Speaking to SBS Punjabi, Prof Saini said, "The cuts will impact local students who use Commonwealth loans (HECS) to pursue higher studies; they can impact international students who are already paying steep fees to obtain a good education in Australia; and they can adversely affect Universities, some of whom may have to reduce staff or compromise on the standard of education provided, to make ends meet."
The measures announced in the Budget are not far-sighted.
Summarising the changes to the higher education system in Australia, as announced by Treasurer Scott Morrison on Tuesday, Prof Saini said, "Every University will receive a funding cut, totalling to the tune of $2.8 billion. Apart from this, there are major changes in how HECS loans will be recovered - students will now pay back a higher proportion of the loan, and begin repayments at a much lower annual income. This could well discourage local students from undertaking higher studies in Australia."
"As a Vice Chancellor, these constraints put me in a very difficult situation. Universities like ours like to provide the best possible educational outcomes for our students - voluntarily, we wouldn't like to increase the financial burden on our students, or cut corners in how we deliver our courses, or reduce our staffing levels. But when you're faced with repeated funding cuts, there are only two ways that we can balance our budget - either by increasing our revenue or by decreasing our spending."
Prof Saini also countered the statement that these budget measures would help in nation building. "The nation's future - our future - relies on the next generation's ability to contribute to the country. If they feel buried under financial debt even before they graduate, we are not helping with nation-building."
"And its a complete misnomer that Universities have very large surpluses. All the money saved in any year, is invested back in the University - in maintenance, repairs and other measures."
Prof Deep Saini (left) at a convocation ceremony Source: Supplied
Speaking about the international education market in Australia, Prof Saini said, "It is fair to say that Australia is a leader in the international education sector and its brand commands great value. This is an industry that contributes $22 billion to the nation's export income, because of the sheer numbers of international students who choose Australia as their country of choice, when it comes to higher education."
"But my fear is, if the cost of an Australian education goes up further for international students, or if they don't receive the standard of education that Australia is renowned for, then the flourishing international education sector maybe adversely effected too.
"We know very well that when violence againts international students in Australia was reported globally in 2009-2010, there was a sudden drop in enrolments of Indian international students here. I was in Canada at the time and I can tell you, lower enrolments in Australia meant substantially higher enrolments in Canada in those years."
"Universities compete in a global market and the Australian federal government needs to be cognisant of that. I don't believe these cuts to higher education have been fully thought through - it seems to be a political decision, rather than anything else. Either ways, the budget cuts are not far-sighted".
SBS Punjabi covered the May 8 Budget night announcemenst with live analysis provided by Deakin University's Associate Prof Harminder Singh. If you missed that coverage, here are the catch up videos:
