Latest news with #Keele
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Cash-strapped Keele University to cut 150 more jobs
A university is set to make another 150 job cuts amid what it described as "unprecedented financial challenges" within the higher education University plans to cut 100 more academic roles and about 50 professional services jobs as it faces a further £5m financial deficit in 2025-26, in addition to a previously announced £6m annual savings University and College Union (UCU) has condemned the job cuts as an "ill-conceived solution".However, Keele University leaders said the cuts were a "last resort" but necessary to secure its long-term future. UCU members recently carried out five days of strike action in a dispute over plans to merge the schools of humanities and social sciences, with 24 academic jobs being the announcement of further job cuts, the UCU called for an immediate halt to redundancies and the establishment of a joint working group to "properly diagnose Keele's financial problems"."We have consistently argued that the university's financial troubles are misdiagnosed, making staff cuts an ill-conceived solution," a spokesperson UCU added the the latest decision followed a "dangerous trend of benchmarking driven cuts across higher education" and that redundancies would "pile unsustainable workloads" on remaining staff and ultimately harm students."Keele's students understand this, which is why they have vocally supported UCU's industrial action. How can the university fulfil its mission of preparing students for their futures while dismantling the very foundation of their education?" it said.A spokesperson for the university said its financial challenges were a result of the value of tuition fees being eroded by inflation and uncertainty over the recruitment of international students."We have worked hard over several years to ensure Keele is able to withstand these pressures as much as possible, and job losses are always a last resort but are necessary to secure Keele's long-term future," they acknowledged that it was "unsettling news" for both staff and students, and said its priority was to support staff who were affected by the changes and to minimise the impact on students. This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Japanese ambassador honours university blossoms
A university has been honoured by the Japanese ambassador for its collection of cherry blossom trees. Keele University was officially awarded a certificate of commendation by ambassador Hiroshi Suzuki on Wednesday. Mr Suzuki visited the Staffordshire university to hand over the certificate in a ceremony also attended by the former British ambassador to Japan, Paul Madden. The university's collection of flowering cherry trees, one of the largest in Europe, will soon be in full bloom and are free-of-charge to visit. "It is remarkable that this collection has been built over decades by Keele's experts through their continuous efforts to gather Sakura cherry trees from Japan" Mr Suzuki said. The ambassador was given a tour of the collection, which contains more than 300 trees, comprising more than 200 different varieties – including some species that have become extinct in Japan. "I would like to express my deep appreciation to everyone who has contributed to building this exceptional collection," Mr Suzuki added. "I am convinced that it will continue to flourish in the years to come as a symbol of the enduring friendship between Japan and the UK." His visit marks the third time in two years that officials from the Embassy of Japan in the UK have visited the university to see its collection of cherry trees. The arrival of cherry blossom in spring is a significant event in Japan, with many festivals held and daily coverage on national news. Keele's 600-acre campus has contained flowering cherry trees since the first ornamental grounds were laid out in the 1940s. Dave Emley, a former geology technician at Keele and one of the curators of the university's cherry tree collection, said it was a huge honour to be recognised by the Japanese ambassador. "It's always a fantastic feeling to see people enjoying them," he said. "It gives people a taste of Japan in spring here in Staffordshire." Keele's collection of cherry trees is spread across its campus, with the aptly named Cherry Tree Walk, next to the university's chapel, and the Memorial Garden, providing two of the most Instagrammable locations for visitors. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. In pictures: Beautiful displays as spring blooms Cherry blossom tree in bloom at Benthall Hall Keele University
BBC News
03-04-2025
- BBC News
Japanese ambassador honours Keele University cherry blossom trees
A university has been honoured by the Japanese ambassador for its collection of cherry blossom University was officially awarded a certificate of commendation by ambassador Hiroshi Suzuki on Suzuki visited the Staffordshire university to hand over the certificate in a ceremony also attended by the former British ambassador to Japan, Paul university's collection of flowering cherry trees, one of the largest in Europe, will soon be in full bloom and are free-of-charge to visit. "It is remarkable that this collection has been built over decades by Keele's experts through their continuous efforts to gather Sakura cherry trees from Japan" Mr Suzuki ambassador was given a tour of the collection, which contains more than 300 trees, comprising more than 200 different varieties – including some species that have become extinct in Japan."I would like to express my deep appreciation to everyone who has contributed to building this exceptional collection," Mr Suzuki added."I am convinced that it will continue to flourish in the years to come as a symbol of the enduring friendship between Japan and the UK." 'A taste of Japan' His visit marks the third time in two years that officials from the Embassy of Japan in the UK have visited the university to see its collection of cherry arrival of cherry blossom in spring is a significant event in Japan, with many festivals held and daily coverage on national 600-acre campus has contained flowering cherry trees since the first ornamental grounds were laid out in the Emley, a former geology technician at Keele and one of the curators of the university's cherry tree collection, said it was a huge honour to be recognised by the Japanese ambassador."It's always a fantastic feeling to see people enjoying them," he said. "It gives people a taste of Japan in spring here in Staffordshire."Keele's collection of cherry trees is spread across its campus, with the aptly named Cherry Tree Walk, next to the university's chapel, and the Memorial Garden, providing two of the most Instagrammable locations for visitors. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
University professor handed MBE at royal ceremony
A university professor from Staffordshire has been officially presented with her MBE by the Prince of Wales. Elaine Hay was awarded the honour for services to medical research during a recent ceremony at Windsor Castle. She said it was a "wonderful" day and one she and her family would remember for many years to come. "After we shook hands and he congratulated me again, I walked away feeling quite overwhelmed by the experience," she said. She added: "It was great to get the opportunity to talk to Prince William about my workplace, Keele University and Staffordshire." Ms Hay said he was interested to hear about the research she had carried out into the causes and consequences of back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders. Her career has involved making improvements to patient care by testing new treatments. She is also the author of about 400 peer-reviewed papers in publications, including The Lancet and British Medical Journal. Her work has contributed to national policies and international guidelines, and has led to services in the NHS being redesigned to reduce wait times. In the last 30 years, Ms Hay has secured almost £40m in external grants to support new research into diseases and conditions, like osteoarthritis and tennis elbow, leading to Keele University and its partners becoming internationally renowned in the field, university bosses said. She first came to north Staffordshire in 1994 as a consultant and senior lecturer in community rheumatology at the Haywood Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent and Keele University. In 2004 she was promoted to professor of community rheumatology at Keele and was one of the three founding members of the university's research institute for primary care and health sciences. She led a clinical trials programme which bosses said was influential in transforming research at the university. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Keele professors among New Year Honours recipients Keele University
