University job cuts 'demoralising', academic says

Staff felt like they were facing a 'downward spiral', one academic said

Planned redundancies at a university are "demoralising" and could have a major effect on the city, an academic says.

More than one in 10 academics at the University of Sunderland face losing their jobs, according to the University and College Union.

Film studies lecturer Steve Cannon said staff at the university felt like they were in a "downward spiral".

The university said it was facing an "unsustainable" financial trajectory and it was doing everything it could to ensure its "educational and financial health".

About 76 members of staff at the university face redundancy.

Mr Cannon said this move comes on the back of the institution climbing up league tables for several subjects, including film studies, which in turn attracted new students.

"I work in film and on the back of the announcement of the [new] film studios in Sunderland, we've got a very vibrant cohort of students who have just arrived," said Mr Cannon.

"And we're having to think to ourselves… wait till they find out who is leaving in the next weeks."

'Worse teaching experience'

The lecturer also said the cuts could have a wider impact on Sunderland.

"This is a major employer in a city without too many of them these days," he said.

He said the university was particularly important to students who were born and raised in Sunderland and would struggle to afford to move away for higher education.

Fewer lecturers meant a worse teaching experience for these students, he said.

Mr Cannon said he hoped the local community and politicians would respond to the redundancy news in the same way they would if this was happening at other big local employers like Nissan.

The University of Sunderland said it was committed to providing "excellent student experience" and that it was in a strong financial position with no debt and "substantial cash reserves".

But it said issues such as inflation and lower international student numbers meant that its cash position at the end of the 2023/2024 academic year was lower than the previous year.

A spokesperson said it would be carrying out a "comprehensive consultation" with colleagues and trade unions to mitigate further compulsory redundancies.