The University of East Anglia (UEA) plans to cut over 160 full-time positions to save £11 million amid ongoing budget issues. This includes 22 cuts from the faculty of science.
These proposed layoffs follow earlier efforts to reduce staff, with UEA previously targeting over 100 for voluntary redundancy due to a projected £30 million deficit. This has sparked anger among university staff, many of whom have voted for strike action.
Financial struggles are a common theme in universities across the UK. For instance, Cardiff University suggested cutting 400 full-time positions, including up to 10 in chemistry. Just in January, more than 1000 job cuts were announced in the higher education sector.
UEA’s plan, shared with staff in late January, includes three voluntary options: pay cuts for senior staff, unpaid career breaks, and a redundancy scheme. However, officials stated that forced layoffs would only happen as a last resort.
In terms of numbers, the faculty of medicine and health sciences may lose 26 staff, while the arts and humanities could see 17 positions cut. The hardest-hit area will be professional services, facing a loss of 97 staff. Details on specific departments affected are still missing.
In 2024, UEA merged its school of chemistry with the school of pharmacy, forming a larger school of chemistry, pharmacy, and pharmacology. A staff member from this new school expressed frustration, stating that they were assured their jobs were secure during the merger. Now, 11 positions related to chemistry are at risk. The staff member voiced concerns about the lack of transparency in how the layoffs are being handled, especially for faculty involved in interdisciplinary teaching.
A UEA spokesperson acknowledged the need to save £11 million for sustainability, emphasizing that these difficult choices are crucial for the university’s future. They assured that consultations with affected staff would follow the initial union discussions, aiming to minimize any impact on students. The spokesperson recognized that this news is hard for the UEA community.
On February 6, the University and College Union (UCU) reported that 82% of UEA staff supported strike action following a significant turnout of 67% in their vote. Additionally, 84% of staff backed potential actions short of a strike, which might include working to rule.
The union stressed the importance of meaningful negotiations to prevent forced layoffs. Jo Grady, the UCU general secretary, stated that the staff’s overwhelming support for strike action reflects deep frustration with management’s handling of the university’s financial challenges. She urged UEA leadership to collaborate with staff to avoid further unrest on campus.
