As you may have come across by now, the University of Exeter has released a statement earlier in June proposing staff redundancies with ‘‘a reduction in staff equivalent to around 150 full-time roles’’. The Exeter branch of the University and College Union (EUCU) says that these plans likely place “well over 500 staff at risk of compulsory redundancy’’ in the run up to Christmas. The EUCU claims that the faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS), one of three of Exeter’s academic faculties, is to be hardest hit, and 85% of the proposed redundancies are to happen here. HASS is home to subjects like History, Classics, English, Drama, and Modern Languages.
The job cuts are happening under the Targeted Early Release Scheme (TERS), a voluntary severance programme for staff which was announced by the University in 2020. This expanded in 2024 and is expanding further as part of the University’s multi-year cost cutting strategy.
The University has cited financial pressure as the rationale behind this round of job cuts, as it has in previous schemes. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) is one way of assessing the profitability of an organisation and is the financial metric the university is likely relying on for their justification. The financial reports of 2022 and 2025 found that the EBIT of the university has been decreasing steadily from £26m million to £8.2 million.
What should have been the happiest time of the year’’ was overshadowed by redundancies, which lecturers have described as ideological targeting”
Anonymous senior lecturer
The 2025 report cites other factors that the University believes is contributing towards this financial pressure. The national pay award, and the current government’s policies, like rising national insurance costs and the increase in living wages, is increasing teaching costs. The income from international students is in decline and risks decreasing further as some post-study work (PSW) visas will be reducing to 18 months by 2027. An international student levy will also see universities pay £925 per international student, per year of study, from 2028.
However, there is also the impact of the cuts which has to be acknowledged. To learn more about the impact of these proposals, we have spoken to a range of professors and students at the university.
Two lecturers from the Classics, Ancient History, Religion and Theology department expressed that “what should have been the happiest time of the year’’ was overshadowed by these redundancies, which they described as “ideological targeting”. They explained that this reflects “a shift in the university’s priorities over the years’’, away from HASS and “towards more profitable departments” such as the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy. They argue that this undermines the “freedom of thinking” and the “breadth of teaching”.
One of the lecturers stated that “staff working conditions are student learning conditions”, arguing that redundancies and staffing changes reduce a diverse cohort of professors, whose courses are tied to their culture, background, and ethnicity. In addition, they also expressed how declining working conditions inhibit their ability to fulfil their legal responsibilities of supporting Individual Learning Plans (ILPs).
The University has questions that are still left to answer, like whether all financial options were explored, and clarifying the uncertainty some students and courses are feeling right now.
Lecturers from the English and Creative Writing department expressed feelings of “disbelief and anger”, not least because of the “financial precarity”. In their subject, the lecturer said that the department had already cut its modules by 25%. If the redundancies go even further ahead, the department will lose 20 of its 60 member staff, which affects the quality of teaching. The lecturer also spoke on how this decision winds back on diversity, disability, and LGBT+ both within and outside of the curriculum.
The lecturers who spoke to Exeposé said the potential impact of the proposed redundancies on postgraduate students could be grave. PhD students often apply to a specific university to work with academics whose expertise aligns with their research interests, and these lecturers have argued: “individual expertise cannot be replaced.” However, when this concern was raised with the university by lecturers, they were told that “someone else will pick it up,” a response they said overlooks the importance of “individualism and research specialisation”.
When interviewed, a PhD student said they “cried” upon hearing about the proposed redundancies. The student said there were few institutions in the UK or internationally with the expertise required to support their research, adding that their “first thought [was] my PhD is over.” As a self-funded student, they had invested significant personal funds to study with specific professors who are now at risk of redundancy.
If specific expertise is cut, Exeter’s capacity to recruit future PhD students in these areas shrinks too. This will affect future research income, which is already subsidised, costing the University 30p for every £1 of research.
In a final message to the Exeposé, a lecturer said they would want the University to “just stop the cuts to HASS, the humanities and critical thinking; the research of our HASS community is necessary for the university’s health” and described the proposed cuts as “unnecessary and disproportionate”.
“Just stop the cuts to HASS, the humanities and critical thinking; the research of our HASS community is necessary for the university’s health”… the proposed cuts are “unnecessary and disproportionate”.
Anonymous senior lecturer
What will this mean for students? Well, with fewer teachers and student intake rising, class and seminar groups risk increasing in size. There are worries that ILPs will not be fulfilled, or at least not equally, for those who have additional learning needs.
The EUCU also fear the diversity of academics will decrease. For a successful university, a wealth of knowledge must be present. But with less academics comes less academic richness, as more modules will be cut or at least taught by individuals with less expertise. Subjects like English and politics have already seen such cuts over the past couple of years. Some students will be faced with having to change their options at short notice, changing the trajectory of their degree, and potentially their career.
