THE University of Newcastle's prediction that it is facing an income reduction "in the order of $58 million" this year - much of it from international student fees - is not unexpected, given Treasury calculations earlier this month that coronavirus was costing the national economy $4 billion a week.
According to its most recent annual report, Newcastle university had some 7700 international students in 2018, or 20 per cent of a total enrolment of 37,700.
This is not far below the national average of 24 per cent, although overseas student ratios vary widely from campus to campus.
The university's annual report put income from international students at $114 million in 2018, the first time the figure had topped $100 million.
Even though the $58 million forecast by Vice Chancellor Alex Zelinsky included commercial income, investment dividends and interest, it would seem to indicate the university still expects to have between a third and a half of a usual year's foreign enrolments in 2020, provided the figures quoted are comparing "apples with apples".
The other half of the equation is costs, and campus unions are naturally concerned that the university will attempt to balance its books with cuts to employment, especially of less secure casual staff.
The economic impact of COVID-19 has led to a widespread call for a revision of Australia's reliance on China, and in the public mind at least, the terms "international students" and "Chinese students" have become almost interchangeable.
Chinese students certainly make a sizeable slice of Newcastle's international enrolments, but large numbers also come, presently, from India, Nepal and the Middle East.
The 2018 annual report does not break the numbers into nationalities but it does say enrolments come from more than 110 countries.
Claims that international students take the places of domestic students have been thoroughly rebuffed over the years.
Regardless of concerns about Chinese influence in Australia, educating overseas students is an important part of university life.
They came to this country, historically, as part of our foreign aid program, and elements of such diplomacy remain.
While not all will interact broadly with Australians, they have things to teach us, as we have the opportunity to influence them.
Whatever happens to Australian universities after COVID-19, targeting the overseas student program should not be one of them.
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