The Russell Group universities resorting to cutting the most jobs to save money

Pretty much every week, another UK uni announces more budget cuts. So many unis across the UK are struggling for money right now. Even the nation’s fanciest Russell Group universities are resorting to cutting huge numbers of jobs.

Many Russell Group unis have built up large financial deficits because running costs have increased far more than tuition fees. Plus, there are fewer international students at these unis than back in the day before Brexit and the pandemic. International students are charged way higher fees than home students.

The Russell Group university that has proposed the most job cuts is the University of Edinburgh – and by a long way. 350 staff recently left through a voluntary redundancy scheme. Seven staff will lose their jobs once the Institute for Academic Development closes. The University and College Union (UCU) estimate about 1,800 academic and support staff could lose their jobs as a result of all the uni’s proposed budgets cuts and restructuring plans. Yikes. The vice-chancellor of Edinburgh Uni, Sir Peter Mathieson, told The Edinburgh Tab: “Taking decisive action now is the responsible approach to prevent far greater challenges in the future.”

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The University of Sheffield also plans to make £5 million of further cuts, and has put staff at risk of redundancy. We don’t know exactly how many job losses this would entail. That’s why Sheffield Uni doesn’t feature on the list below. Staff are striking over the cuts throughout November and December.

Unis are cutting the jobs of both academic staff (such as your lecturers) and support staff (such as librarians and maintenance workers) Remember, plans for job cuts can take many forms. Unis usually start off by not replacing staff who leave, then opening a voluntary redundancy scheme, then considering compulsory redundancies.

So, here’s a list of the Russell Group universities that have proposed the most job cuts since September 2024, according to the actual unis and to the University and College Union (UCU):

10. University of Glasgow – 98 jobs

9. Queen Mary University of London – 126 jobs

8. Durham University – 200 jobs

Will it be even more stressful to nab a good seat in lectures if there are even fewer teaching staff?

7. Cardiff University – 220 jobs

=5. University of Exeter – 270 jobs

=5. Queen’s University Belfast – 270 jobs

Er, at least Queen’s Uni Belfast is still stunning?

4.. Newcastle University – 300 jobs

3. University of Nottingham – 356 jobs

2. University of York – 434 jobs

1. University of Edinburgh – 1,800 jobs

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