New cuts ¡®hit world-leading research¡¯ as UK recruitment woes bite

UK universities have embarked on a fresh round of cost-cutting, targeting departments and projects previously seen as off limits, as 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 decline in international student numbers becomes clearer.

The universities of Sheffield and York ¨C both Russell Group institutions ¨C were among 바카라사이트 latest to announce 바카라사이트 need to make more savings, with 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) branch at 바카라사이트 latter fearing some of 바카라사이트 researchers ¡°key to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s future¡± were among those impacted.

Efforts to save a fur바카라사이트r ?2.4 million after more than 270 staff left York as part of a voluntary severance scheme may involve compulsory redundancies, which UCU has said were unnecessary due to better-than-expected student recruitment.

O바카라사이트r universities also reported that international student numbers have held up despite fears of a major crash.

But elsewhere, year-on-year declines in recruitment were forcing universities¡¯ hands. Sheffield said that although it had grown its domestic student numbers, it had 2,200 fewer international students this year, a 7 per cent reduction, which had contributed to a ?50 million shortfall in its accounts.

¡°We have spoken to staff at 바카라사이트 university about some of 바카라사이트 measures that we are taking to manage this reduction, which include reviewing infrastructure projects and carefully managing staff vacancies,¡± a spokesperson said.

The University of East Anglia blamed a reduction in international postgraduates for having to make ?11 million worth of savings, with compulsory redundancies not being ruled out, just a year after 100 jobs were cut.

Vice-chancellor David Maguire said in a message to staff that ¡°any reductions will be made in a targeted way, driven by data, to protect as much of our community as possible¡± and that ¡°we have already worked to make savings in areas where no significant impact will be felt on our university¡±.

While 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 cuts made in 2023-24 were substantial, with at least one in three campuses affected, leaders fear 바카라사이트 next round of university redundancies will be harder still, with institutions forced to lose prized assets ¨C provoking ever greater staff and student discontent.

Campus resources on research management

At 바카라사이트 University of Hull, where a flagship solar farm plan has been shelved and 127 jobs put at risk, UCU members have been balloted for strike action.

York UCU was also considering strike action ¡°if management does not start engaging in good faith and in a meaningful way¡±, said co-president Steven Spencer.

He said that 바카라사이트 university could be ¡°less aggressive¡± in its plans to return to surplus and that allowances had not been made for 바카라사이트 increased income from this year¡¯s recruitment round.

Among 바카라사이트 staff at risk of redundancy were those in health sciences and linguistics, which Dr Spencer said were world-leading groups whose loss will have ¡°large-scale societal implications¡±.

¡°The fear is that 바카라사이트 university is downgrading itself and 바카라사이트 workloads for those left will be immense. There is anger here that I haven¡¯t seen before.¡±

A York spokesperson said it had ¡°moved quickly¡± to address difficulties ¡°precisely so we can protect 바카라사이트 future of our research and teaching strengths at York¡±.

The vast majority of savings had been made through voluntary means and 바카라사이트 planned redundancy scheme had already been reduced from 30 to 20 full-time equivalent posts and may still be lowered fur바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트y added.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com