A Scottish university has cut almost two hundred jobs amid ‘significant’ financial challenges.
188 positions at Robert Gordon University (RGU) in Aberdeen have been axed, the institution confirmed on Wednesday.
Speaking to STV, a spokesperson said: “The redundancy processes associated with our finance transformation project have now concluded, and the vast majority of affected colleagues have left the university. Most chose to leave voluntarily, with circa 10% of the 188 staff that have left being subject to compulsory redundancy.”
The university has offered two rounds of voluntary severance since 2023 in a bid to cut staffing costs.
Last November, RGU management announced that 135 jobs were at risk as part of the institution’s ‘Financial Transformation Project’.
At the time, RGU principal Professor Steve Olivier said the cuts were in response to “significant financial challenges” due to falling international student enrollments.
Speaking on Wednesday, the university spokesperson added: “We have a continuing commitment to avoiding and minimising, wherever possible, any compulsory redundancies at the university.
“The university is continually evolving to meet the needs of our students, staff, and the wider sector. This means we must remain agile and responsive to changing circumstances, which, like any organisation, may involve further adjustments over time.
“Any such changes will be approached with care, transparency, and a commitment to minimising impact, guided by our shared goal of long-term sustainability and success.”
The EIS union will take part in strike action on Thursday over the cuts. Members will also strike at the University of the West of Scotland over potential job losses there.
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The group’s general secretary, Andrea Bradley, told STV: “Our members are resolute in their fight to defend their jobs and protect the quality of education at RGU and UWS.
“Staff are being forced to take strike action as neither university has made any attempt to resolve their respective disputes, instead deciding to push forward with plans to make staff redundant.”
She added: “These job losses will no doubt have a detrimental impact on local communities, the students who study at these institutions and the colleagues who remain after staff have left or been dismissed.”
Staff at Dundee and Edinburgh Universities have also undertaken industrial action in recent months, as Scotland’s higher education sector continues to grapple with falling revenue and underfunding.
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