UC vice-chancellor Professor Stephen Parker: “This is a challenging time for professional and academic staff facing redundancy.” Photo: LinkedIn.
The University of Canberra (UC) will offer a range of selected courses free to staff who may lose their jobs as a result of the cost-cutting program announced recently.
At least 200 jobs will go under the organisational change announced by Vice-Chancellor Professor Stephen Parker in a bid to take $50 million out of recurrent expenditure and bring UC’s budget back into balance by the end of 2025.
Professor Parker said this week that UC would offer debt-free courses in teaching, nursing and IT to eligible staff with an undergraduate degree for admission in Semester One, 2025, saying UC had a moral obligation to help its people.
The offer could also be extended to staff losing their positions at other universities, including the Australian National University.
“We know that this is a challenging time for professional and academic staff facing redundancy in the higher education sector,” Professor Parker said.
“It makes sense for UC as a university that focuses on professional courses to create opportunities for retraining or upskilling in areas where there is significant workforce need, locally and nationally.”
Professor Parker said there were long-term and acute shortages in these areas, and job prospects immediately upon graduation were good.
He said UC would make it easier for these students to complete their courses as quickly as possible.
“We will arrange special pathways for intensive study, as required, to enable people to complete in the shortest possible time and make use of available flexible learning,” Professor Parker said
The Student Contribution Amount would not be charged to affected UC staff, and they would not incur HECS debt.
Professor Parker said UC was willing to discuss this offer with other universities whose staff were facing redundancy.
“UC has a moral obligation to take practical steps to support higher education staff facing redundancy, through no fault of their own, and provide them with opportunities to enhance their career and job prospects,” said Professor Parker.
At this stage, the following debt-free courses will be offered:
- Master of Primary Teaching
- Master of Secondary Teaching
- Master of Nursing Practice (Graduate Entry)
- Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity
- Graduate Certificate in Data Science
- Graduate Certificate in Building Construction and Information Management
- Master of Building Construction and Information Management.
At least 200 positions will cease this year and in the first half of next year.
Professor Parker said some would be found from positions that were or are becoming vacant and expired contracts, but redundancies seem inevitable.
Staffing positions in the university’s five faculties and across its professional services would not be exempt. However, the final position was dependent on the outcome of the consultation and work that was still underway.
To learn more, visit the UC website.
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