policy & reform campusreview . com . au
New beginning
The resurgence of the domestic student market in 2021 .
Judyth Sachs interviewed by Wade Zaglas
The ‘ golden goose ’ of international
student enrolments looks unlikely to fly back and save Australian universities ’ revenue in the short term .
However , chief academic officer at Studiosity and Macquarie University Emeritus Professor Judyth Sachs says domestic student enrolments look strong for next year . The same applies to postgraduate domestic enrolments .
But while this is a promising development in some ways – and adheres to the notion that young people caught in recessions will typically bunker down in education and training – Sachs believes the caps on domestic university students must be lifted in order for more revenue to be generated for the sector .
The professor also believes that , after the disruptive experience of 2020 , domestic school leavers will be expecting a lot from their respective institutions .
Sachs predicts that mental health issues ( stemming from traumatic events in 2020 such as the summer bushfires and the current pandemic ) means such students will have “ social , academic and personal ” needs for which universities must be prepared to cater .
She also adds that the invisibility of packed lectures may be a challenge for such students as they begin to “ re-calibrate ” their interpersonal skills to thrive on campus .
But it ’ s certainly not all doom and gloom .
The professor believes the 2020 experience has inculcated next year ’ s students with several skills and qualities that will augur well for them as they enter their first year of university , including resilience , agility and online learning skills and knowledge .
CR : How many more domestic students do you think universities can expect next year ? Do you believe current Year 12 ’ s will have a strong appetite to go to university or possibly put it off for a year or so ? JS : I spoke to a number of people in preparation for this , and the three institutions I spoke to said numbers were holding up pretty well . Also , there was high demand from school leavers in all universities , according to the UAC ( Universities Admissions Centre )
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