The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) says a dozen courses offered by its business school will “temporarily” close to new students from 2026, including degrees targeted at aspiring entrepreneurs and founders.
The news of the suspensions comes during a national conversation about productivity, with the federal government considering which levers it can pull to improve economic efficiency.
UTS on Thursday confirmed more than 100 courses from a range of disciplines will pause student intake next year, as the Sydney institution takes sharp cost-cutting measures.
Affected courses include graduate-level units designed to deepen students’ understanding of business, including the Bachelor of Business (Honours) and Bachelor of Management (Honours).
The Bachelor of Business / Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, combining the study of business with the culture of another country, is also in limbo.
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So is the Executive Master of Business Administration, which promises applicants “the knowledge and skills you need to succeed as a contemporary executive leader, founder or entrepreneur”.
Core undergraduate courses, including the Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Management (Digital Creative Enterprise) are unaffected.
The temporary suspensions will not affect current students and are aimed at prospective students looking to commence at UTS from 2026.
Other departments face even more uncertainty, with the Faculty of Design and Society counting dozens of courses shut off to new students.
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In a statement provided to SmartCompany, a UTS spokesperson said annual student demand and three years of recent enrolment trends contributed to the decision.
The announcement comes as UTS undergoes a $100 million restructure, which is expected to result in 400 job losses across the institution.
The courses earmarked for suspension were judged by their “alignment with the university’s strategic priorities,” the spokesperson said.
“There have been no decisions to discontinue these courses; the suspensions will be in place until a decision is made on the future of them.”
In a statement accompanying the list of affected courses, UTS said a final decision on the future of those courses will come after “consultation with staff and unions through a change proposal process”.
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In one of five reports commissioned by Treasurer Jim Chalmers, the Productivity Commission on Tuesday argued the bulk of future jobs will require some form of higher education.
“Ninety percent of new jobs in coming years will require post-secondary qualifications, both vocational and
university, while transforming our economy towards net zero will require important new skills,” it said.
“Workers without such qualifications may struggle to move up the job ladder, and jobseekers run the risk that their skills are mismatched to the labour market.”
More broadly, the report proposes reforms that would make it easier for small businesses to provide more on-the-job training to employees.
