Redundancies halved to 57 and nursery to stay open at university

THE number of potential redundancies at a Welsh university has dropped by more than half and its nursery won’t close after it was originally thought more than 100 jobs could go.

The University of South Wales (USW) blamed Brexit and student grant cuts for a fall in student applications.

A 45-day consultation with staff and unions on making a proposed 139 redundancies across all four of its faculties and support departments in Cardiff, Treforest and Newport campuses came to an end last month.

Those losses would have represented 4.6% of the university’s workforce.

But the university announced yesterday that the number of potential redundancies has now dropped by more than half to 57, due to a voluntary scheme and changes to the proposal. The figure represents 1.9% of the workforce.

It also announced that the university’s nursery will not close after its future was in doubt.

A spokesman for USW said: “Universities across the UK are affected by the combination of a shrinking market, with fewer students looking to go to university, together with uncertainty affecting recruitment of overseas students. We’ve engaged across USW and carefully assessed more than 470 responses from colleagues and student union representatives. We’ve listened and changed key elements of the original proposals, particularly protecting our students’ experience and their learning and teaching.

“As a family-friendly university we’re delighted options have developed meaning our nursery won’t close, and we’re in good discussions taking forward our preferred option for a sustainable operating model.”

He said the university had done its best to avoid and minimise compulsory redundancies. He added: “Through our voluntary scheme and changes to the proposals, the number of potential redundancies has now reduced by more than half to 57. Although this now represents only 1.9% of the university’s staff and the changes are necessary to ensure USW continues investing in its future, we remain very mindful of what it means for the individual colleagues affected.”