Uni of Essex: stop the cuts

University of Essex vice-chancellor Professor Frances Bowen has announced ruinous cuts as the institution struggles to tackle a £23 million deficit.

She plans to close down the Southend campus and slash around 400 full-time posts across the institution, split evenly between academic and professional services staff.

The university blames its financial issues on falling student numbers, especially among international undergraduates who pay higher fees.

But the cuts will make Essex a less attractive place to study, with fewer people delivering courses and supporting students’ time at the university.