Newcastle University staff 'shocked' by plans for Indian campus amid £30m in cuts and potential job losses

Newcastle University has annoucned it is in the early stages of looking into an Indian campus.
-Credit:Newcastle Chronicle


The news Newcastle University is in the "early stages" of considering a new campus in India has left staff "shocked" - amid £30m in recently announced cuts and 300 potential job losses.

The University's vice chancellor and president, Professor Chris Day, announced yesterday that "Newcastle is seriously considering opening a campus" in India, according to education publication 'The Pie'.

Speaking at a British Council even in Delhi, the vice-chancellor continued: "All I can say is, watch this space... I am now leaving India absolutely convinced that we need to do this. The question is what kind of campus and what subject and where it will be, rather than if we will have a campus in India."

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While Newcastle University maintains exploring the idea will strengthen the organisation's future it has left the University and College Union (UCU) in dismay. The announcement comes following the revelation last September that the University was facing a funding shortfall of £35m, largely blamed on the declining number of international students.

This was shortly followed by University bosses signing off £30m in savings, including a £20m reduction in the salary bill, equivalent to 300 jobs, and expanding its voluntary severance scheme to all employees. However, the University has been unable to rule out the possibility of compulsory redundancies.

Prof Matt Perry, chair of Newcastle University's UCU branch, said: "We are shocked by the news that Newcastle University is thinking of opening a campus in India. We will be asking for full financial disclosures of the plans for this.

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"What is particularly galling is that the University is threatening its staff with compulsory redundancies on financial grounds. Staff will be horrified to hear that the University is embarking on such a project in the middle of threatening staff with redundancies."

The UCU is already in the process of balloting members and encouraging its academic cohort to agree to strike action. The result of the vote is expected to come through on February 10.

A Newcastle University spokesperson said: "We are in the very early stages of exploring new education partnerships in India. We are keeping staff informed of our plans and how they will help to strengthen our future as one of the world's top universities."