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������˾�� Chair Professor Deborah Terry said: “We welcome the Government’s decision to pay CGS to projected enrolment figures even if student numbers drop in 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19.”��

“This assurance signals the Government’s confidence in the sector and its crucial role in national recovery and is an important first step.”��

Professor Terry said Australian students would also benefit from the new, short study, online courses in a range of disciplines including nursing, teaching, health, IT and sciences that would be offered by some universities as a way of boosting skills in a time of great need.��

“Universities will be working very hard to ensure these six-month long courses are ready to commence in May. They will give people essential skills needed to help rebuild the Australian economy once the pandemic is over.”��

“These new students will join hundreds of thousands receiving tuition online until it is safe to return to the classroom.”��

“It is also good to see regulatory relief with a deferred additional payment scheme from the regulator TEQSA, at a time when universities are under mounting budget pressure.”��

But Professor Terry warned that even with guaranteed CGS and HELP funding, there will be a tough road ahead.��

“We estimate��21,000��jobs at Australian universities will go within the next six months. Without guaranteed CGS and HELP funding that figure would have been even higher,” Professor Terry said.��

“Individual universities are already cutting costs across the board through very substantial reductions in operational spending, deferral of vital capital works, and reductions in senior staff salaries.”��

“However, this will be nowhere near enough to cover what we conservatively estimate as a revenue decline of between $3 billion and $4.6 billion.”��

Professor Terry said universities will continue to seek low interest loans from banks and State Governments.��

‹��Dz��Բ���will help reduce lay-offs, and would assist us in maintaining online teaching functions and vital research—including into a COVID-19 vaccine and treatment—throughout the crisis.”��

She said ������˾�� would continue to work with the government to support international and local students who have lost their part-time jobs.��

“Many of our students are struggling to pay rent and buy food. Universities are offering crisis support, but more will be required.”��

“Our universities and our students will play a vital role in national recovery. With Government support,��we hope to ride out this crisis and get to work on rebuilding,” Professor Terry said.��

“Australia will need even more new ideas, new skills and new jobs to power economic and community recovery. Universities are the engine rooms of that renewal.”��

“We look forward to examining the fine details of the Government’s announcement in coming days.”��