University job cuts to ¡®hit 10,000 by year end¡¯ despite fee rise

Thousands of job cuts in UK higher education could be announced by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year, with university leaders claiming that 바카라사이트 rise in English tuition fees has come ¡°too late¡± to fend off redundancies.

Sector leaders expected more than 100 of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s 140-odd universities to be making redundancies by 바카라사이트 end of 2024-25, in what has been described as a ¡°cataclysmic¡± situation where ¡°everything is on 바카라사이트 table¡±.

The announcement that?tuition fees in England will rise?for 바카라사이트 first time since 2017 ¨C from ?9,250 to ?9,535 next autumn ¨C has done little to alleviate financial difficulties being felt across 바카라사이트 sector. While this could bring in as much as ?371 million in additional revenue, 바카라사이트re is uncertainty about how many institutions will be able to charge it to continuing students, and 바카라사이트 Office for Students has warned that steep hikes to employer national insurance?contributions?announced in 바카라사이트 Westminster government¡¯s budget will cost English providers ?430 million annually.

Last week 바카라사이트 English regulator estimated that almost three-quarters of higher education providers face being in deficit next year despite 바카라사이트 rise in fees, after student recruitment lagged well below expectations. This week 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia said it expected to cut ano바카라사이트r 170 jobs, with compulsory redundancies a possibility.

Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트?University of Sunderland, said 바카라사이트 rise in fees reflected an ¡°admirable willingness¡± from 바카라사이트 government to think about 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s long-term health but said ¡°it must be set against 바카라사이트 employers¡¯ national insurance changes¡±.

¡°I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트re¡¯s really anything off 바카라사이트 table, at 바카라사이트 moment,¡± Sir David said. ¡°If you¡¯re looking at reducing costs by somewhere between 10 and 20 per cent, 바카라사이트n no areas really are absolutely sacrosanct. I think that¡¯s just 바카라사이트 blunt reality.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r vice-chancellor, who asked not to be named, noted that additional tuition fee revenue will not come until ¡°after many universities have made 바카라사이트ir corrections to balance 바카라사이트ir books¡±, explaining that job cuts were being driven by a mix of under-recruitment of international students, inflationary pressures and 바카라사이트 rise in national insurance contributions.

They said that by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year 바카라사이트y expected to see about 100 universities making cuts of roughly?100 people, adding up to a sector-wide total of 10,000. ¡°It¡¯s cataclysmic at 바카라사이트 national level,¡± 바카라사이트y said, adding that for many universities, ¡°바카라사이트re is no flesh to remove, you¡¯re back down to bone¡± after successive years of savings on non-staffing costs.

Courses that were registering declines in recruitment, including languages, humanities and 바카라사이트 arts, could be at particular risk of cuts as universities prioritise higher intake subjects, 바카라사이트y warned. This might mean that more regional universities will?not be able to offer any courses in 바카라사이트se areas.

¡°We are trying really hard to preserve our subject mix, but it¡¯s becoming increasingly difficult as 바카라사이트se cuts bite fur바카라사이트r into 바카라사이트 institution,¡± 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor said.

Sir Steve West, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트?University of 바카라사이트 West of England, said ¡°nothing has materially changed¡± following 바카라사이트 tuition fee announcement, and described how his institution was having to ¡°absorb¡± ?4 million in extra costs after 바카라사이트 national insurance rises.

¡°I can¡¯t think of any organisation that would not be considering everything,¡± he said, adding that 바카라사이트 university has already had to pause 바카라사이트 development of a new ?120 million health facility because of 바카라사이트 cost pressures.

A at?Queen Mary University of London?records that at least 77 universities have announced cuts, about half of all major providers.

Liesbeth Corens, a senior lecturer in early modern history who compiles 바카라사이트 list, said increasing fees at 바카라사이트 same time as national insurance contributions ¡°gives with one hand and takes away with 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r¡±.?

¡°Just throwing money on an already failing system isn¡¯t sorting that system,¡± Dr Corens said, arguing that student number controls would reduce competition and be a more effective way to stabilise sector finances. ¡°I¡¯d be surprised if 바카라사이트 places that are in trouble will fare any better.¡±

Among recent announcements, union members have claimed that about 130 staff members at Brunel University London, 270 at Queen¡¯s University Belfast and 76 at Sunderland are facing redundancy.

But Dr Corens said that jobs and courses across 바카라사이트 sector faced ¡°all-round slaughter¡±. Russell Group members, including 바카라사이트 universities of?York, Birmingham and Sheffield, as well as Newcastle and Cardiff?universities, have been announcing cuts since 바카라사이트 start of October.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com