Latest news with #Larner
Western Telegraph
14-06-2025
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Cardiff University cuts ‘could be repeated,' Senedd hears
Wendy Larner, president and vice-chancellor of Cardiff University, appeared before the Senedd's education committee on June 12 as part of an inquiry on higher education. She told Senedd members universities face an existential moment and the financial headwinds 'continue to blow strongly'. Prof Larner said it is an enormously challenging time for the higher education sector – 'not just here in Wales but in the UK and, indeed, globally'. Patrick Younge, chair of council, warned universities do not have a viable business model, with a tuition-fee freeze costing Cardiff £24m more than its competitors from 2017 to 2024. He said: 'If you don't address the fundamentals, all of the Welsh universities will be going through this year on year on year because income is not rising and expense inevitably rises.' Prof Larner said January's 'academic futures' document – which initially included a target to cut 400 jobs – was the beginning of a genuine consultation. The vice-chancellor confirmed the final plan includes retaining nursing, music and modern languages albeit with smaller cohorts and new models. She told the committee the initial target was scaled back to 220, with 151 academic staff leaving voluntarily: 'This leaves a final reduction of 69 full-time equivalents… by 2029/30. Compulsory redundancies are always a last resort.' Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru's shadow education secretary, questioned the wisdom in proposing changes only to backtrack, 'with resulting damage to staff morale'. Natasha Asghar, the Tory shadow education secretary, pressed the witnesses about the university's plans to open a new campus in Kazakhstan while making cuts at home. Prof Larner replied: 'Transnational education is part of the future for UK universities.' On staff welfare, Prof Larner said: 'We have seen… a little change in stress-related data. As is always the case, the majority of that… refers to personal, not workplace stress. 'But I absolutely understand the challenge here…. I take the well-being of our staff very seriously: this is not easy, change is really difficult.' She criticised the University and College Union for 'blindsiding' the university by going to the press with concerns about a 'total health and safety crisis'.
South Wales Argus
13-06-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Cardiff University cuts ‘could be repeated,' Senedd hears
Wendy Larner, president and vice-chancellor of Cardiff University, appeared before the Senedd's education committee on June 12 as part of an inquiry on higher education. She told Senedd members universities face an existential moment and the financial headwinds 'continue to blow strongly'. Prof Larner said it is an enormously challenging time for the higher education sector – 'not just here in Wales but in the UK and, indeed, globally'. Patrick Younge, chair of council, warned universities do not have a viable business model, with a tuition-fee freeze costing Cardiff £24m more than its competitors from 2017 to 2024. He said: 'If you don't address the fundamentals, all of the Welsh universities will be going through this year on year on year because income is not rising and expense inevitably rises.' Prof Larner said January's 'academic futures' document – which initially included a target to cut 400 jobs – was the beginning of a genuine consultation. The vice-chancellor confirmed the final plan includes retaining nursing, music and modern languages albeit with smaller cohorts and new models. She told the committee the initial target was scaled back to 220, with 151 academic staff leaving voluntarily: 'This leaves a final reduction of 69 full-time equivalents… by 2029/30. Compulsory redundancies are always a last resort.' Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru's shadow education secretary, questioned the wisdom in proposing changes only to backtrack, 'with resulting damage to staff morale'. Natasha Asghar, the Tory shadow education secretary, pressed the witnesses about the university's plans to open a new campus in Kazakhstan while making cuts at home. Prof Larner replied: 'Transnational education is part of the future for UK universities.' On staff welfare, Prof Larner said: 'We have seen… a little change in stress-related data. As is always the case, the majority of that… refers to personal, not workplace stress. 'But I absolutely understand the challenge here…. I take the well-being of our staff very seriously: this is not easy, change is really difficult.' She criticised the University and College Union for 'blindsiding' the university by going to the press with concerns about a 'total health and safety crisis'.
South Wales Guardian
13-06-2025
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Cardiff University cuts ‘could be repeated,' Senedd hears
Wendy Larner, president and vice-chancellor of Cardiff University, appeared before the Senedd's education committee on June 12 as part of an inquiry on higher education. She told Senedd members universities face an existential moment and the financial headwinds 'continue to blow strongly'. Prof Larner said it is an enormously challenging time for the higher education sector – 'not just here in Wales but in the UK and, indeed, globally'. Patrick Younge, chair of council, warned universities do not have a viable business model, with a tuition-fee freeze costing Cardiff £24m more than its competitors from 2017 to 2024. He said: 'If you don't address the fundamentals, all of the Welsh universities will be going through this year on year on year because income is not rising and expense inevitably rises.' Prof Larner said January's 'academic futures' document – which initially included a target to cut 400 jobs – was the beginning of a genuine consultation. The vice-chancellor confirmed the final plan includes retaining nursing, music and modern languages albeit with smaller cohorts and new models. She told the committee the initial target was scaled back to 220, with 151 academic staff leaving voluntarily: 'This leaves a final reduction of 69 full-time equivalents… by 2029/30. Compulsory redundancies are always a last resort.' Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru's shadow education secretary, questioned the wisdom in proposing changes only to backtrack, 'with resulting damage to staff morale'. Natasha Asghar, the Tory shadow education secretary, pressed the witnesses about the university's plans to open a new campus in Kazakhstan while making cuts at home. Prof Larner replied: 'Transnational education is part of the future for UK universities.' On staff welfare, Prof Larner said: 'We have seen… a little change in stress-related data. As is always the case, the majority of that… refers to personal, not workplace stress. 'But I absolutely understand the challenge here…. I take the well-being of our staff very seriously: this is not easy, change is really difficult.' She criticised the University and College Union for 'blindsiding' the university by going to the press with concerns about a 'total health and safety crisis'.
