Sheffield University to offer redundancy to academic and professional staff as it battles £50m shortfall

A member of staff had previously told The Star colleagues were concerned cuts would fall hardest on professional services teams, or back-of-office services and support staff.

A spokesperson for Sheffield University (UoS) confirmed they would be letting staff “in scope” for the voluntary severance scheme (VSS) know this week and it would include academic staff as well.

They said in an earlier statement: “The University sector is facing unprecedented financial difficulties and we are committed to navigating these challenges responsibly and transparently.

“As part of a range of measures to address a financial shortfall, we have introduced a voluntary severance scheme in selected areas of the University.

“The sector-wide challenges mean we must remain flexible and agile to protect our excellent research and teaching, and we will be taking considered decisions to ensure the institution’s long-term sustainability and success.

"We recognise this is a difficult time for colleagues and are firmly committed to supporting our staff and working constructively with our trade unions throughout this period, whilst maintaining the high standards of academic excellence for which Sheffield is renowned.”

The university also said it had prioritised “non-staff reductions” first, which, when asked by The Star, include reviewing the university estate, pausing infrastructure projects and asking colleagues to minimise discretionary spend.

When asked, the university did not deny it was considering closing any university buildings.

It said it was reviewing the size of its estate to ensure it has more flexible spaces, with efficient usage and better collaboration within and across schools and departments.

UoS also said it could not rule out compulsory redundancies in the future, but that it was committed to doing everything it can to avoid the measure.

The cost-cutting moves comes after it was revealed in September that the university attracted up to 2,200 less international students this year, or around seven per cent, and is now facing a £50m shortfall.

A member of staff told The Star on Friday they felt a major factor behind the shortfall in international students is because the executive board failed to keep UoS in the ‘world’s top 100 ranking’, or the QS100.

The university fell out of the QS100 in June this year, and is now ranked 105th in the world.

This, the staff member said, “killed” its prospects when appealing to students abroad.

“The difference in attending a ‘world’s top 100’ university or not is enormously important to some international communities,” they said.

They added they felt the board had not risen to the challenge created by the UK Government’s change in policy over skilled visas, which as of April this year required students to show their first job out of university would earn at least £38,700, up from £26,200.

All staff were called into a briefing on Thursday, November 14, to hear cuts were on the way.