Arabic version: جامعة نوتردام توقف تسجيل طلاب التمريض للفصل الدراسي الأول 2026
The University of Notre Dame has announced that it will not accept new nursing students for the first semester of 2026. This decision was communicated to staff and prospective applicants earlier this month, leaving many in the academic community shocked and seeking clarity on the reasons behind the halt.
According to ABC News, the nursing program is currently under review by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) to ensure it meets necessary accreditation standards. The university has not confirmed if a second semester intake will be available, causing further uncertainty for both students and faculty.
Scott Fitzgerald, state secretary of the National Tertiary Education Union, expressed concerns over the abrupt decision, noting that the nursing program is a flagship course for the university. Typically, the program enrolls 450 new students in WA and 260 students in Sydney each semester, but this sudden cut has raised alarms about the university’s governance and crisis management.
Fitzgerald indicated that the increase in nursing student enrolments since 2020 may have contributed to pressures on accreditation, particularly regarding placements and student experience. He criticized the university for not limiting enrolments instead of completely halting them, especially given Australia’s projected nursing shortage by 2035.
The decision has left many prospective students in limbo. One applicant’s family member voiced frustration, stating that the lack of timely communication from the university prevented students from adjusting their preferences in a timely manner. The National Student Ombudsman’s office has received complaints regarding the lack of transparency in the university’s communication about course availability.
The university maintained that current students in the nursing program will not be affected by this decision. However, this latest development adds to the university’s challenges, following a ransomware attack in 2025 that disrupted its IT systems and created significant uncertainty for students and staff.
