University's £16m savings will lead to 150 job losses, says union

Major cutbacks at Aberystwyth University will lead to 150 jobs being lost, a union has said.

The university has announced a "further phase of its restructure" with the aim of saving £16m by the end of 2027-28.

It said there would be a review of "all academic units" which follows an ongoing review of non-academic departments as the higher education sector goes through "unprecedented challenges".

Aberystwyth University University and College Union (UCU) said its members were "devastated and angry" by the announcement on Wednesday.

The university has not confirmed the number of expected job losses.

It said the move was aimed at "increasing efficiency" while meeting student needs and achieving financial sustainability.

In a statement, it said: "Following on from the ongoing review of non-academic departments, the next phase of the process will include a review of all academic units, including looking at portfolio and curriculum as well as resourcing."

Aberystwyth University UCU said there would be 150 jobs lost, following the loss of 150 colleagues over the last 18 months in a previous round of restructuring.

It said most of the cuts would fall on teaching and research staff and represented "a devastating blow to our university, our students and our community".

"Staff are shocked by the scale and speed of what is being proposed. Behind every job is a person, a family, and years of knowledge, expertise and commitment that help make Aberystwyth University what it is," the union said in a statement.

"We recognise the financial pressure that Aberystwyth University is under. Every year we are asked to do more with less.

"Those of us who will be left will no doubt work harder than ever to teach, research, shape and support the lives of young people from Wales and those far beyond it."

Professor Jon Timmis, vice-chancellor of the university, said changes to UK visa and immigration metrics had significantly impacted universities' ability to recruit higher fee-paying international students.

"Adapting universities to be financially sustainable cannot be achieved without some very difficult decisions," he said.

He added the university was committed to trying to mitigate redundancies where possible and would be giving staff access to a voluntary severance scheme.

The university announced in 2024 there would be a "significant change " to the way it operated to save money.

In August this year, the university paused plans to turn the first home of the University of Wales into a cultural hub in a £53m renovation including a four-star hotel and museum.

Cefin Campbell, Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, described the cuts as "a matter of concern" but "almost inevitable" because of the challenges facing universities.

"We can't let our universities suffer any longer, we have to create systems that support them, because they are important economically for their areas, and they're important for our students too, providing high quality learning," he said.