More than 12,000 jobs have been cut across British universities in the past year as the higher education financial crisis worsens, according to new analysis from the University and College Union (UCU).
The union’s data also suggests that further cost-saving measures announced by universities could be equivalent to an additional 3,000 job losses, though it remains unclear if these savings will come directly from staff cuts.
UCU members are expected to vote later this month on possible nationwide strike action after rejecting a 1.4% pay offer made during the summer. Employers insist the offer “clearly does not reflect the true value employers place on staff” but claim it is the “only prudent option” amid severe financial strain.
According to the Office for Students, around 40% of universities in England are now operating in financial deficit.
Raj Jethwa, chief executive of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), said institutions were being forced to make “difficult decisions” such as redundancies and restructures, but stressed these were being done in an “open and fair way”.
Jo Grady, UCU general secretary, described the cuts as “brutal”, adding that staff were “demoralised, exhausted and furious”. She said students were “undervalued and poorly served” as a result. Grady warned that “there is no replacement for stable funding from government” and that the current financial model is “destroying higher education”.
The government defended its actions, saying it had made the “tough but necessary decision” to raise tuition fees last year to support universities and would outline further reforms in upcoming legislation.
Among those affected is Dr Zak Hughes, a chemistry lecturer at the University of Bradford who faces redundancy. “There are a lot of stressed and upset people who are struggling to deal with it,” he said. Hughes, who joined the university in 2018, fears he may have to move back in with his mother if he loses his job. “I won’t be able to pay my rent. I’ll be in my forties and living back at home.”
Even if he keeps his position, the chemistry course is being phased out — part of a trend of course closures across the country. “People could, even if they lost their job, get a job at another institution. That’s not happening now. They’re probably looking not only at the end of a job, but really the end of their career in academia,” he added.
At the University of Bradford, students are already feeling the impact. Sanskrity Baraili, a sabbatical officer at the students’ union, said cuts were affecting support services such as cleaning and disability support. “Students are worried about what’s going to happen next,” she said.
A university spokesperson said cost-saving measures were necessary “to protect the student experience and ensure meaningful outcomes for graduates”, adding that the institution must remain financially stable by reviewing courses with “persistently low intake such as chemistry”. They urged the government to take “swift and decisive action” to address the sector’s challenges.
The University of Edinburgh has also announced £140 million in cuts — equivalent to about 1,800 jobs — according to the UCU.
Caspar Cubitt, a theology student at Edinburgh, said the uncertainty had “put all of us on edge”. “There’s a lot of gossip that swirls around you,” he said. “It’s when you write back to your mum and dad and they ask how uni is going, you say, ‘Well, my degree is in trouble.’”
Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, principal and vice chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, said the university had been “fully transparent about the necessary steps we need to take to safeguard the future of our university”. He added that Edinburgh remained “firmly committed to ongoing dialogue” to ensure it continues as a “bold, imaginative and world-leading university”.
