Management estimates income will be down $600m this year and $450m for both 2021 and ‘22

Vice Chancellor Ian Jacobs announced the projected fall in income in a message to staff yesterday. And even with savings made and anticipated, “it is clear that we will still need to take action in the next few weeks to make further savings this year.”

“We have no alternative to taking the difficult step of standing down some staff in areas where there is no work due to the impact of the government restrictions – and to losing a small number of jobs. I will ensure the minimum possible number of positions are affected during the next few weeks by these regrettable steps,” Professor Jacobs said.

But while there was no word on jobs to go, the vice chancellor did announce a restructure plan. The work will be done by Taskforce 2021+, “to explore the university’s optimal future size and shape and prepare us for a markedly changed higher education landscape.”

It will report in June, “so that action can be taken in the second half of the year to prepare for 2021.”

The Vice Chancellor did not mention the status of the UNSW 2025 plan, in development since 2015. Nor did he provide a date for news on jobs to go.