Furthermore, English tuition fees for domestic students are already seen as poor value for money, especially when compared to most other European countries. When fees for home students are already amongst the most expensive in Europe, it is difficult to see how the quality of teaching will be maintained while simultaneously removing staff.
Admission to the Russel Group does not guarantee permanent membership to the prestigious cohort of universities. Membership is maintained based on research intensity and financial income, the latter to avoid departmental closures. The future of Exeter with less quality research might see its membership in the group jeopardised. Adding on to these concerns, a lecturer stated that the University’s “Reputational quality is now at stake…and with it follows reputational damage, and it’s impossible to rebuild”.
The National Student Survey (NSS) is a selling point for Exeter, particularly on league tables. The 2025 financial report proudly cites their NSS score rising to 82%, but with a worse staff-student ratio, it is possible that these same boastings will be undone.
These are just some of the likely impacts from the proposed job cuts. The University has questions that are still left to answer, if they are to go ahead as planned. Questions about whether all financial options were explored and clarifying the uncertainty some students and courses are feeling right now, are yet to be answered, for example. Our senior team are still awaiting a Freedom of Information request to understand the University’s decision in more detail.
The EUCU Responds
The EUCU provided Exeposé with a comment on the matter. “Management are pushing ahead with one of the largest and most damaging redundancy programmes in UK HE’s history – with over 500 members of staff ‘at risk’ and 200 expected to lose their jobs. These cuts are focussed particularly, but not exclusively, on the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS), and the Penryn campus interdisciplinary work. Some of Exeter’s highest-ranked departments (English and Creative Writing, Archaeology and History, Theology, Philosophy to name a few) are to be slashed by a third. This is wanton destruction of parts of the university upon which its reputation for research and teaching excellence, and Russell Group membership, were built.
“The knock-on damage to student recruitment, to the university’s brand, to our funding through REF, and to the experience of students currently enrolled is hard to overstate. What makes this even more reckless is that Exeter is a financially strong university. Home undergraduate recruitment is up across the board (and across those disciplines under threat). We have two-thirds of a billion pounds in reserves. We have £212m in cash reserves, ready to see us through any bumpy periods. And every year, including 25/26, we have run a budget surplus. Currently our Vice Chancellor gets almost £400k a year, and our 16 highest paid execs get a combined pay of nearly £4m. So, there’s no shortage of cash at Exeter.
“There is no argument in favour of management hitting the self-destruct button. The largest all-staff meeting in Exeter’s history voted resoundingly no confidence in the Vice Chancellor. The largest HASS all-staff meeting in Exeter’s history called on the HASS leadership to help defend our disciplines, staff and students or resign. Our largest UCU branch meeting last week saw over 700 members vote for a ballot on industrial action.
“Our finances are strong, our student recruitment is strong, our courses are brilliant, our research is world-class, our staff are leading experts in their fields and our students are wonderful. Exeter is a fantastic university, and we want to keep it that way. #DefendExeterUni!“
“These changes are intended to secure the University’s long-term sustainability, protect our teaching and research excellence, and ensure our activities remain aligned with future priorities“.
Spokesperson for the University of Exeter
Comment From the Student Guild
“Students who have shared their views with us are concerned and frustrated about the University’s proposals for staffing reductions, and we are hearing significant anxiety about what these proposals could mean for modules, supervision, academic communities and the wider student experience. As student representatives, we are taking these concerns directly to the University and working to ensure that student interests and educational experience are protected throughout this process.
“What’s happening at Exeter is not an isolated case. It is the result of a fundamentally broken higher education funding model. Across the country, students are experiencing cuts to their education and student experience because the Government has systemically underfunded higher education for years, and it’s having a devastating impact on students’ education. We need to turn our collective frustration into a powerful, unified voice to demand a better deal for university students in the UK.“
A Statement From the University of Exeter
And finally, the University of Exeter has also said: “We fully understand that this is a worrying time for those who are affected by the ongoing consultation process – however it is important to stress and reiterate that these are proposals at this stage. The University is not proposing to close any departments or disciplines, and under these proposals Exeter would continue to have one of the largest faculties of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences in the UK.
“We hope to achieve these changes through voluntary measures and are committed to working closely with our community and the trade unions to avoid compulsory redundancies wherever possible.
“All colleagues affected by the proposed changes will receive all the information they need throughout the process, along with every opportunity to ask questions, raise concerns, and participate fully. The University will ensure that this process is fair and consistent throughout.
“While Exeter remains in a strong position, rising costs, the real-terms decline in tuition fee income, underfunded research, and a sustained drop in international student demand mean we must take action now. These changes are intended to secure the University’s long-term sustainability, protect our teaching and research excellence, and ensure our activities remain aligned with future priorities.”
