DUNDEE University has announced that a further 190 jobs will be cut a week after it emerged the financially stricken institution voted through another £20 million in savings.
Around 700 employees have already left the university since the financial crisis was first revealed in 2024, with bosses at the institution trying to fill a £30m deficit.
Staff at risk of redundancy are being informed on Tuesday, with the university saying it is trying to save £20m in costs, according to STV News.
Professor Nigel Seaton, interim principal and vice-chancellor, said the number of employees at Dundee University had reduced by 675 between August 2024 and May 2026, but unions believe this number will be significantly higher.
“We have informed staff that we are moving into collective consultation on proposals to reduce staffing by around 190 posts, split equally across our academic and professional services communities,” Professor Seaton told STV News.
“Over the last 18 months we have taken vigorous action to address our financial situation, including two rounds of voluntary severance, introducing tighter financial controls, freezing non-essential recruitment and limiting our operational expenditure.”
It comes after staff at the university voted in favour of strike action in a new ballot on last week.
In February, principal Seaton opened a second redundancy window in a bid to make around £10m in savings, resulting in a loss of around 180 full-time positions.
The university’s financial crisis has resulted in a raft of resignations from members of management, with the Scottish Government forced to step in and provide a £62m rescue package, which will be paid in installments over three years.
The UCU has said that despite the widespread cuts and support from the Scottish Government, the university has failed to rule out compulsory redundancies, while also burdening staff with increased workload as they step into the place of staff who have left.
Announcing that staff will be balloted for industrial action, Melissa D’Ascenzio, Dundee UCU branch co-president, said: “Members will decide what industrial action takes place in the coming weeks and months to defend jobs, but we’re clear that the first step to finally resolving the dispute is for management to withdraw the threat of compulsory redundancies.
“The emergency funding received from the Scottish Government and the number of staff who have left mean they could easily do so.”
John Swinney was asked by SNP MSP Heather Anderson in Parliament about the proposed cuts and whether he had engaged with university bosses, particularly regarding "significant" public funding having been provided to prevent job losses.
He told the chamber: "The announcement by the University of Dundee of a consultation on further job cuts is extremely disappointing.
"The Scottish Funding Council has looked at the proposals from the university and believes that the university has complied with the funding conditions.
"We've got to be very careful about the accountabilities here as the University of Dundee is an independent institution, the Scottish Funding Council acts independently, but on this issue there is a ministerial direction which directs how this funding can be used.
"The Education Secretary has spoken to the university principal and also with the funding council about these issues and the government will continue to engage.
"The government will be attaching the greatest priority to meaningful engagement with members of staff who I recognise will be feeling deeply alarmed."
