A TOP Scottish University has estimated that 700 staff will be affected by a devastating job cull required to balance its books.
We told previously how University of Dundee planned to axe 632 positions in a shock announcement that left staff “in tears.”
The University of Dundee is currently experiencing a financial crisis[/caption]
The University is struggling with financial problems and recently announced significant staff redundancies to cut costs[/caption]
The cuts were first revealed by interim principal Professor Shane O’Neill during a meeting, where he cited “the current financial crisis” as the reason behind the decision.
However, in a letter to a Holyrood committee today, Professor O’Neill disclosed that even more roles could be cut in an attempt to address a £35 million deficit and safeguard the future of the cash-strapped institution.
He stated: “We estimate that around 700 individuals would be impacted”.
In the same letter to Holyrood, O’Neill addressed the issue of academic areas that could be under threat.
The job cuts mean significant uncertainty for the university, with over 20 per cent of its 3,000-strong workforce set to be lost.
He identified subject areas with “greater scope” for reductions, including Business, Life Sciences, Humanities, Geography, Art and Design, Computing, Mathematics, and Physics.
However, he said that Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Education, or Social Work departments would not be affected.
Professor O’Neill had previously warned MSPs that the university could run out of cash by June without lifeline support.
The Scottish Funding Council has since approved a £22 million emergency support package, and an investigation into the crisis has been launched.
Professor O’Neill admitted that the scale of the cuts meant compulsory redundancies were unavoidable, saying, “It is very unlikely that the need for compulsory redundancy will be mitigated entirely.”
He had earlier outlined that the 632 posts initially targeted would include 197 academic roles, 119 school-based professional services posts, and 316 directorate-based professional services roles.
Labour MSP Michael Marra described the job losses as “devastating” for university staff and the Dundee economy.
He hit out at the Scottish Government and said: “The SNP must step forward with a bailout equal to the scale of this disaster.
“I have been calling for an industrial-style bailout and a turnaround team for months now. With each passing day, the situation worsens.”
Marra added: “The former principal and his high-spending culture have much to answer for.
“But beneath this incompetence lies a crisis spreading across our universities due to 15 years of SNP failure and mismanagement.”
The job losses come amid an ongoing debate over university funding in Scotland.
Critics argue that the Scottish Government’s “free” tuition model is putting severe pressure on university finances, leading to limits on the number of Scottish students accepted onto courses since international students pay higher fees.
The University could fail if it doesn’t balance the books[/caption]
Umbrella organisation Universities Scotland has highlighted “substantial real-terms cuts” in government funding for both tuition and research over the past decade.
It reported that between 2014/15 and 2023/24, funding per student fell by 39 per cent in real terms, while a key research fund saw a 43 per cent real-terms reduction.
In its report on 2024/25 funding, Universities Scotland stated: “This means that universities have to cross-subsidise these key activities substantially, primarily through international student fee income.”
The Scottish Government have been approached for comment.