Wales Online
09-06-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Cardiff University issues update on job losses and warns more cuts are needed
Cardiff University issues update on job losses and warns more cuts are needed Vice Chancellor Professor Wendy Larner said hoped for £28m savings aren't sufficient and there will need to be cuts to professional services and estates Cardiff University (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Cardiff University has announced a final update on its controversial cuts programme - the case which will go to the full council on June 17 for consideration. With a further 151 full time academic posts lost through voluntary redundancy since its last update the university said it is now looking to shed 69 full time academic posts to deliver its revised 220 target, but more cuts are on the way. In an update to staff this lunchtime Vice Chancellor Professor Wendy Larner said despite the proposals saving an estimated £28m: "These savings do not fully close the financial gap, and further work will be required, including diversifying our income streams and reducing professional services and estates costs." Her update confirmed again the proposed closures of the ancient history, religion and theology departments and retaining the schools of nursing, modern languages and music, but with smaller numbers of students. Sign up for our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here. Professor Wendy Larner is vice-chancellor of Cardiff University (Image: Jared Gray ) The number of academic schools will be cut through closures and mergers from 24 to 16 and staff to student ratios will be lower, the update adds. The university originally announced 400 job cuts when it unveiled a huge savings plan in January, but that number has fallen to 69 as staff leave through voluntary redundancy and non-filling of vacant posts. Article continues below Bosses announced a u-turn on widely opposed plans to shut its music and modern languages departments last month following a decision not to close its nursing school, as originally planned. The about turn on keeping all three of these departments follows a massive backlash against the cuts with the Welsh Government calling on bosses to use reserves and high-profile backing for the music school from stars such as Sir Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and Stormzy. On jobs Professor Larner's message to staff today adds: "The initial target for reduction in academic staff FTE was 400. Acceptance of alternative proposals that involved retaining staff capacity to deliver Cardiff-based programmes and new enterprises such as our transnational erducation partnerships reduced the target to 220 FTE. 151 academic staff FTE have left the university voluntarily, meaning that we now need 69 academic staff FTE to deliver the 220 FTE target." Professor Larner said that if agreed the proposals will: deliver a gross saving per annum of £20 million, and a net saving of £14.1 million in combination with the wider voluntary severance scheme, deliver gross savings of £28.4 million and net savings of £22.5 million But even that won't be enough and non-academic staff cuts as well as savings on estate costs will be needed. Universities around Wales and the UK are all facing financial pressure. They blame static home tuition fees, falling numbers of higher paying international students, rising costs, an increase in National Insurance and tighter visa restrictions for international students wanting to bring dependents to the UK with them. Article continues below
ITV News
27-05-2025
- General
- ITV News
Cardiff University set to scale down music and languages degrees but scrap two others
Cardiff University has announced it plans to close its ancient history and religion and theology degrees, and scale down its music and modern languages courses. The university announced plans to make 400 staff – around 7% of the workforce – redundant and reduce a number of degree courses, initially including nursing, in January, with that number then reduced to a proposed 286 in April, after a number of staff had already opted for voluntary redundancy. In an update sent to staff on Tuesday, Cardiff University's vice-chancellor, Professor Wendy Larner, said it now proposes to retain its offerings of modern languages and music research and education but with revised structures and a smaller staff base, within a new School of Global Humanities. That new school would continue to offer undergraduate and postgraduate music degree programmes, but with revised entry targets and content, while also continuing its offering of modern languages programmes, but to smaller cohorts and primarily in French, Spanish, Mandarin and Japanese. But degrees in ancient history, and religion and theology, would come to an end after students enrolling this September for 2025-26 complete their courses. Professor Larner said: "Having considered the case very carefully, we have decided not to revisit the proposal to cease named single and joint honours degrees in ancient history, and religion and theology. I do understand that this will be very disappointing news for all academics who are deeply committed to these disciplines. "We will of course continue to offer our current set of degree programmes for 2025-26 and are committed to teaching all students entering next September until the completion of their degree in these subjects." Addressing staff, the vice-chancellor acknowledged the "anxiety that the Academic Future project has created for many of you, and I hope that today's announcement brings some reassurance. There is much work yet to be done to realise the ambitions of this new School, and I hope you will feel able to play a part in this." Professor Larner added that the new School of Global Humanities would seek to expand the university's translation degree provision, continue to offer Languages for All "with the languages offered there shaped by student demand", and develop a "new suite of degree programmes to fulfil the ambitions of the new School – challenge-oriented, inclusive, co-created and committed to advancing the Public Humanities agenda". The new proposal will now be put to University Council on 17 June for its approval. In April, the university announced that an 'alternative proposal' had been put forward which would see the university retain adult, child and mental health nursing, with a smaller number of undergraduates being recruited.
