Voluntary redundancies continue at Edinburgh University amid £140m financial crisis

Voluntary redundancies at the University of Edinburgh are continuing as the institution aims to plug a £140m black hole.

Staff in senior roles are being targeted in the latest round of voluntary redundancies, alongside an “enhanced retirement scheme” at the higher education institution.

The university said £24m of savings are projected to have been made so far, with 350 members staff taking up a previous voluntary severance scheme, alongside promotion freezes and a restriction on new hires.

Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, Edinburgh University’s principal, said the latest move aims to avoid compulsory redundancies “wherever possible”.

He said: “The higher education sector across the UK is facing serious and urgent financial challenges, placing its stability under threat.

“At Edinburgh, we have been transparent about how we are managing these pressures while strengthening our position as a world-leading, research-intensive university.

“We remain firmly committed to open and regular engagement with our community as we take the necessary steps to safeguard the future of our university.”

The latest announcement comes six months after the troubled university announced it was looking to make cuts amid “serious and urgent financial challenges.”

Staff fallout

In June, staff walked out in a dispute over the university’s refusal to rule out “unacceptable” compulsory redundancies amid the financial crisis.

A further five-day walkout is planned for September to coincide with the university’s “welcome week” for new students.

Union members are also set to take part in action short of a strike, including working to contract, not covering for absent colleagues, and a “possible marking and assessment boycott”.

The University and College Union (UCU) announced the action following a ballot which saw a 60% turnout, with 84% backing strikes and 93% voting in favour of action short of a strike.

The union claimed the proposed £140m of cuts would be the “largest ever” made by a university in Scotland.

They added management had “failed to make a case for cuts of this size” while at the same time planning “record” investment in buildings and infrastructure.

Professor Mathieson previously appeared before a Holyrood committee, where he defended his six-figure salary.