High dollar and decrease in international students forces Bond University to lay off 100 staff BOND University will shed 100 staff, merge two departments and has shelved ambitions of becoming a larger campus as it approaches its 25th birthday next year. The university, one of the most prestigious in Australia with degrees costing more than $100,000, is battling pressures including a high Australian dollar, increased competition and a decline in international student numbers. The Robina campus has made the executive decision not to become a "large university" as it faces challenges including competition from online courses. It follows in the footsteps of La Trobe, Australian National University and University of Canberra which have been forced to consolidate their operations. Bond University's student numbers remain at just over 4000, unchanged since 2010. It hopes to see numbers reach 5000. The staff cuts, through a series of voluntary redundancies, have been part of a year-long program to reposition the university. Vice Chancellor Professor Tim Brailsford said the university was "trimming the fat." We have had to bite the bullet and shake things around and there is always a bit of pain involved. This is the end of a 12-month project," said Prof Brailsford. We are building for the future and have a series of projects on the horizon. He said the changes would see the campus - which receives no government subsidies - flourish for the next 25 years. In a statement to the Bulletin, the university said as of September this year, it made a "strategic decision to implement a new services model, in line with its five year strategic plan." Three months were spent consulting with students and staff about the changes. Seventy administrative staff and 23 academic staff will depart by year end. "These departures have been managed through a voluntary separation scheme with no forced redundancies among the administration," a statement from the university read. ``All departing staff have been given access to the University's Career Development Centre, counselling and financial advice. The school has also merged its Institute of Sustainable Development and Architecture with the faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. The new merged Faculty of Society and Design will be housed in the recently opened Adedian School of Architecture building. Prof Brailsford said despite a general decline in international student numbers, September's intake was up by 5 to 10 per cent. He said indigenous numbers were up by 30 per cent. The Federal Government is seeking to arrest the decline in foreign students studying in Australia by allowing streamlined visa processing for more education institutions.