive from other degrees and administratively, they are incredibly complex,” the academic said.
They said there had been “not enough time to fulfil all the requirements” within the given timeline.
“Simply the timeline was not sufficient,” the academic said.
Central News understands staff are now working towards a 2028 launch, and that university governance processes involved in redeveloping the course are lengthy and highly complex.
The loss of International Studies has had a detrimental impact on the faculty in terms of both reputation and staff morale.
Dr Sarah Attfield, NTEU UTS branch president
Irving said the redesign was being undertaken against broader workload pressures already affecting staff across the faculty.
“People were overworked before all of this happened,” she said, adding that remaining staff were taking on extra work, previously performed by colleagues, who had taken a redundancy during the change process.
Both Attfield and Irving said psychosocial safety concerns had been raised in connection with the compressed schedule, and the impact of the changes extended beyond the proposed 2027 timetable.
“The loss of International Studies has had a detrimental impact on the faculty in terms of both reputation and staff morale,” said Attfield.
Management at UTS characterised 2027 as a possible rather than confirmed commencement date, saying additional time was provided to refine both the academic model and the business case before completing its normal governance processes.
“The proposal is currently being considered through these processes, with each stage providing appropriate academic, strategic and financial due diligence,” the spokesperson said.
“As is standard for new and substantially redesigned courses, a final decision will be made only after the proposal has completed all required stages of review and approval.
“UTS will communicate the outcome and market the course once this process has concluded.”
Students in the International Internship subject with flood refugees in Mae Sai, Thailand in 2024.
International Studies moved into the School of Communication and Social Sciences in June, where work on the proposal is continuing.
Manganas told Central News staff were still consulting on, and adapting, the proposal.
“Since International Studies joined the School of Communication and Social Sciences in June, we have been consulting with colleagues and adapting the proposal developed at the end of 2025,” Manganas said.
“Once finalised, the proposal and supporting business case will proceed through the University’s normal review and approval processes.”
Longtime International Studies academic Alice Loda, told Central News: “This is a degree very much loved by our community, students and stakeholders, and we can’t wait for its return.
“Especially in times like this, intercultural understanding and dialogue, and multilingual engagement, can make a huge difference to working together towards positive social change.”
The NTEU and an academic familiar with the redevelopment say the course is being developed towards a 2028 return, while UTS maintains a final decision will only be made once the proposal has completed all required stages of review and approval.
Central News asked UTS when senior management first became aware that a 2027 commencement was unlikely to be achievable and who established the original redevelopment timetable. However, the university did not address the question in its response.
Main image of UTS by Central News.
