Lancaster University is looking at job cuts in measures to save £30mn next year.
It says increased costs and falling numbers of international students are among the factors it faces, in common with the wider British university sector, but it has no plans to close any specific departments
International staff and students
Current university figures state it has the full-time equivalent of 1,300 academic staff and 1,700 professional services staff. Almost 40% of full-time research and teaching staff are non-British. It recruits staff from over 60 countries and has students from 142 countries.
Regarding students, the university has around 10,000 from Britain and the EU, and another 3,000 from overseas, its information states. Faculties cover science, technology, management, health and medicine, social sciences, humanities and the arts.
Lancaster City Council expressed concern at the situation, with councillors highlighting the potential impact on staff, students and the wider district’s economy. Beyond the campus, the university is involved with projects including Eden Project Morecambe and a new artificial intelligence (AI) growth zone. But there is no suggestion that these projects will be affected by this week’s announcement.
A university spokesperson said
Lancaster University has a proud record of excellence in both teaching and research. However it has not been immune to sector-wide financial pressures including increased operating costs and declining international student numbers.
We have achieved significant savings on non-payroll and through a voluntary severance scheme this year. But unfortunately our financial projections show that payroll savings of about £30mn are required over the next academic year to ensure our ongoing financial sustainability.
With the full support of the [university] council, the University Executive Board has proposed a plan to ensure our future size and shape is sustainable, while also enabling the university to continue to thrive. The proposal is beginning to be shared with our staff, consulting widely with the recognised trade unions who play a welcome part in our processes.
We are not planning to reduce payroll costs through the closure of academic departments. Proposed savings have been identified to achieve strategic efficiencies which will be shared across all academic departments and professional services.
Our preference has always been to achieve these changes through voluntary means wherever possible. However we can’t rule out the possibility of compulsory redundancies as a last resort.
Lancaster has built a strong reputation for academic excellence and has an impressive track record for student employability. We are in a better financial position than some other universities. This has bought us time to work through strategic options, which will ensure that research and the student experience is prioritised and protected.
We recognise this is a worrying time for our community and the university has support in place for those who have concerns.
