Lecturers at two prominent Scottish institutions, the University of Aberdeen and Heriot-Watt University, have overwhelmingly backed industrial action, including full walk-outs, in response to proposed job cuts and what unions describe as a deepening financial crisis within the sector. The ballots by the University and College Union (UCU) signal escalating tensions over management’s refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies.
At the University of Aberdeen, 83% of UCU members voted in favour of strike action, with a 60% turnout, while 90% supported action short of a strike. The dispute centres on the university’s “Adapting for Continued Success” transformation programme, aimed at tackling a reported £4.3 million deficit, reduced from £12.5 million. The union highlights that this comes despite approximately 40 staff having already departed through voluntary severance or retirement.
This latest mandate for industrial action follows a similar dispute in Spring 2024, where planned strikes were averted “at the last minute” after management withdrew proposals for compulsory redundancies, particularly in the modern languages department.
Dan Cutts, Aberdeen UCU branch co-chairman, stated: “Once again members of the union at Aberdeen have shown that they’re willing to stand up to job cuts and will take action to stop people being forced out.”
Professor Peter Edwards, who assumed the role of Principal and Vice-Chancellor on 1 November 2025, has acknowledged the difficulty in ruling out compulsory redundancies given the financial landscape. However, UCU General Secretary Jo Grady found it “unbelievable that management at Aberdeen are again trying to force staff from their jobs.” A University of Aberdeen spokesperson emphasised the necessity for change due to “continued challenges and financial pressures testing the UK higher education sector.”
Meanwhile, at Heriot-Watt University, 74% of UCU members voted for strike action on a 70% turnout, with 87% backing action short of a strike. This follows a proposed “right-sizing exercise” that could see at least 41 jobs cut across its Scottish campuses and a further 10 in Malaysia.
Kate Sang, Heriot-Watt UCU president, criticised the university’s stance, noting its “refusal to commit to preserving the valuable research time of staff.” Concerns have also been raised about plans to discontinue the 25-year-old Scholar programme, which provides online learning for Scottish schools.
These localised disputes reflect broader systemic pressures on the UK higher education sector. Universities across the country are grappling with significant financial strain, exacerbated by frozen domestic undergraduate tuition fees – capped at £9,250 since 2017 and now worth considerably less in real terms – coupled with declining government grants and inflationary operating costs.
A May 2025 report by the Office for Students (OfS) indicated that 43% of institutions expected a deficit for 2024-25, with nearly three-quarters potentially in deficit by 2025-26. Universities UK (UUK) surveys highlight widespread cost-cutting measures, including course closures, reduced research investment, and, increasingly, compulsory redundancies. This volatile environment has seen other institutions, such as Robert Gordon University and the University of Edinburgh, also face industrial action over job security in recent times.
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Both universities have expressed regret over the potential for industrial action, with the University of Aberdeen spokesperson stating it is “disappointing, particularly when our students would be those most affected.”
The UCU continues to urge university leadership to engage in meaningful negotiations and to unequivocally rule out compulsory redundancies to prevent further escalation.
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