Amid the noise about the state of university finances across the º£½ÇÊÓƵ, it is easy to overlook the human cost of failed international strategies by higher education institutions.
Towards the end of last year, it was reported that the University of South Wales was facing a staggering £20m deficit due to the collapse of the international student market and had begun consulting on plans to cut up to 160 jobs in professional services.
This follows reports of approximately 100 voluntary redundancies earlier in the year, showing the mess that the institution had created for itself through its flawed approach to international recruitment following its failure to attract enough º£½ÇÊÓƵ students.
The scale of these cuts is significant and according to Unison, the largest support staff union, such measures will not only harm student support, wellbeing, and achievement but also disproportionately impact those on lower wages.
Many of the staff at risk live in the South Wales Valleys, an area that continues to have its economic challenges and for many of these individuals, finding comparable employment in the current economic climate will be exceptionally difficult.
Some are also questioning whether focusing on job cuts is the correct decision for a university whose last accounts showed it had total net assets of £274m, including £59m of cash. It has also committed £40m to constructing a new teaching block at a time when its student population is falling, and other higher education institutions are reducing their estates.
Certainly, prioritising buildings over people during a time of financial crisis raises serious issues about the strategic priorities of the university’s board of governors and whether its members truly understand the region in which it is located.
Like many universities, the University of South Wales is keen to emphasise its civic duty and role in supporting the Valleys economy and yet these decisions by senior management will help to undermine the very communities the institution purports to serve.
Such job losses will obviously have an impact on the local economy and will affect families and businesses reliant on the income and spending of university staff.
Despite the gravity of the situation, there has been a noticeable silence from local Senedd Members representing Valleys constituencies, including those serving as ministers, and there has been almost no public condemnation of the University of South Wales’s actions or offers of direct support for affected staff from the Welsh Government.
This lack of response raises uncomfortable questions about how different sectors and regions are treated during times of economic crises. For example, consider the hypothetical scenario of a factory closure on the Treforest Industrial Estate, resulting in 260 job losses. It is almost certain that such an event would prompt swift political reactions, taskforces, and pledges of support.
In fact, we saw this level of engagement in 2023 when Tillery Valley Foods in Blaenau Gwent announced 250 redundancies. At that time, the local Senedd Member rightly advocated for a taskforce to support those affected, and the then First Minister Mark Drakeford assured the public that the Welsh Government would do everything possible to save those jobs.
Why is there no comparable concern for the jobs being lost at USW or other universities across Wales given the broader economic and social significance of higher education in Wales? Universities not only provide direct employment but also contribute to local economies, drive innovation, and support cultural and social development.
Adding to this situation is the significant financial support allocated to other struggling sectors. For instance, at least £100m is being provided to help alleviate the loss of 2,500 jobs at Port Talbot and whilst this intervention is undoubtedly necessary, it highlights the absence of similar help for the estimated 1,000-plus workers expected to lose their jobs in Welsh universities. These individuals, who have dedicated themselves to building a sector vital to the Welsh economy, are left questioning why their contributions have been ignored by those in power in Westminster and Cardiff Bay.
Of course, the challenges facing Welsh universities are not unique and across the º£½ÇÊÓƵ, institutions are grappling with declining domestic enrolment and increased competition in the international student market. However, any solutions to these challenges must consider the human and community impact of cost-cutting measures and short-term financial fixes, such as the redundancies at the University of South Wales, risk long-term damage to institutions’ reputations, student satisfaction, and local economies.
Given this, the Welsh Government, in partnership with universities, unions, and local authorities, must act urgently to address this crisis. Not only should there be immediate support for those affected by redundancies but a broader taskforce should be set up to assess the long-term sustainability of the higher education sector in Wales which should explore diversifying revenue streams, improving efficiency, and fostering closer collaboration between institutions.
Additionally, Senedd politicians must recognise the civic and economic importance of universities in their constituencies. Just as manufacturing, steel, and other traditional industries have received support during downturns, higher education deserves equivalent attention to safeguard the future of a sector that underpins Wales’s ambitions for economic growth, innovation, and social mobility.
The loss of jobs at the University of South Wales and other universities is not just a financial problem but a community crisis and reflects a failure by those running the institutions to prioritise the people who make higher education possible and the regions that depend on it. Addressing this issue requires more than the political platitudes that we’ve heard so far and needs action, investment, and a commitment build a more resilient Welsh higher education system for the future.
Wales, and those parts of Wales which need such jobs, deserves no less.
