University Announces Further Job Cuts
The University of Dundee has revealed plans to reduce its workforce by an additional 190 positions as part of efforts to address a significant financial deficit. This announcement follows previous reductions of approximately 675 jobs through voluntary redundancies.
Despite these earlier cuts, the university stated it still requires annual savings of around £20 million, predominantly from staff-related expenses.
Background on Financial Deficit and Previous Actions
The university initially disclosed a potential £30 million deficit in November 2024, alongside the prospect of unavoidable job cuts. In response to these developments, members of the University and College Union (UCU) have engaged in 28 days of strike action over the past year to protest the reductions.
Earlier this month, UCU members voted again in favor of strike action following the expiration of the previous strike mandate.
Notification and Consultation Process
Staff were informed of the new round of job cuts during a meeting lasting approximately 10 minutes. Professor Nigel Seaton, interim principal and vice-chancellor, stated that employees at risk of redundancy were being notified on the day of the announcement.
"Despite vigorous action to address the university's situation, it still has some way to go to become financially sustainable," said Prof Seaton.
He highlighted progress made in reducing non-staff expenditures, which have already been substantially lowered.
"We will make further cuts in this area, but there is a limit to how much further we can go, so the greater part of the additional saving will have to come from staff costs," he added.
Prof Seaton explained that the university is commencing a period of collective consultation with campus unions regarding proposals for the future organizational structure, implementation strategies, and the potential impact on certain jobs.
"These are proposals rather than final decisions and could change following consultation," he emphasized.
The institution aims to achieve the reduction in roles primarily through voluntary redundancy.
"I am very conscious of the very difficult – actually, awful – experience that staff in particular have gone through since our financial crisis was acknowledged," Prof Seaton said.
"If there were any other way to secure the future of the university without carrying out the change we have outlined, we would take it. But we must go through this to ensure that the university survives and that we continue to do great things for our students, for those who benefit from our research, and for society more widely."
Report on Financial Collapse and Leadership Changes
A critical report published in June 2025, known as the Gillies Report, examined the university's financial collapse. The findings led to the resignations of interim principal Professor Shane O'Neill and two senior members of the governing body.
The report concluded that university leadership and its governing body repeatedly failed to identify the worsening financial crisis and continued to overspend instead of implementing corrective measures.
The university described the report as a "chastening experience" that prompted deep self-reflection.
Government Support and Ongoing Challenges
Last year, the Scottish government provided £40 million in emergency funding to stabilize the university. At that time, ministers anticipated that this support would limit job losses to approximately 300 positions.
However, in November, interim principal Prof Nigel Seaton informed Holyrood's education committee that the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) had accepted that further redundancies would be necessary.
Recently, the UCU stated that senior management at the university continues to refuse to rule out the possibility of compulsory redundancies in the future.
