Arts University Bournemouth starts consultation looking into potential redundancies

On the 16th May 2025, the Senior Leadership Team at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) updated staff on proposed plans for a programme of compulsory redundancies, as part of an ongoing response to financial pressures.

As part of its work with staff and trade union representatives, it has stared a collective consultation to look into how to best prevent potential redundancies.

Like many other universities across the UK higher education sector, AUB continues to face challenges, including rising inflationary costs, declining student recruitment and wider pressures on university finances.

The university has said that it has taken a range of proactive steps to reduce pay and non-pay expenditures to try and limit the potential impact on staff.

These steps have included tighter controls on vacancies, salary savings within the Senior Leadership Team, reductions in non-pay budgets and the scaling back or deferral of certain projects and activities.

Despite the steps the university has undertaken so far, the overall financial outlook remains difficult.

The Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer at AUB, Lisa Mann, said: “We deeply regret having to take this step. Every effort has been made to avoid potential compulsory redundancies, and we recognise the impact this will have on valued colleagues. However, the scale of the financial challenges we face – particularly in the context of reduced student numbers – means that we must take further action now to protect the long-term sustainability of the university.”

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Mehjabeen Patrick, the Chief Finance and Operating Officer at AUB, added: “The university has already taken significant steps to reduce costs across the institution, but the current financial pressures we face are unprecedented. Such decisions are never taken lightly. Our responsibility as a Senior Leadership Team is to ensure that AUB remains financially resilient so we can continue to support our students, staff, and wider community for the long term. This is about making difficult choices now to safeguard the university’s future.”

The briefing to all staff outlined the potential redundancy of 75 full-time roles across the University’s academic, technical services and professional services staff.

In addition to these redundancies, the Senior Leadership Team presented options for mitigating potential compulsory redundancies, including voluntary redundancy and reducing full-time hours to part-time.

Lisa Mann added: “We understand the concerns our staff and students will have about AUB’s future, given the very difficult financial circumstances we are in. We aim to emerge from this very difficult period with the ability to invest in our students, our teaching, and our future. We remain absolutely committed to our creative mission and to the people and communities that define our university.”

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