Two elite universities have announced cuts to hundreds of jobs in a bid to save money amid a growing financial crisis in the sector.
Cardiff University plans to slash 400 jobs and close degree programmes, while Durham wants to axe 200 professional services staff.
The announcements by the two Russell Group universities comes less than a week after a third institution in the group, Newcastle, also announced 300 jobs would go.
The cuts suggest financial difficulties faced by the sector are now affecting even the most prominent institutions, despite the recent tuition fee rise.
At Cardiff, subjects and programmes in ancient history, modern languages and translation, music, nursing, and religion and theology could be closed.
The university wants to slash seven per cent of its workforce, using compulsory redundancy if necessary.
It said the decision was due to a funding shortfall amid ‘declining international student applications and increasing cost pressures’.
It is thought many students are being put off by new visa restrictions on bringing dependents, imposed by the last Tory government.
Durham University wants to axe 200 professional services staff in a bid to save money amid a growing financial crisis in the sector
Cardiff University plans to slash 400 jobs while currently reporting a £31.2million operational deficit
Cardiff is currently reporting a £31.2million operational deficit.
Professor Wendy Larner, vice-chancellor of Cardiff, said: ‘It is no longer an option for us to continue as we are.’
She said the plans were made to ‘secure’ an ‘ambitious future’, in collaboration with the university ‘community’.
She added: ‘Securing that future, in the context of tightening finances, means we need to take difficult decisions to realise our ambitions to enhance our education and research, and improve the staff and student experience.’
The proposals, which are subject to consultation, include increasing student and staff ratios as well as possible school mergers.
Professor Larner added: ‘We have done everything that we can to avoid reaching this position.
‘We need to act now to ensure that we are able to deliver on the aspirations of our new strategy and have a viable university for the future.’
Meanwhile, Durham announced plans to reduce staff costs by £10 million this year, which may equate to around 200 professional services staff posts.
It said it will open a voluntary severance scheme for staff, but it cannot rule out compulsory measures.
In its most recent accounts, the university reported an underlying operating deficit of £8 million.
Experts believe declining international student numbers are due to new visa restrictions on bringing dependents, as imposed by the last Tory government (file image)
The University and College Union (UCU) said it will ballot members for strike action at Cardiff and begin ‘formal dispute procedures’ at Durham.
Cardiff UCU representative Andy Williams said: ‘Everyone is shell-shocked at the scale of these cuts. These cuts will damage the university, the city, and Wales as well as our members.’
Helen Whyley, executive director of RCN (Royal College of Nursing) Wales, said: ‘I am very concerned about Cardiff University’s proposal to close its School of Nursing.
‘This proposal comes at a time when Wales is facing a severe nursing shortage, with thousands of vacancies placing immense pressure on an already overstretched workforce.
‘Although the University has assured me that it is committed to honour places (for) this year’s nursing programmes, the proposed closure of such a prestigious institution programme will have a significant impact on the future of nursing in Wales.
‘This decision has the potential to threaten the pipeline of registered nurses into the largest health board in Wales and undermines efforts to address the critical staffing crisis in the NHS and social care.’
It comes after the Labour government increased tuition fees by £285 to £9,535 for this coming year following warnings of financial peril in universities.
Before the most recent rise, tuition fees were frozen for seven years, meaning they did not keep up with costs.
Universities have relied heavily on international students, who pay higher fees, to cross-subsidise home students’ degrees.
Last week, Newcastle announced 300 jobs would be cut to save £20 million in staffing costs.
A number of other universities have already announced moves to cut jobs, including Coventry, Sussex, and East Anglia.
