Cardiff University will launch a formal consultation on proposed changes designed to realise its ambitions and secure the University's long-term future.
The consultation, which runs for 90 days, includes a proposed reduction of 400 (FTE) academic staff and the possibility of School and subject closures and School mergers.
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wendy Larner said: "The precarious financial position of many universities, particularly in the context of declining international student applications and increasing cost pressures, and the need to adapt to survive are well documented.
"We know here at Cardiff University that it is no longer an option for us to continue as we are. Our new strategy, co-created with our community, lays out an ambitious future for our University where it is collaborative, innovative, and delivering value for Cardiff, Wales and the wider world.
"Securing that future, in the context of tightening finances, means we need to take difficult decisions to realise our ambitions to enhance our education and research, and improve the staff and student experience.
"We have worked diligently to create initial proposals for a slightly smaller University, refocused around our core and emerging strengths – a University ready to leverage new academic opportunities, prepare students for an adapting world and meet changing market demands as they arise.
"At the same time as putting forward these proposals to reshape our current activities, we will be working on a new model for flexible lifelong learning, new opportunities in transnational education, and new approaches to learning and teaching.
"Our proposals aim to create a more focused, higher quality research environment for staff and students that is world-leading with cynefin, place and co-creation at its heart.
"We also want to ensure a consistently excellent education experience for students of all backgrounds and experiences.
"I want to stress that these are proposals and our final plans will be shaped by our community – both internal and external - through formal consultation. The scale of the challenge will remain, but the way that we address it will certainly be refined and developed over the next 90 days."
The proposed changes include:
- A reduction of academic headcount by c.400 FTE (7% of total workforce), using compulsory redundancy, only if absolutely necessary.
- Ceasing subjects and programmes in Ancient History, Modern Languages and Translation, Music, Nursing, and Religion and Theology.
- Increasing student and staff ratios across the University, while at the same time revising our approaches to learning, teaching and assessment, and simplifying bureaucratic processes.
- Bringing complementary disciplines together through proposed school mergers. The creation of the School of Natural Sciences (merge Chemistry, Earth Sciences and Physics), School of Data Science, Computing and Mathematics (merge Computer Science and Maths), School of Human and Social Sciences (merge Social Sciences, Geography and Planning) and School of Global Humanities (merge English, Communication and Philosophy, Welsh, and remaining elements of History Archaeology and Religion and Modern Languages).
Professor Larner said: "I know that these proposals impact some staff more than others and they will cause a great deal of uncertainly and anxiety for those potentially impacted.
"We have done everything that we can to avoid reaching this position, but ultimately we know that annual rounds of cuts demoralise our staff, affect our students, and limit our ability to retain and grow new partnerships with our community here in the UK and elsewhere. We need to act now to ensure that we are able to deliver on the aspirations of our new strategy and have a viable university for the future.
"These academically-led proposals aim to reverse our deficit trend and create headroom for new revenue-generating activities to be established," she added.
A related process to reshape the professional and support services to support our academic aspirations has already begun.
Staff briefings were held on Tuesday 28th January and will continue throughout the week. The business cases for each School will be made available through the University's staff intranet. Current students and other key external stakeholders will be updated on the proposals.
The consultation will run for three months and final plans for approval are expected to be considered by University Council in June 2025.
