University set to cut staffing numbers

Staffordshire University said it was "navigating the challenges facing the Higher Education sector as a whole" (generic image)

About 100 posts are set to be cut at Staffordshire University.

Academic, professional services and some management posts are set to be lost, but the university - which employs some 1,900 staff - refused to confirm which subject areas would be most affected.

It blamed increased costs and a need to match staffing numbers to subject demand.

The BBC understands the recently expanded esports department is among those to be affected.

The news comes about a month after the university announced a near £3m investment in its esports degree course, including a new gaming arena.

Last month it also revealed plans for a new student village in Stoke-on-Trent.

Staffordshire University has its main campus in Stoke-on-Trent and employs about 1,900 people

A spokesperson said reducing staffing across courses was down to a "turbulent student recruitment market at home and abroad," in addition to rising salaries and other costs.

They said academic staff numbers would be "realigned" with subject demand, while some management posts would go through restructuring of academic schools, and there would be some "efficiency" savings in professional services.

However, the institution said the cuts were not expected to affect the student experience.

'Morale very poor'

It said it recognised it was a difficult time for staff, and was trying to avoid compulsory redundancies, describing the proposed job losses as "proportionally small reductions".

But Alun Thomas, chair of the University and College Union (UCU) at Staffordshire University questioned the scale and pace of the planned job losses.

"About one in 10 academics will go, as will one in 10 in professional services, who work in a range of absolutely essential roles keeping the university running."

Morale in the university was very poor, he added.