Arts University Bournemouth cuts ‘place student learning at risk’

Plans to cut nearly one in five jobs at Arts University Bournemouth will damage student learning, trade union Unison has warned.

The university has announced proposals to make 93 staff members redundant, equivalent to nearly a fifth of its total workforce, with 195 employees receiving letters to say they are at risk of losing their jobs.

The union said jobs affected include library assistants, marketing, HR and administrative staff, and technician demonstrators – student-facing workers who deliver hands-on learning.

Under the proposals, the technician demonstrators would be spread across different subject areas, rather than tied to specific courses, which the union says would undermine the tailored support students currently receive.

Unison Bournemouth higher and further education representative Preeti Sood said: “Staff are being made to pay for the poor financial decisions of the past. These proposals are drastic and short-sighted.

“Cutting staff numbers is a false economy. Technician demonstrators play a crucial role in the student experience. Removing or diluting their roles means less practical support, fewer learning opportunities and a lower standard of education.

“If these plans go ahead, those left behind will face unmanageable workloads and students will suffer.”