The University of South Wales has confirmed it is looking to reduce staffing numbers in the face of what it described as a challenging financial environment.
The university, which has around 23,000 students, didn't have any details on the number of staff that could leave and the financial saving, but that it has launched a voluntary exit scheme. In December 2022 its Vice-Chancellor Dr Ben Calvert said the university was facing a deficit in that financial year of £6m, due to a significant rise in non returning students and running costs.
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A University of South Wales spokesperson said: “The university has opened a voluntary exit scheme for colleagues. This will assist the university to make some financial savings, and support the future transformation of our delivery, workforce, and systems. Any application is entirely voluntary and subject to approval.
“When considering applications, the university will be prioritising limiting the impact on student experience and the well-being and workload of remaining colleagues, whilst realising opportunities for business redesign.
"This is one of a range of measures being taken to address a financially challenging environment, which many universities across the country are experiencing.”
According to its latest published financial accounts, to the end of July, 2023, the university, which has campuses in Treforest and , had a total workforce of 2,172 of which 1,255 were in academic departments. 15 staff earned £100,000 or higher.
The university posted a surplus before tax of £1.23m on a total income of £233m. Around £151m was generated from tuition fees and educational contracts. Some £9.4m came from research grants with £41m in funding body grants It had a net debt of £14.8m.
The university over the last five years has become increasingly dependent, as have other Welsh and Ƶ higher education institutions, on higher fee paying international students. Its students from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and Nigeria, have grown by 600% since 2019. International students make up around a third of its current cohort.
In January the Westminster government introduced new visa rules meaning that most international students can no longer bring family members to the Ƶ. The Ƶ higher education sector claims this is making it harder to attract international students in the face of stiff competition, including from the likes of France and Canada.
