Business · Companies · 6 hrs ago
NSW inquiry questions financial cases for university job cuts
Adam Lucas, a former professor at the University of Wollongong, lost his job in a university restructure after challenging the financial figures used to justify the cuts.
He said the university showed him the results but not the underlying model, while the university said it withheld detailed data to protect personal privacy.
Lucas is among hundreds of academics who have lost jobs in Australian university restructures over the past two years.
A New South Wales parliamentary inquiry questioned the financial case for cuts at Wollongong and five other universities, saying they appeared to overstate their financial problems and go too far in restructuring.
The inquiry accepted that universities faced a difficult environment, including falling international student numbers, but found some financial calculations painted a worse picture than audited accounts.
The universities disputed parts of the criticism; Wollongong said it faced a projected $35 million revenue shortfall in 2024 and that its changes delivered $22 million in recurring savings.
The inquiry also criticised how some university councils challenged management information and the role of consultants, but the available information does not say what happens next.
An NSW parliamentary inquiry questioned the financial cases used by six universities to justify restructures and staff cuts.
It found some universities appeared to overstate their financial problems and that their financial calculations presented a worse picture than audited accounts.
The inquiry also found that some forecasts were later significantly revised and that job cuts were not the only option in at least one case.
The University of Wollongong said it faced a projected $35 million revenue shortfall in 2024 because of falling international enrolments and rising costs.
Former Wollongong professor Adam Lucas said he was not given the financial model used to declare his job unviable before he accepted voluntary redundancy.
- Who
- The NSW parliamentary inquiry examined six universities, including the University of Wollongong. Former Wollongong professor Adam Lucas described his experience.
- What
- The inquiry questioned whether universities’ financial information justified restructures and staff cuts.
- When
- The inquiry’s findings were reported on October 14, 2026. The job cuts took place over the past two years, according to the article.
- Where
- New South Wales, Australia.
- Why
- Universities cited falling international student numbers and changes to federal policy. The inquiry questioned the accuracy of some financial information used to justify the cuts.
NSW parliamentary inquiry
University of Wollongong
Financial case for cuts
NSW parliamentary inquiry
The inquiry found that some universities appeared to overstate their financial problems and that some financial calculations painted a worse picture than audited accounts.
University of Wollongong
UOW said it faced a projected $35 million revenue shortfall in 2024 because of falling international enrolments and rising costs.
Restructure outcomes
NSW parliamentary inquiry
The inquiry found that some universities went too far in restructures and staff cuts.
University of Wollongong
UOW denied that its framework produced predetermined outcomes and said only four of 25 initially assessed disciplines were ultimately discontinued after consultation.
Hundreds of academics lost their jobs in restructures across Australian universities.
UOW said it faced a projected $35 million revenue shortfall.
Adam Lucas accepted a voluntary redundancy.
ABC Australia reported the NSW parliamentary inquiry’s findings.
- Universities examined
- UOW, UTS, Macquarie University, UON, CSU and WSU
- UOW projected revenue shortfall
- $35 million in 2024
- UOW disciplines discontinued
- 4 of 25 initially assessed as unviable
- UOW recurrent savings
- $22 million
- Macquarie savings target
- $55 million
What people are saying
We saw the outputs, but we never saw the model, and we were never given the chance to test whether the numbers actually added up
The crisis was manufactured and not just at Wollongong, and that the restructure was designed at Wollongong to produce a predetermined outcome
faux crisis narratives