Scotland’s Education Secretary said she had been “surprised” by news that 700 jobs are to go at Dundee University – saying ministers had not been told that figure in advance before it was revealed in a letter to MSPs.
Jenny Gilruth insisted while she and higher education minister Graeme Dey had “interrogated” senior figures at the university over the scale of job losses, there had been “no movement” from the initial figure provided that 632 full-time equivalent posts would go.
However, in a letter to MSPs on Holyrood’s Education Committee, interim principal Professor Shane O’Neill revealed the job cuts would likely affect about 700 people.
Ms Gilruth told MSPs she had been “somewhat surprised” by this, saying the total had “not been shared with ministers in advance in relation to that number”.
She stressed that the number of job losses was “not palatable to ministers”, as she added the university, which is receiving £22 million of emergency cash, is now “looking at alternatives”.
Committee convener Douglas Ross said the total number of people who could lose their jobs had been shared with the committee because he had questioned Mr O’Neill on the matter when he appeared before them two weeks ago.
Mr Ross said: “The reason the interim principal wrote to this committee is I asked what is the actual number of people who will lose their jobs, that is how we found out.”
Ms Gilruth, however, said she and the higher education minister had “interrogated” the university’s draft financial recovery plan (FRP) with both the principal and senior management team there.
She stated: “We have asked and engaged with the principal and the senior management team, there was no movement from the 632 figure.
“So we were surprised by yesterday’s reports.
“That figure was not one that had been shared with ministers in advance of the committee receiving it yesterday, which I think is concerning.”
She said she would be “discussing this matter” at a meeting with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) – which funds universities in Scotland – later on Wednesday.
The Education Secretary also stressed the Scottish Government could potentially provide more support to help Dundee University through what she described as a “very challenging time”.
The job losses were announced as the university seeks to deal with a £35 million deficit.
However, the scale of job losses has seen the University and College Union accuse Dundee University of “academic and economic vandalism”, with Ms Gilruth accepting the community is “very concerned” about the situation.
She told the committee: “We know how important that university is to Dundee and the wider economy as well.
“So, we expect the university to look at alternatives. It is a very challenging time in relation to Dundee University and its finances, we have made available that liquidity support, we are looking at what more we might be able to provide the university with.”
And while she said there had not been a further request for aid from the institution, she added ministers “remain open to those asks”.
Amid reports that the initial amount of cash the Scottish Government provided had been scaled down from £20 million to £15 million, Ms Gilruth said there had been “negotiations about the amount required”.
That £15 million was provided as part of the Scottish Budget, with the Education Secretary later announcing a further £10 million.
And she told MSPs: “The important point is the £22 million liquidity ask from Dundee University has been fully met and there have been no further asks since.”
Ms Gilruth continued: “The liquidity support allows the university to continue, but it doesn’t bring the job loss number down so we need to work with the SFC on the next steps for that.”
She stated: “We expect an alteration to be made to the draft FRP because, as the committee heard two weeks ago from the principal, they are looking again at alternatives.
“When that comes forward the Government will consider what further support we may be able to provide, via the auspices of the SFC.”
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