One of Australia’s largest regional universities has announced plans to cut staff as it aims to save 35 million dollars from its budget. Charles Sturt University (CSU), which operates campuses across regional New South Wales including Bathurst, Wagga Wagga, Albury-Wodonga, Dubbo, Orange, and Port Macquarie, cited a significant decline in international student numbers as the primary reason for the cuts.
CSU’s latest annual report reveals a net deficit of nearly 44 million dollars for the 2024 financial year. In response, Vice-Chancellor Renée Leon acknowledged the distress caused by the decision but said it was an unavoidable consequence of government policies that have limited international student visas.
She explained that international students traditionally subsidize education for students in regional, rural, and remote areas. She highlighted that CSU had 8,460 international students in 2019, but that number has dropped to roughly 10 percent of that figure in 2024.
Union representative Anna Corbo Crehan criticized the announcement for its lack of clarity, expressing frustration that staff are left with more questions than answers and feeling uncertain about the future.
CSU’s decision follows a broader trend among regional universities, which have faced significant financial pressure after a federal government directive resulted in 60,000 fewer international student visas issued in 2023–24 compared to the previous year.
The University of Wollongong, also in regional New South Wales, has already cut more than 90 full-time academic positions and confirmed that over 180 non-academic roles will be eliminated to offset the shortfall.
In her statement, Vice-Chancellor Leon called for reforms to the current university funding model, arguing it unfairly disadvantages regional institutions. Federal MP for Riverina, Michael McCormack, also stepped in, having written to Education Minister Jason Clare urging the government to support regional universities during these challenging times.
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