The incoming vice-chancellor of the Australian Catholic University is in many ways a typical international student.
Professor Zlatko Skrbis grew up in Slovenia and studied undergraduate degrees in philosophy and sociology at the University of Ljubljana.
When he came to Australia to study his PhD in sociological at Flinders University, he never looked back.
"I feel really privileged to have had the opportunities that I've had. And I'm really passionate about higher education," he said.
"I'm your typical international student. I came, I learned, and I stayed."
Professor Skirbis' experience as a migrant coloured his original research interests in the areas of migration and nationalism.
As he prepares to take over role of vice-chancellor and president from Professor Greg Craven on January 11 next year, Professor Skrbis is concerned about the effects of the pause on international travel on the university experience.
"Quite frankly, international students contribute so much more than just the revenue for universities and this is where discussion often goes," he said.
"They genuinely are part of a very vibrant, diverse tapestry that our campuses represent so you know I think it will be a much sadder higher education system if we don't have international students around."
The first-time vice-chancellor is under no illusions about the challenges he will face in his new leadership role.
COVID-19 has brought an extra layer of complexity for the multi-jurisdictional university, which has campuses in Victoria, NSW, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT.
At the same time as grappling with the drop in international student enrolments and surge in domestic demand, the higher education sector is dissecting the government's Job-ready Graduates legislation and what it will mean for the 2021 cohort.
Professor Skrbis stands with his humanities colleagues in his concern and disappointment that future students will be paying $14,500 per year for their degrees, a 113 per cent increase compared to the current student contribution of $6804 per year.
"I don't believe this is the end of humanities. I think it is just a very unfortunate set of interventions that will impact people who have passion and commitment to studies of human society and human culture."
While he understands the need to encourage students in to areas of future workplace demands, Professor Skrbis would like Australia to avoid a "VET-isation" of higher education.
"I think it's a mixed bag. This is a very difficult set of set of circumstances that the government is trying to trying to navigate," he said.
"I just think we need to be careful not to move too quickly and embrace that skills-focused agenda at the expense of everything else that universities can offer."
ACU is also facing its own budget woes after the global health crisis cut $126 million from its expected revenue from 2020 to 2022.
Professor Skrbis said the institution was on track to make savings by reducing its surplus, reducing salary costs and cutting non-salary measures such as capital expenditure. Redundancies are not on the table at this stage.
The incoming vice-chancellor will seek to further carve out a niche for the 30-year-old university, with a focus on solidifying the specialty areas of education and health while expanding into new territory.
For now, he'll be continuing to juggle his roles as provost and deputy vice-chancellor of education at ACU as the search begins for his replacement.
"I am really excited about what we can contribute to the higher education landscape into the future."
