Cuts to public health at UTS put students, staff, and communities at risk.
 

To Vice Chancellor Andrew Parfitt and the Members of the University Council of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS),

We write as fellow academics and researchers in tertiary education, and as colleagues of the UTS School of Public Health, regarding the decisions currently under consideration about the University’s future structure.

As academics committed to the public mission of higher education, we understand the pressures facing all our institutions. However, we are unanimous in calling for a reversal of the proposed redundancies in the School of Public Health and of the closure of public health teaching programs. These actions will have dire consequences for our shared mission and societal impact.

1. Reversing redundancies in the School of Public Health

Public Health faces enormous challenges—globally, politically, ideologically, and financially—precisely at the moment it is most needed. The COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and widening health inequities have underscored the vital importance of population-level thinking, evidence-based policy, and community engagement. Public Health is central to improving lives, protecting communities, and advocating for those most disadvantaged.

The decision to disestablish the School of Public Health weakens our collective capacity to respond to these defining challenges. The strength of Public Health lies in its breadth of expertise. Public Health academics are not only researchers and educators, but also mentors and advocates whose work directly shapes the health and wellbeing of our communities.

UTS describes itself as a “University of Technology committed to social justice.” Yet removing Public Health programs due to “strategic misalignment” signals the opposite. In an era of growing scepticism toward tertiary education and science, our role must be to champion critical thinking, clear communication, and inclusive advocacy. Public Health embodies these values. It is science in service of society, combining rigorous multidisciplinary research with practical skills that tangibly improve population wellbeing.

2. Maintaining the status of Public Health in any new structure

Our colleagues in the UTS School of Public Health conduct world-class, equity-focused research deeply embedded in the Australian academic landscape. Their work has made substantial contributions to improving the lives of diverse communities—locally, nationally, and internationally. Collaboration across institutions is strong, with shared grants, media engagement, and PhD supervision forming a vibrant and impactful network.

Public Health is a globally recognised and respected field, signalling a commitment to equity, evidence, and action. It provides a space for evidence-based advocacy in a world where that very idea is increasingly contested.

Public Health education equips future generations with the mindset and tools to address complex societal challenges. To diminish its place in UTS’s institutional identity would obscure this legacy and weaken its visibility at a time when leadership and clarity are more essential than ever.

We urge the Council to ensure that any changes uphold the core values and societal responsibilities of the higher education sector. Reversing redundancies and maintaining the status of Public Health are not merely symbolic acts—they are strategic decisions that affirm UTS’s commitment to equity, excellence, and public service. We stand in solidarity with our colleagues in urging the Council to protect Public Health at UTS.