Monash University welcomes Victorian Government funding
Monash University has welcomed the Victorian Government’s $50 million International Education Resilience Fund alongside additional payroll tax measures to provide cash flow support to universities.
The International Education Resilience Fund and additional payroll tax measures for universities follow many months of Victorian universities discussing the challenges of border closures and the impacts on students.
Monash University President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Gardner AC said ongoing engagement and support for our international students is crucial during this time.
“We welcome the relief this fund and measures will provide for the higher education sector during what has been an immensely challenging period. It will help ensure Victoria can continue offering a vibrant, world-class education experience to students, even if they are studying offshore.
“We know students want to remain connected to their campus and their peers, so we have been working with the Victorian Government on its in-country study hubs that will allow our offshore students to engage from overseas in activities that ensure they know and feel they are an important part of the Monash community,” Professor Gardner said.
In addition to the in-country student hubs, Monash has also established its own learning centres in China through a local education partnership in Shanghai and our international branch campus network in Suzhou.
“These learning centres, like the soon-to-be-opened Monash Shanghai Learning Centre, enable students to access campus facilities, including library resources and high-speed internet, and meet with peers and tutors in-person,” Professor Gardner said.
“They provide an opportunity for genuine connections with others who are experiencing similar challenges of studying while not yet being able to return to Australia.”
Monash University is also exploring options for students to access learning centres in their home country in Singapore, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and several other international locations while Australia’s borders remain closed.