Aberystwyth University has announced a £16m savings plan that could put up to 150 jobs at risk. Vice-chancellor Professor Jon Timmis blamed external pressures and inadequate tuition fees for the cuts.
The university, which employs 1,819 staff, said the savings are needed by the end of the 2027-28 academic year. The UCU union estimated that 150 jobs will go, a figure the university did not dispute.
Financial challenges and restructuring
Professor Timmis said the institution is grappling with financial challenges, including rising costs and falling income, particularly a decline in higher-paying international students. He said the higher education sector is facing "unprecedented challenges" that require institutions to adapt.
The university said a further "restructure of the institution" will include a review of all academic units, including the curriculum, as well as the ongoing restructure of non-academic departments. Staff will be offered a voluntary severance scheme.
Union response and wider context
The UCU said staff are "devastated" by the announcement. In a statement, the Aberystwyth branch of the union said the cuts follow the loss of more than 150 colleagues in the last 18 months in a previous round of restructuring.
The union estimated that a quarter to a third of academic staff will not be employed at the university by this time next year. It said official figures show that between 2014 and 2025, the university lost more than 450 posts (200 non-academic, 250 academic).
The announcement follows years of deep cuts across higher education in Wales. Earlier this month, Universities Wales released figures showing a combined £130m financial black hole, with deficits ballooning by more than £54m despite years of cuts at institutions across Wales.
The UCU added that Aberystwyth University is one of the most important institutions in mid Wales, contributing close to £200m to the regional economy. The union said the impact of the redundancies will be felt far beyond the campus, affecting the wider job market, local businesses, supply chains, public services, voluntary groups and the wider community.
