The University of West of Scotland (UWS) plans to axe the equivalent of 75 full-time jobs in an effort to save more than £6 million and help close the university’s growing deficit problem.

The cost-cutting measure comes in response to the university posting a £14.4 million deficit for 2023/24, a startling fall from the £2.5 million surplus that UWS reported in the previous financial year.

With the university hoping to return to surplus by 2026/27, it will look to cut some of the 2,000 staff spread across its campuses in Ayr, Dumfries, Hamilton, Paisley, and London.  

The university said that the consultation period regarding the cuts will run for at least forty-five working days, and although the university has not confirmed which of roles will be lost, it’s understood that some part-time positions could be reduced.

Defending the planned cuts, a UWS spokesperson said that the university’s ‘organisational change project’ would put the institution on a more sustainable financial footing, and enable better student and graduate outcomes.

“In common with the rest of the higher education sector across the UK, the university is operating in a very challenging financial environment exacerbated by external factors that have driven a significant change in the size and shape of our student population, and the associated funding,” said UWS’ statement.

Less than two weeks ago, the EIS union, which represents academic staff, said that lecturers at the University of the West of Scotland have voted in favour of pursuing action in the dispute over compulsory redundancy at the university, with 85% of ballot voting members backing industrial action.

Commenting at the time, EIS assistant general secretary David Belsey said: “The members at UWS  have collectively delivered a strong turnout and clear message to the University – no compulsory redundancies. 

“This result should leave UWS management under no illusions about the strength of feeling amongst EIS ULA members and their willingness to take action to defend jobs.” 

At universities across Scotland, the threat of looming job cuts is taking a similar toll.

This month saw staff at Robert Gordon University enter their third day of strike action, with two further days of action for RGU lecturers set to come this week, while Edinburgh University staff overwhelmingly backed industrial action this month, with the dispute stemming from senior management’s plans to cut £140 million from the university’s annual budget and refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies.

Meanwhile, today saw the first of five days of fresh strike action for staff at Dundee University following the threat posed to around 700 jobs after Dundee’s management also refused to rule out compulsory redundancies as part of its financial recovery plans.

With the Scottish Government under increasing pressure to wade further into what is rapidly becoming a crisis among the country’s higher education institutions, thoughts are turning to what might help universities across Scotland get a better grip of their finances.   

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The government has already taken a lead role in helping Dundee University establish a financial recovery plan, including having the Scottish Funding Council provide a £22 million lifeline and forming a ‘rescue taskforce’ designed to see the institution thrive.

The Scottish Government has also announced a further £10 million in March for the Scottish Funding Council to support the higher education sector and provide a bulwark for universities facing financial challenges.

Despite those measures, there are still issues affecting Scottish universities that Scotland cannot determine for itself.

Chief among those is the financial impact from a loss of international students. Figures for last year from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that the number of overseas students in Scotland dropped by 10,000, hitting RGU the hardest with a fall of nearly 12%.

Under plans being considered by the UK Government as part of a recently published white paper, these universities could face a further 6% tax on the income generated by lucrative overseas students, with a report from the Herald placing the financial burden for Scottish universities at a potential £85 million.