Ulster University freezes staff promotions over 'financial challenges'

Ulster University (UU) has made the "difficult" decision to freeze promotions for academic staff due to "unprecedented financial challenges".

The university employs about 2,700 staff across its four campuses in Belfast, Jordanstown, Coleraine, and Londonderry.

In a statement, a UU spokesperson said a Stormont decision not to increase tuition fees was one of the reasons for the move.

The university's head had been among those calling for tuition fees in Northern Ireland to rise.

However, Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald said she would not be increasing university tuition fees above the usual level of inflation.

The vice-chancellor of UU, Prof Paul Bartholomew, recently held what was described as a "town hall" meeting with staff.

After that meeting, staff received an email to tell them that "the university and the sector generally is facing unprecedented financial challenges as a result of the unsustainable funding model for Higher Education".

"Universities in Northern Ireland continue to operate under an unsustainable government funding model," it said.

"Whilst Ulster has been successfully growing and diversifying income, the inflationary erosion of the block grant continues to present ongoing financial pressure.

"While we have so far been able to avoid redundancies, it is essential that we continue to consider all possible financial efficiencies."

But the email also said that "the Senior Leadership Team has made the very difficult decision not to run an academic promotion round this year".

It means that the university will not be promoting any staff to higher grades in order to save money.

The email said the move "was not an easy conclusion to reach," and would be disappointing for staff.

Norman Hagan from the UU branch of the University and College Union (UCU) has criticised the university's decision to freeze staff promotions.

"It is bitterly disappointing that academic promotions have been indefinitely suspended when staff work above and beyond expectations," he said.

"It is vital that universities are adequately funded and UCU is calling for a UK-wide agreement to avoid redundancies, course closures and cuts, across the sector."

In a statement to BBC News NI, a university spokesperson said inflationary pressures were undermining the university's financial position.

"Due to the decision not to uplift tuition fees in line with even just recent inflation, nor to uplift the teaching element of the block grant in line with inflation, these pressures remain unmitigated," they said.

"Facing these financial challenges, without mitigation, while at the same time expecting Ulster University to maintain its capacity to deliver for Northern Ireland is unsustainable.

"This situation inevitably, and predictably, forces the University to make difficult choices."

As well as funding from tuition fees, UU also receives some funding from the Department for Economy (DfE) as well as research grants and use of its facilities.

According to the university's most recent accounts for 2023/24, UU's total income was £293m.

But the university said its grant from DfE had decreased slightly.

Staff costs make up around 55% of its expenditure.

President at Ulster University Students' Union, Emily Roberts, said she agrees that the current funding model for higher education is "just simply unsustainable".

She said that she understands the university is in a "difficult financial situation" but added that "burdening students with more debt is not the solution to a better economic future".