Another Welsh university has announced it is reviewing spending which a union fears will lead to redundancies.
Bangor University said it has been carrying out a “wide ranging review” to look at “which current resources can be deployed differently” but would not comment on what that might mean for jobs.
Bangor is the fourth Welsh university to reveal it is reviewing spending.
Aberystwyth, South Wales and the University of Wales Trinity St David are all seeking voluntary redundancies to cut costs as the higher education sector grapples with the effects of falling applications and Brexit.
An official for Unison, which represents a number of staff at Bangor University, said: “The situation at Bangor not as advanced as (at some) other Welsh universities.
“Bangor hasn’t made any announcement about job cuts.
“All we have been told is the university is in a very difficult financial position and that the situation is likely to get worse over next two years as result of falling student numbers and grants. We have been told redundancies are likely.
“We have been shown no figures on finances and have not been told how many jobs are threatened.
“We are obviously concerned about the threat and want to protect front line jobs. Protecting quality education and student support is key.”
The university said in a statement: “For some months Bangor University has been carrying out a wide-ranging review of its activities to ensure that it can respond to the changes that will arise over the coming years.
“The review will create scope for future investment in new and existing academic programmes, as well as improved facilities that will ensure that Bangor continues to provide its students with a high quality education.
“Over the coming weeks and months we will seek to identify ways in which current resources can be deployed differently to enable Bangor University to respond to the emergence of new opportunities to meet student needs within higher education, while at the same time ensuring that we achieve the highest levels of efficiency across our operations.”
Last week it emerged that Aberystwyth University has written to all staff seeking voluntary redundancies .
It is understood that up to 150 jobs are at risk as the university aims to save £11m over the next two years.
The university blamed competition for students, a drop in numbers of 18-year-olds and the effect of Brexit.
The University of South Wales – which has also blamed Brexit – has announced 139 jobs are being cut with a review due to end on Tuesday, May 15 and UWTSD has sent letters to all teaching and support staff seeking voluntary redundancies.
Although UWTSD – which has campuses in Carmarthen, Lampeter and Swansea as well as satellite campuses in Cardiff and London – has not revealed a target number Unison, which represents staff there, said management hope to make savings of around 10%.
The union fears compulsory redundancies are inevitable if universities do not receive enough volunteers.
Figures from university admissions body UCAS show an 8% drop in numbers of applications to study at universities in Wales, from students across the UK and the EU.
Domestic applications from Wales have also fallen 7% – the steepest decline of any of the UK nations – against a backdrop of universal tuition fee grants being scrapped.
