Despite an overall increase in headcount, Oxford University made 519 redundancies in 2023-24, over 100 more than any other Russell Group university. This figure includes staff at the end of fixed term contracts, a practice which is heavily prevalent at Oxford, with 66% of employees on such contracts compared to an average of 40% at other UK institutions according to a report from the University and College Union (UCU) released in October 2023.
This number does not include staff from Oxford University Press (OUP), where 137 additional redundancies took place, with the subsequent total of 656 resulting in a total cost of £5.3 million for the compensatory payments. The number also does not include redundancies made by individual colleges. Despite this, a University spokesperson told Cherwell that the overall number employed by the University rose by over 500 to a total of 16,905 staff.
In its annual report and accounts, the University set out the figures under “compensation for the loss of office.” Comparison to previous years shows that this is the highest number of redundancies (excluding OUP employees) in a single year since the data began being publicly released by the University in the 2018-19 report, including the period affected by the pandemic.
When compared to the annual accounts of the 23 other Russell Group universities – excluding Cardiff which is yet to release its records – Oxford is a clear exception, with a figure far higher than the average of 210 employees. Cambridge is second on the list, with 414 redundancies, with Nottingham close behind on 408.
David Chivall, the President of the Oxford branch of the UCU, the union that represents academic and related staff told Cherwell the main reason for this high number is the University’s “exploitation of casualised contracts to the point where University practices aren’t always consistent with employment law.”
“[This] has a detrimental effect on staff wellbeing and, for example, limits the ability of staff to find secure housing. The end of a fixed-term contract is legally classed as a redundancy and because Oxford relies more than any other UK University on fixed-term contracts, it has to pay more redundancy pay than any other UK institution.”
In Oxford UCU’s 2023 report, 52.7% of surveyed casualised staff reported experiencing unequal treatment compared to their permanent colleagues, with 44.9% of respondents rating their job security as ‘very bad’ – the worst possible score.
In response to these redundancy figures, an Oxford University spokesperson told Cherwell: “As a large employer, the University has a wide range of operational needs and therefore has a requirement for both temporary and fixed term staff, including where a role is linked to external funding.
“Each year many fixed term contracts come to the end of their term for a variety of reasons, while others begin. However, during 2023/24 the overall number of staff employed by the University increased by more than 500 to 16,905 staff.
“Last year the Pay and Conditions review, commissioned by the Vice-Chancellor, reported on its outcomes which included a number of the actions arising in relation to fixed-term contracts. These included ensuring that all employees are able to access the University’s contractual benefits equally, and addressing the use of repeat fixed-term contracts in some areas.”
