Cardiff, Durham, Kent and UEA the latest institutions to join wave of sector redundancies

The universities of Cardiff, Durham, East Anglia and Kent are the latest institutions to announce redundancy measures in response to financial crisis battering the UK’s higher education sector.

Collectively, the four institutions are looking to lose more than 750 staff.

Cardiff

Cardiff University announced on 28 January it is proposing to cut 400 academic staff alongside axing subjects and increasing student and staff ratios.

Vice-chancellor Wendy Larner said “it is no longer an option for us to continue as we are” and “we need to take difficult decisions to realise our ambitions to enhance our education and research, and improve the staff and student experience”.

The Russell Group university has opened a 90-day consultation on the cuts, which include the closure of subjects and programmes in ancient history, modern languages and translation, music, nursing, and religion and theology. It said a related process for professional and support services has already begun.

Durham

Durham University announced on 28 January that it is looking to save £20m in staff costs, with a voluntary severance scheme launched and at least 200 jobs expected to go before September.

In 2024-25, the institution expects to cut around 200 professional services roles, saving £10m, while in the next academic year a further £10m in savings will be split equally between professional staff and academic posts.

“If these savings cannot be secured through voluntary means, compulsory measures cannot be ruled out,” the university announced. “The university will prioritise excellent education, research, and frontline student support, as well as its capability for ongoing income generation,” it added.

Vice-chancellor Karen O’Brien said in a statement that Durham “remains a world-leading university, and our achievements in research and education are made possible by the talent, work, and dedication of our staff.

“However, we cannot fulfil our aims of remaining a world-class centre of research and education without a firmly established and sustainable financial base.”

UEA

UEA said in a statement on 27 January that the institution needs to find £11 million to “stay on track” with its own financial sustainability plan, which will mean a goal of cutting 163 jobs across the institution.

“Staff have been informed that the proposals include a goal for reduction of 163 full time equivalent roles across the university which we hope will be achieved through a voluntary redundancy programme,” it continues.

Earlier in January, the UEA branch of the University and College Union opened a ballot on whether to take strike action because of what UCU general secretary Jo Grady called “continued failings” by UEA management.

UCU said that if the vote were in favour of strike action, it would go ahead at the end of February, unless compulsory redundancies were ruled out.

UEA’s plan to recover an £11m deficit in 2025 follows its comprehensive review of the university’s cost profile across the 2023-24 academic year, with its total research income being listed as £57m.

Future costs savings of over £30.1m were made during that time, but the continuing pressures on university financing across the country have led to the new round of cutbacks.

Kent

The University of Kent has also launching a “short-life” voluntary severance scheme to “support necessary cost savings”, the institution told RPN.

“This is in response to a sector-wide fall in international recruitment across the UK, with increased competition for home students as a result,” the university said.

“We remain on track with ambitious changes being introduced from September to better meet student and employer needs, including a revised curriculum, new academic year structure and increased employability and industry links built into our courses,” it added.

The latest institutions announcing redundancy measures comes in the wake of Newcastle University telling its staff last week they will need to cut down on research time not directly supported by external grants. A £30m programme of cuts is expected to see 300 jobs go at the institution.