Birmingham City University is planning to cut more than 340 jobs from its professional services division as it begins a major structural transformation aimed at prioritising teaching over research.
The West Midlands university announced that 342 roles are now at risk of redundancy, in addition to 36 academic job cuts previously disclosed, THE reports.
However, the university says it will be creating around 320 new positions and that affected staff will be encouraged to apply for these roles.
These changes are part of the institution’s Strategy 2030 initiative, which aims to reshape BCU around its core teaching mission and improve the student experience.
According to a university spokesperson, the new roles will align with “the responsibilities of the proposed new structure, better reflecting the university’s new strategic priorities.”
A 46 day consultation period has now begun to discuss the proposed changes with staff. The university says this process is intended to ensure its professional services are “set up to meet the needs of our students, and wider staff community.”
Staff members who are redeployed into the new roles will maintain their existing employment terms, including pension entitlements. However, external hires will be brought in through BCU Support Services, a subsidiary set up in 2022 that has handled all new professional services hires since 2023.
The move comes amid widespread financial pressures across UK universities, with sector-wide job losses potentially reaching 10,000 by the end of 2025.
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