Up to 200 jobs at risk at Aberystwyth uni, says MS
Up to 200 jobs could be at risk as Aberystwyth University tries to save £15 million, an MS has said.
On Thursday, the university announced that there would be a "significant change " to the way it operates to save money.
The institution said this was due to a number of factors, including the impact of inflation and a "collapse in international recruitment markets".
Elin Jones, MS for Ceredigion, said between 150 and 200 jobs at the university could be under threat.
The university's vice-chancellor Prof Jon Timmis discussed the challenges facing the higher education sector throughout the UK in an announcement to staff.
He said this was due to the effects of high inflation, domestic student fees that have not increased with inflation and a collapse in international recruitment markets.
Because of this, he said the university - which has around 8,000 students and 2,000 staff - needed to make significant savings.
"Like many other universities in Wales, as part of the plans to make savings, the institution will start a voluntary redundancy scheme which will help to reduce expenditure," the university said in a statement.
The university added that it was hoping to "avoid compulsory redundancies as far as possible".
'Significant' impact
Ms Jones told BBC Radio Cymru that the wider impact on Aberystwyth could be significant.
"The union within the university estimate there can be between a hundred and fifty and two hundred jobs (under threat).
"Voluntary redundancies is an important first step, and hopefully we will not have to move to compulsory redundancies which is something completely different.
"The impact on a town like Aberystwyth, an area like Ceredigion is significant. The university is extremely important economically to the economic structure of the county."
The deputy mayor of Aberystwyth, Maldwyn Pryse, said the news created "uncertainty not only in the university but also in the town".
Last month, Swansea University announced a series of job cuts due to "financial challenges".
A spokesperson said 189 workers had successfully applied for voluntary redundancy since September.
The University of South Wales also announced that it was offering voluntary redundancies in order to make financial savings.
The Welsh government said it recognised "the financial pressure on higher education institutions", adding that "the Cabinet Secretary for Education engages regularly and constructively with sector leaders on this".
