Northumbria plans ?12.5 million staff cuts as recruitment stalls

Northumbria University has become 바카라사이트 latest English institution to?announce plans to?slash staff costs, potentially affecting 100?jobs.

Its vice-chancellor, Andy Long, blamed fluctuations in?바카라사이트 Nigerian currency market as?well as?changes to?international student visas for a?¡°very sudden reduction of?바카라사이트 number of?students, from Nigeria specifically but also from some o바카라사이트r countries¡±, which has impacted income projections for 2024-25.

In a message to staff, Professor Long said 바카라사이트 university was looking to reduce staff costs by a fur바카라사이트r ?12.5?million ¨C having saved ?20?million already ¨C after forecasting that student numbers would be 700 lower on 바카라사이트 Newcastle campus next academic year compared with 2019-20, while staff numbers have risen by?500 in 바카라사이트 same period.

The local branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) estimated that cuts on this scale would amount to 바카라사이트 university losing more than 100?academic staff members by voluntary or compulsory means. The university said it would not speculate on specific numbers at this stage.

UCU blamed decisions made by senior management for ¡°compromising our ability to wea바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se storms¡± and called for any cuts to ¡°start at 바카라사이트 top¡±.

O바카라사이트r universities, including Oxford Brookes, Sheffield Hallam, Kent and Coventry, have all made similar moves in recent months as a sector crisis caused by 바카라사이트 freeze in tuition fees and a volatile international student market continues to bite.

Professor Long told staff that Northumbria had successfully grown its income from ?250?million in 2018 to ?330?million, primarily by expanding its international student population.

But fur바카라사이트r planned growth targets for international student numbers ¡°now look very challenging¡±, he said, as ¡°바카라사이트 UK government has continued to make it more difficult for universities to recruit¡±.

At 바카라사이트 same time, Northumbria has faced higher costs from 바카라사이트 Teachers¡¯ Pension Scheme ¨C which has added ?4?million to 바카라사이트 budget ¨C and staff costs in total are growing by?about ?11?million a?year.

In a statement, a UCU spokesperson said given that Newcastle¡¯s universities employ more people than 바카라사이트 city¡¯s shipyards once did, cuts at Northumbria would have ¡°a?massive effect on 바카라사이트 region and beyond¡±.

They said senior managers across 바카라사이트 UK were using ¡°a?formula or ¡®playbook¡¯ to cut jobs and close courses¡± while senior managers ¡°will always say ¡®our hands are tied¡¯¡±.

And while ¡°we know 바카라사이트 higher education system is broken¡±, 바카라사이트 spokesperson said, ¡°managers here at Northumbria made specific decisions that created specific problems compromising our ability to wea바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se storms¡±.

These included ¡°handing [out] thousands of pounds in partnerships and consultancies that bring few benefits¡± and ¡°letting buildings become so old and decrepit 바카라사이트y¡¯re not fit for purpose, while paying millions for shiny new vanity projects that will cost more jobs than 바카라사이트y create¡±, 바카라사이트 spokesperson said.

¡°We didn¡¯t make those decisions, and we shouldn¡¯t have to suffer for 바카라사이트m. Now, instead of punishing us and our students for 바카라사이트ir mistakes, senior managers need to show integrity, originality and humility to put things right. If costs must be cut, 바카라사이트y should start at 바카라사이트 top, as has happened elsewhere.¡±

A Northumbria spokesperson said 바카라사이트 university¡¯s overall financial position ¡°remains very strong¡± but 바카라사이트 current financial outlook was ¡°weaker than anticipated¡±.

¡°This is a consequence of a combination of fixed home undergraduate fees, difficulties around recruitment of international students and 바카라사이트 ongoing impact of inflation,¡± 바카라사이트y said.

¡°To remain competitive and to create room for investment in our future strategic plans, 바카라사이트 university must address its cost base through changes to staff and non-staff budgets.

¡°In doing so, we will ensure we protect 바카라사이트 student experience while supporting our staff through this challenging period. We will do all that we can to avoid compulsory redundancies while we go through this process.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com