Aberdeen University extends redundancy scheme in face of £5.5m black hole

The University of Aberdeen has extended its voluntary redundancy scheme deadline as it struggles to make millions of pounds in savings.

A union representing staff has said there is further uncertainty over jobs, with the institution aiming to save £5.5m before the next academic year.

In April, staff promotions were frozen, and recruitment was paused to plug its financial black hole.

But in an email to staff this week, management said it was “cautiously optimistic” it had achieved around £4m worth of savings.

With a remaining £1.5m budget gap, the voluntary severance and enhanced retirement scheme has been extended until September.

Five schools continue to be the primary focus. They are:

Business – excluding Business Management
Geosciences – excluding Archaeology
Language, Literature, Music and Visual Culture
Natural and Computing Sciences – excluding Computing Science
Social Sciences – excluding Politics, International Relations, and Sociology

The deadline for applications is now September 5, 2025.

A University spokesperson said: “Thanks to collective efforts undertaken across our community to identify revenue generating opportunities and cost-saving measures, together with take-up of the Voluntary Severance and Enhanced Retirement schemes, we are cautiously optimistic we have achieved around £4m of savings towards addressing our £5.5m budget gap and £6.5m agreed deficit.

‘‘Further cost savings and income generation are still needed as our Three-Year Financial Plan requires the University to break even by 2028.”

David Clough, Aberdeen UCU (University and College Union) co-chair told STV News compulsory redundancies must be ruled out.

“The email from Senior Management today leaves university staff uncertain about whether their jobs will be part of the cost-cutting measures planned to fix the university’s finances and whether their roles will fit in the planned new operating model,” he said.

‘‘UCU members are active in generating income for the University, are keen to contribute to envisaging a sustainable future for it but are tired of doing so with their own jobs under threat. UCU negotiators continue to call on Senior Management to rule out compulsory redundancies as part of their plans.”