Strike threat at Exeter as thousands back petition against cuts

A strike ballot has been called at the University of Exeter as concern mounts over the impact of deep job cuts at the institution.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) will be asked to vote on whether they back industrial action from 27 July.

A previous indicative vote showed strong support for strikes among members, with 92 per cent saying they would be willing to walk out, on a turnout of 68 per cent.

Last month Exeter put 500 staff at risk of redundancy, with 150 full-time-equivalent posts eventually expected to go.

The bulk of the changes are concentrated in the university’s School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, with UCU alleging it has been “disproportionately targeted” despite being world leading.

Exeter has insisted it must “take action now” to ensure the future viability of the institution, and it will retain one of the largest humanities faculties in the country.

But Exeter UCU co-chair Michael J. Flexer said the “world-class institution” was at risk of being “destroyed”.

If successful in its ballot, UCU threatened strikes on the campus at the start of the academic year, calling on the university’s management to rule out compulsory redundancies.

A petition against the cuts has gained over 30,000 signatories and the staff campaign has been backed by public figures including Stephen Fry, Rory Stewart, George Monbiot, Samira Ahmed, Alice Roberts, Mark Kermode, Adam Rutherford and Rowan Williams.

UCU said Exeter was recruiting an “unprecedentedly high number of undergraduate students” and its surplus posted in 2025-26 showed cuts were not necessary.

General secretary Jo Grady said: “There is no financial need whatsoever for these cuts. The management team at University of Exeter needs to change course before it causes yet more harm to the institution’s reputation.”

A spokesperson for the university said that the cuts were “proposals at this stage”.

“The university is not proposing to close any departments or disciplines, and under these proposals Exeter would continue to have one of the largest faculties of humanities, arts and social sciences in the UK,” they added.

“We hope to achieve these changes through voluntary measures and are committed to working closely with our community and the trade unions to avoid compulsory redundancies wherever possible. All colleagues affected by the proposed changes will receive all the information they need throughout the process, along with every opportunity to ask questions, raise concerns, and participate fully.  The university will ensure that this process is fair and consistent throughout.”

The spokesperson said that while Exeter remains in a strong position, “rising costs, the real-terms decline in tuition fee income, underfunded research, and a sustained drop in international student demand mean we must take action now”. 

“These changes are intended to secure the university’s long-term sustainability, protect our teaching and research excellence, and ensure our activities remain aligned with future priorities.”

tom.williams@timeshighereducation.com