The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has confirmed the closure of its teacher education program and public health school as part of a significant restructuring plan. This initiative aims to eliminate more than 1,100 subjects in an effort to achieve annual savings of $100 million and restore the university to financial surplus.
The announcement, made on October 25, 2023, outlines a strategy to address a series of deficits that have plagued the institution over the past five years. In addition to closing the school of professional practice and leadership, UTS plans to reduce the number of academic schools from 24 to 15. The faculty of law, business school, and transdisciplinary school will be merged, while the faculty of health will be restructured into a new discipline within the school of sport, exercise, and rehabilitation, to be renamed the “school of health and human performance.”
In light of these changes, the university has also put a temporary halt on student enrolments for 120 of its 615 courses until the end of the autumn 2026 semester. According to the updated proposal, UTS aims to discontinue 167 courses and 1,101 subjects, which accounts for approximately 31% of its offerings. The cuts are deemed necessary due to rising costs and evolving government policy.
The proposed cuts were initially delayed after SafeWork NSW issued an order to pause job reductions due to concerns over the potential for “serious and imminent risk of psychological harm” to staff. Academics at UTS have expressed heightened stress levels and described a climate of fear surrounding the impending changes.
As part of this restructuring, UTS has identified that 463 subjects had no student enrolments and were not scheduled for teaching in 2024. The university’s proposal indicates that courses earmarked for discontinuation failed to meet criteria relating to student demand, financial viability, or strategic alignment, particularly those with fewer than 50 student enrolments annually.
Concerns have been voiced by officials regarding the implications of these closures. Dr Sarah Kaine, chair of a New South Wales legislative council inquiry into the university sector, referred to the proposed cuts as “a direct threat to the public mission of higher education.” She highlighted the critical role that teacher education and public health programs fulfill, particularly in light of ongoing challenges, including teacher shortages and health issues within Indigenous communities.
The inquiry into university governance was initiated following a petition signed by thousands of staff and students, which highlighted a perceived crisis in the university sector due to drastic restructuring efforts. Dr Kaine emphasized the importance of protecting disciplines that serve the public good, asserting that universities are civic institutions rather than mere corporations.
Vince Caughley, secretary of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) NSW division, criticized the university’s plan as a failure to uphold its responsibilities to staff, students, and the wider community. He pointed out that UTS recorded record income in 2024 and argued that the university’s own modelling suggested it could return to surplus by 2029 without implementing cuts.
Dr Sarah Attfield, president of the UTS NTEU branch, stated that staff had proposed viable alternatives to the planned job and course reductions, but claimed these suggestions were disregarded. She articulated concerns about the lack of transparency in decision-making processes and the dismissal of valid criticism, which has contributed to a decline in trust in the university’s leadership.
Prof Andrew Parfitt, Vice-Chancellor of UTS, defended the restructuring plan, asserting that it is aimed at achieving a sustainable future for the university. He emphasized the institution’s commitment to public education and the student experience, stating that existing students will have the opportunity to complete their courses despite the proposed changes.
The university is now inviting feedback on the proposal from staff and stakeholders over the next four weeks, hoping to address concerns and maintain open lines of communication during this challenging transition.
