**Union Sounds Warning Over Future of Welsh Universities Amid Escalating Financial Crisis**
The future of higher education in Wales has come under intense scrutiny as a leading union warns there is a real risk that a university could collapse within the next twelve months unless urgent action is taken. Dan Beard, chair of Unison Cymru’s higher education forum, delivered a stark message to Senedd members, stating that radical changes are necessary to prevent Welsh universities from either folding or significantly reducing their operations.
The warning coincided with a session at Westminster during which Welsh university vice chancellors presented a more reserved optimism about their institutions’ survival. However, the overarching tone remained one of concern, as they addressed an ongoing Commons inquiry into the mounting pressures facing higher education in Wales. These pressures, triggered in part by sweeping cost-saving measures in institutions up and down the country, have left the entire sector in a precarious state.
In evidence submitted to the committee, Mr Beard was candid: “Almost every university is implementing cuts in some form,” he remarked, citing widespread job losses and the discontinuation of courses as recurring themes. Unison criticised the Welsh Government’s recent allocation of £18.5 million in additional funding, noting it falls far short of covering major shortfalls; Cardiff University alone faces a deficit of £30 million this year.
The sentiment was echoed by sector leaders, with Swansea University’s vice chancellor Professor Paul Boyle telling MPs, “The system at the moment does not lend itself to sustainability.” University leaders explained that the extra finance provided by the Welsh Government was rapidly offset by other escalating costs, specifically rising national insurance contributions. Many are now calling for an increase in domestic tuition fees in line with inflation, in hopes of stabilising university finances.
Recent changes to visa rules for students’ family members have exacerbated financial strain by impacting applications from lucrative international students, which have traditionally been a critical source of income. Added to this, persistent inflation and static tuition fees have made financial planning almost impossible for university leaders, as stated by Professor Rachael Langford, vice chancellor of Cardiff Metropolitan University. While she, like other vice chancellors, voiced confidence that necessary cutbacks would secure their institution’s future, she also described trying to plan amid constant government policy changes as “like tumbling around in a washing machine.”
Institutions are being forced to make drastic decisions just to remain viable. Professor Edmund Burke at Bangor University explained that job cuts intended to claw back £15 million in savings are vital to ensure the long-term survival of the 140-year-old institution. Similarly, Professor Elwen Evans, vice chancellor of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, conceded that the closure of its historic Lampeter campus was a “painful” necessity due to prohibitive running costs.
Not all leaders sounded an alarmist note—Dr Ben Calvert of the University of South Wales remained upbeat about his institution’s prospects, stating, “I think USW is in a strong cash position.” However, he admitted that this was only possible due to a process of stringent rationalisation.
The scale of the crisis is reflected in sector-wide deficits, with only Wrexham and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David recording surpluses last year. All eight Welsh universities, together with the Open University in Wales, joined the debate, while staff unions such as UCU and Unison were subjected to questioning about their members’ losses and the impact of cuts.
Beyond Wales, the challenge is mirrored nationwide, with recent data showing that around 70% of UK universities are now undertaking significant savings plans. Nevertheless, Wales faces unique hurdles, including the UK’s lowest rate of university applications among eighteen-year-olds and a notable decline in research funding.
As Welsh universities brace for further upheaval, union and university leaders alike remain adamant that a more sustainable and coherent national funding model is needed. Without intervention, the prospect of closures, job losses, and reductions in higher education opportunities across Wales remains a genuine risk, underscoring a period of critical uncertainty for the sector.