Ulster University Faces Accusations of Political Motive in Staff Cuts
Ulster University (UU) has been accused of launching "a cynical, ill-judged political attack" on the policies of the Economy Minister as the region approaches an election.
This allegation was made in a letter from the University and College Union (UCU) to UU concerning the university's plans to potentially make up to 450 staff redundant.
Upon announcing the possible redundancies, the university stated that job cuts across the higher education (HE) sector were "unavoidable" due to the absence of a sustainable funding model for universities.
A UU spokesperson refuted the claim that the university was conducting a political attack, stating it was "clearly not true" and emphasizing that the university had been "fully transparent" regarding its "rationale for responding to the operating context in the way we have."
While UU aims to implement job reductions through a voluntary redundancy scheme, it has specified the number of positions that could be at risk across its campuses in Belfast, Coleraine, Magee in Londonderry, and Jordanstown.
Last week, UU indicated it had "sought to hold off on making redundancies while continuing to work with the Department for the Economy, through their reviews, on possible changes to the HE funding model in Northern Ireland."
"It has recently been made clear to us that a sustainable funding model is not going to be forthcoming, and regretfully we must now act to reduce our costs,"a university spokesperson added.
Why is the university cutting jobs?
The university's Vice-Chancellor, Paul Bartholomew, informed staff that UU had incurred significant operating deficits in 2024 and 2025 and must achieve savings of approximately £25 million.
The UCU, representing many higher education staff, is involved in the consultation process, which by law requires employers planning large-scale redundancies to engage with trade unions and provide detailed information about the reasons for redundancies.
However, Katharine Clarke, UCU's Northern Ireland official, has formally written to UU stating that the information provided does not satisfy the statutory consultation requirements.
"UU had not supplied precise information detailing the numbers and categories of staff across departments and curriculum areas you propose to dismiss as redundant,"Clarke said.
In response, a UU spokesperson asserted that the university had "already met all related legal obligations and as such there was no impediment in beginning this consultation process."
Clarke also criticized UU's justification for redundancies, which cited "an unsustainable funding model for Higher Education."
"This is suggestive of a cynical, ill-judged political attack upon the policies of the minister for the economy in the run up to an election in early 2027,"Clarke wrote.
"It certainly does not accord with the definition of a redundancy situation under the legislation."
'Silly attempt to undermine'
The UCU's Paddy Mackel told NI that the university had made a "silly attempt to undermine" the Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald.
In 2025, Archibald rejected a request from the five universities and university colleges in Northern Ireland to increase tuition fees by more than £1,000 annually.
Currently, tuition fees stand at £9,535 per year in England compared to £4,855 per year in Northern Ireland.
"The minister for the economy and the previous minister has been clear that they're not going to increase student fees,"Mackel said.
"Given the political situation that we live in, the cross-border nature of that party who are in power at the moment and responsible for that economy department, there is no chance of that minister or that party changing their mind on fees,"he added.
"Quite rightly so in our view,"Mackel continued.
"When you look at student fees and the increases there have been in England, the student fees in England are about twice what they are here.
"The sector is also in a difficult situation there too so the fees in themselves are not a panacea."
During a session in the assembly on Tuesday, Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald addressed the UU redundancies, describing them as "a real-world consequence of the executive not being funded to its level of need."
Archibald also highlighted a "lack of investment coming from the British government" for further and higher education.
