The Russell Group unis where your lectures might strike in 2025 over job cuts

It’s looking likely that UK unis students might have to deal with a load more strikes this year. The staff at quite a few Russell Group unis have already announced that they might strike over proposed job cuts, and we’re only six weeks into 2025. The finances of even the fanciest Russell Group unis aren’t in great shape, and lots of staff are worried about job cuts. Guess it’s time for us to start perfecting our Zoom backgrounds again.

Outside of the Russell Group, staff at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have voted to strike. Over 400 staff left UEA in 2023, but now the uni plans to axe the jobs of 77 academic staff and 113 other staff.

So, here’s a rundown of the Russell Group unis where staff might be striking in 2025. This list will keep being updated so you know to what extent you should start panicking about the fate of your degree xxx

Cardiff University

People protesting over the Cardiff University job cuts

Staff from this uni have already started protesting proposed job cuts. On 4th February, hundreds of UCU members and students protested outside the Senedd (the Welsh parliament). People climbed the steps around the building, waved placards and chanted, “Where’s the money?”

Cardiff University has a huge operating deficit of £31.2 million from the 2023/2024 academic year. The uni aims to axe 400 jobs, and might close courses in nursing, modern languages, ancient history, religion, theology, music and translation.

The UCU called these cuts “brutal and unnecessary”. They’re in the process of balloting members for strike action.

Newcastle University

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Newcastle uni looking vibey

On 11th November, the Newcastle branch of the UCU announced they were going to strike. 83 per cent of staff who voted were in favour of this. Lecturers claim the uni cancelled promotions that had been promised, and restricted how much they can travel.

Newcastle University has an operating deficit from the 2023/2024 academic year of £5.2 million. The uni announced in January that it’s starting a voluntary severance scheme. It aims to get rid of 30  jobs and save £20 million. The uni hasn’t ruled out compulsory redundancies.

Staff feel unimpressed that their jobs might be cut, but Newcastle University is investing huge amounts of money into a new campus in India.

The secretary of the UCU Jo Grady said: “Our members have overwhelmingly backed strike action because they refuse to allow their colleagues to pay the price for management’s failure to budget effectively. The vice-chancellor now needs to concentrate on resolving this dispute and avoiding strike action at home before thinking about opening up new campuses in India.”

University of Sheffield 

The International College is part of the Uni of Sheffield’s North Campus
(Image via Google Maps)

So, lecturers for the undergrad courses at the University of Sheffield have not announced any plans to strike. No need to panic about that for now. But staff at the University of Sheffield International College are planning to strike.

The University of Sheffield International College is on the Sheffield Uni campus, and runs foundation courses for people who want to do undergrad degrees at the Uni of Sheffield. The college is run through a private company called Study Group to run the College.

36 academic lecturers and student support staff are at risk of losing their jobs. The UCU announced they were striking on 29th January. The head of the UCU branch, Sam Morecroft, said the job cuts might “increase staff workload and reduce the quality of academic and pastoral support our students receive”.

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Featured image of Cardiff University by Colin Smith via Creative Commons.