Edinburgh University staff told ‘nothing off the table’ as urgent savings sought

Staff at Edinburgh University have been warned “nothing is off the table” as the institution seeks to make urgent savings to plug a budget gap.

Principal Sir Peter Mathieson said the closure of some university programmes or schools would have to be considered, as well as merging or outsourcing certain services.

A number of Scottish universities are coming under financial pressure from rising costs and reduced income from international students, described as a “perfect storm” by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Edinburgh, founded in 1582, is one of the four “ancient” universities in Scotland.

In November last year, it announced the opening of a voluntary redundancy scheme.

On Tuesday, Edinburgh Live reported that staff had received a letter informing them the deadline for voluntary severance is being extended.

The principal’s to staff reads: “This decision is motivated by recognition that the gap that needs to be closed to secure the university’s financial sustainability is large enough and urgent enough for us to have to confront the likelihood that other measures will be needed in the near future.

“These might include restructuring, possible closures of programmes or even schools, mergers or shared services between schools, centralisation of some services, outsourcing of others: nothing is off the table.

“I fully understand the anxiety and uncertainty that this message will induce, but my senior colleagues and I feel that it is best to be honest and open about the scale and urgency of the measures likely to be needed.

“Detailed information about the financial position will be discussed by the University Executive on February 18 and I will write again after that.”

He said he is “optimistic” about the university’s future but inaction could lead to it falling into deficit.

A spokeswoman for the university said: “In line with our commitment to be transparent about the university’s financial position, we have shared with staff that we anticipate having to take further actions to ensure the university remains on a secure financial footing.

“We have also decided to extend the deadline for applications to the voluntary severance scheme by two weeks until Friday February 28.

“The university executive will consider our financial position next week, after which we will be in a position to update staff further.”

Dundee University has proposed job cuts as it seeks to address a £30 million funding gap, but the the UCU lecturers’ union has voted to go on strike to oppose these.

The chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council has suggested Dundee could receive financial help in order for it to “survive and thrive”.

Responding to the Edinburgh University letter, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “This is a deeply worrying time for workers at the university. UCU has already lodged a failure to agree with senior management over its refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies as it undertakes this current restructure process.

“This is an employer that wastes millions on capital projects, but is now seeking to cut the very staff who deliver the teaching, research and student support that make the university the successful institution that it is.

“Management now needs to change course and guarantee workers will not be forced out the door.”

Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary Miles Briggs said: “This stark warning from Edinburgh’s principal, which will cause alarm and anxiety among staff and students, is just the latest siren call from a leading Scottish university over its perilous financial position.

“It tells us that the SNP Government’s current funding model is short-changing our universities.

“This, coupled with Labour’s reckless job tax, has created a perfect storm for Scotland’s higher education sector.”