Latest news with #RenéeLeon
Sydney Morning Herald
21-07-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
The best and worst universities for graduate salaries revealed
'Maybe it's got nothing to do with Group of Eight in itself, just that these people have higher ATARs to start with, or are on average a bit smarter, maybe better connected, and that's kind of starting to show as they get further into their careers,' he said. While some graduates had low starting salaries, he said it was not necessarily reflective of their lifetime earning potential. 'Medicine has a very good long-term trajectory, even though the four- to six-month-out salary is not super impressive,' he said. Norton said regional university graduates earned more initially because students typically had more work experience before starting their degree. Psychology graduates from the University of New England were the biggest earners in their field, while that institution's science and mathematics graduates were also around the top of the salary table. Completing a degree in dentistry was one of the biggest earners, with someone from Charles Sturt earning a median salary of $93,000 straight out of university. Charles Sturt graduates were also the top paid in social work and computing and information systems when compared with other NSW institutions. Charles Sturt vice chancellor Professor Renée Leon said the university had industry partnerships which gave students an advantage when competing for jobs. 'At the end of the day, our students deserve this reassurance that, after years of dedication and hard work in their studies, they have every chance of getting the job and salary they've dreamt of,' she said. Independent economist Dr Kim Houghton said while there was a preconception that professionals were paid more in big cities, that was not borne out by research data. He noted research from the Regional Australia Institute this year which revealed a significant income premium for workers in outer regional areas. 'The further west you go, the more inland you go, the higher those salaries are,' Houghton said. 'Health specialists are in really short supply, so there are quite a lot of incentives, both Commonwealth and state, to induce people to come and practise those professions in regional places. 'The labor market is trying to function to the extent that you're paying more people to fill a shortage, but there's still chronic shortages in those sorts of skilled specialist medical professions across all the regions.' The University of NSW had strong graduate salaries across fields including health services, science and mathematics. A spokeswoman said salaries post-graduation were a key factor when it came to choosing the university. Loading 'Although UNSW does not influence graduate salaries directly, we are deeply committed to student success and continuously monitor graduate outcomes … This data informs our ongoing efforts to enhance the student experience and ensure our graduates are well prepared for the workforce,' she said. Sydney University pro vice chancellor of educational innovation Adam Bridgeman said the university helped students understand what employers wanted and how to present themselves in the job market. 'While salaries aren't the only thing students need to consider when deciding their career goals, they can be an important factor for many, and our career consultations include salary trends and coaching and advice on how to negotiate salaries,' he said.
The Age
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Age
The best and worst universities for graduate salaries revealed
'Maybe it's got nothing to do with Group of Eight in itself, just that these people have higher ATARs to start with, or are on average a bit smarter, maybe better connected, and that's kind of starting to show as they get further into their careers,' he said. While some graduates had low starting salaries, he said it was not necessarily reflective of their lifetime earning potential. 'Medicine has a very good long-term trajectory, even though the four- to six-month-out salary is not super impressive,' he said. Norton said regional university graduates earned more initially because students typically had more work experience before starting their degree. Psychology graduates from the University of New England were the biggest earners in their field, while that institution's science and mathematics graduates were also around the top of the salary table. Completing a degree in dentistry was one of the biggest earners, with someone from Charles Sturt earning a median salary of $93,000 straight out of university. Charles Sturt graduates were also the top paid in social work and computing and information systems when compared with other NSW institutions. Charles Sturt vice chancellor Professor Renée Leon said the university had industry partnerships which gave students an advantage when competing for jobs. 'At the end of the day, our students deserve this reassurance that, after years of dedication and hard work in their studies, they have every chance of getting the job and salary they've dreamt of,' she said. Independent economist Dr Kim Houghton said while there was a preconception that professionals were paid more in big cities, that was not borne out by research data. He noted research from the Regional Australia Institute this year which revealed a significant income premium for workers in outer regional areas. 'The further west you go, the more inland you go, the higher those salaries are,' Houghton said. 'Health specialists are in really short supply, so there are quite a lot of incentives, both Commonwealth and state, to induce people to come and practise those professions in regional places. 'The labor market is trying to function to the extent that you're paying more people to fill a shortage, but there's still chronic shortages in those sorts of skilled specialist medical professions across all the regions.' The University of NSW had strong graduate salaries across fields including health services, science and mathematics. A spokeswoman said salaries post-graduation were a key factor when it came to choosing the university. Loading 'Although UNSW does not influence graduate salaries directly, we are deeply committed to student success and continuously monitor graduate outcomes … This data informs our ongoing efforts to enhance the student experience and ensure our graduates are well prepared for the workforce,' she said. Sydney University pro vice chancellor of educational innovation Adam Bridgeman said the university helped students understand what employers wanted and how to present themselves in the job market. 'While salaries aren't the only thing students need to consider when deciding their career goals, they can be an important factor for many, and our career consultations include salary trends and coaching and advice on how to negotiate salaries,' he said.
ABC News
27-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Charles Sturt University to cut jobs to save $35m amid drop in international enrolments
One of the largest regional universities in Australia has told staff jobs will be cut as it looks to save $35 million from its budget. Charles Sturt University (CSU) says a substantial drop in international student placements has left the university needing to make cuts. CSU has campuses across regional NSW in Bathurst, Wagga Wagga, Albury-Wodonga, Dubbo, Orange and Port Macquarie. In its latest annual report, CSU recorded a net shortfall of almost $44 million at the end of the 2024 financial year. In a statement, CSU vice-chancellor Renée Leon said the cuts were distressing but unsurprising given government policies to restrict the number of international students. "In Charles Sturt's case, international students cross-subsidise students from regional, rural and remote locations," Ms Leon said. "In 2019 Charles Sturt had 8,460 international students. In 2024, we had approximately 10 per cent of that number. CSU union representative Anna Corbo Crehan slammed the announcement as lacking clarity. "Staff are left with more questions than answers, we're stuck in a crushing limbo," Dr Corbo Crehan said in a statement. "Cutting jobs would be a devastating blow not just for staff and students, but the regional communities that rely on CSU. "Staff have stood behind CSU giving so much to the institution since the COVID pandemic; there is no need for management to target staff now." CSU is the latest university to announce job cuts in the wake of a ministerial direction from the federal government that saw 60,000 fewer international student visas issued in 2023–24 compared to the previous year. Fellow NSW regional university the University of Wollongong has already slashed more than 90 full-time academic positions, and confirmed more than 180 non-academic places will also go to make up for the international student shortfall. In her statement, Ms Leon also called for changes to the one-size-fits-all university funding model, saying it "disproportionately handicaps regional universities". Federal MP for Riverina Michael McCormack said he had written to Education Minister Jason Clare asking the government to take action on supporting regional universities. "They desperately need to find a way to support regional tertiary students with real, meaningful policy and funding," Mr McCormack said. With campuses located in six regional communities, Mr McCormack said the CSU cuts would have a knock-on effect. "The ripple effect will be like a tsunami across those regional economies," Mr McCormack said. "The government has talked up its Australian universities accord, its funding equity students and supporting regional students. "Well, now is the time for action."
