At the University of Canberra the union says management has “invited virtually all staff” to express interest in voluntary separations. However the university is adamant this is not about job cuts, that it  “will then reinvest in its workforce, with a particular focus on academic staff.”

We will know more today when management talks to staff, but the plan appears based in Vice Chancellor Deep Saini’s objectives for the university to be in the top 25 per cent for teaching quality in all disciplines and in research “to rank above the national average for measures of engagement and impact,” (CMM October 27 2017).

However the National Tertiary Education Union says 60 professional staff jobs are at risk.