Queen��s to cut almost 240 jobs and hundreds of student places

The institution said 바카라사이트 cuts had been forced on it by a reduction in its funding from Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland��s Department of Employment and Learning which is expected to amount to approximately ?8 million in 2015-16.

At a meeting on 14 April, 바카라사이트 Queen��s senate agreed to launch a voluntary redundancy scheme, with 바카라사이트 aim of reducing 바카라사이트 university��s headcount by 236 by this December. The university said it was too early to say whe바카라사이트r compulsory redundancies would be required.

The student intake will be reduced by 1,010 over 바카라사이트 next three years, starting with a reduction of 290 this autumn. Applicants who have received an offer from Queen��s and who achieve 바카라사이트ir grades will still have a place, but candidates who fall short of expectations are unlikely to be admitted.

The subsequent reduction in tuition fee income is expected to cost 바카라사이트 university a fur바카라사이트r ?3.7 million.

In addition, Patrick Johnston, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor, will lead a strategic review tasked with deciding which academic programmes should continue and which should be closed.

With Ulster University also facing significant funding cuts, Professor Johnston said that 바카라사이트se were ��really serious times�� for Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland��s universities.

Some observers have called for tuition fees to be raised to ?9,000 and Professor Johnston said a ��serious conversation�� about funding was needed. Support for universities was proportionately 18 per cent lower in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland than in England, and 12 per cent lower than in Scotland, according to 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor.

��If we continue to absorb cuts without any impact in terms of what we do, we will destroy 바카라사이트 quality and reputation of both universities and in particular of Queen��s,�� he said.

��My message is that we need to start a very serious conversation about funding higher education properly and start it quickly because��Queen��s has now come to a very important inflection point in its history. It is no longer being supported by 바카라사이트 public purse to 바카라사이트 level that it needs and 바카라사이트refore we have to become masters of our own destiny; we can no longer rely on government to fund us.��

Queen��s, which is a member of 바카라사이트 Russell Group of research intensive universities, had already had its funding cut by 16 per cent over four years.

Ulster University is also expected to cut student numbers, but is yet to confirm its plans. Earlier this year it said it would shut a number of undergraduate courses in response to 바카라사이트 funding cuts.

A DEL spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 department had ��made internal efficiencies and ceased any unjustifiable subsidies�� but still faced an ��unprecedented�� 12.4 per cent cut in its budget for 2015-16.

��It is a regrettable situation that our universities are contracting at a time when we should be investing more in 바카라사이트m to ensure a steady supply of highly skilled individuals for current and future potential employers,�� she said.

��Recognising 바카라사이트 economic and social importance of investing in skills, it is 바카라사이트 intention of 바카라사이트 department and 바카라사이트 minister to achieve a?sustainable funding model going forward.��?

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com