University of Kent proposes cuts to courses and jobs

One senior lecturer at the University of Kent has started a petition protesting the cuts

The University of Kent is proposing to cut 58 jobs in an attempt to respond to "financial challenges".

The proposals, which include cutting nine courses from its portfolio, have opened for consultation.

The university said: "We are exploring changes to our size and shape to ensure we are well placed to grow in priority areas in the future."

The head of culture and languages at the university has started a petition to try and stop the cuts.

Dr Alvise Sforza Tarabochia said: "It is important that the withdrawal of courses from the University of Kent is not treated as business as usual.

Dr Tarabochia, who is also a senior lecturer of Italian, added: "Taking away these subjects will affect the diversity offering at the university and the students' prospects - this needs to be kept under public scrutiny."

Voluntary redundancy priority

The courses that are subject to the proposed cuts are health and social care, journalism, anthropology, music and audio technology, art history, comparative literature, English language and linguistics, modern languages, philosophy, and philosophy, religion and ethics.

Courses take place across both campuses of the university, at Medway and Canterbury.

The University of Kent's deputy vice-chancellor, Professor Richard Reece, said the university did not have a specific target it hoped to save by making the proposed cuts.

He acknowledged that "universities up and down the country are in difficult financial positions".

The University of Kent said: "We are now in a period of consultation with staff on these proposals, working closely with them and staff and trade union representatives before any final decisions are taken.

"Our priority in the weeks ahead will be supporting staff being consulted with on the plans, including working to our redundancy avoidance agreement to ensure we prioritise voluntary redundancy, vacancy review and reduced hours as far as possible."

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].