Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader and Economy Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA commented on the news that Ulster University is set to make up to 450 staff redundant.

Diana Armstrong MLA said:

“News that Ulster University is consulting on up to 450 potential job cuts is deeply concerning and I would urge all parties to do everything possible to avoid compulsory redundancies. Should these cuts proceed, it would represent a bitter blow for the staff and students involved, and for the wider higher and further education sector in Northern Ireland.

“However, this situation did not arise in isolation and must prompt a much wider conversation about the sustainability of higher education funding in Northern Ireland. Ulster University has been clear that the decision not to uplift tuition fees in line with inflation, combined with the real-terms erosion of the block grant, has left institutions with very little financial flexibility. But I believe the current maximum student number cap is limiting the university’s ability to grow and diversify its income. These are structural pressures that cannot be ignored, and the Economy Minister must engage seriously with how our universities are funded. At the same time, universities have a responsibility to manage their finances appropriately and to demonstrate to staff, students, and the public that every avenue has been explored before posts are put at risk, including expenditure and the subsequent loan related to the Greater Belfast Campus.”