KU chiefs are drawing up plans to cut £35m from budgets as UK universities prepare to make thousands of teaching jobs redundant.

The Deans of Faculty have been asked to draft plans to cut costs by 10 to 15 per cent at a scenario planning meeting. Proposals could include freezing pay and recruitment and expanding existing early retirement plans.

The moves are part of KU's reaction to government's decision to cut funding for higher education by £315m in 2010-11. 

The University and College Union (UCU) believes that up to 15,000 jobs could be axed over the next few years across the UK. London universities are already planning drastic savings.  Kings College London plans to shed up to 500 jobs. The University of Westminster also expects to lose 150 staff.

Mike Roberts, vice-chair of Kingston’s University and College Union branch, has said that he is confident lecturers will resist any steps that will lower the quality of education at the university. He said: “ The Kingston UCU branch deplore any redundancies, cuts in student intakes, moves to more `cost-effective teaching methods', for example larger class sizes or reduced class contact hours, which might result from the scenario planning currently being carried out by the University's management.”

HEFCE will confirm Kingston University’s grant for 2010/11 in early March. Vice Chancellor Sir Peter Scott said: “The University is in a healthy financial position and does not anticipate having to make any immediate reductions in staff numbers or services to students.  However, if funding continues to be cut, reductions cannot be ruled out in the future.

“The University is currently looking at a number of potential funding scenarios and developing a range of solutions to address any future financial challenges.  The aim of this exercise is to provide reassurance that the University could absorb potential funding cuts while remaining a viable – and, crucially, a vital – institution.”

This work on scenario planning is being led by Neil Latham, Pro Vice-Chancellor for employer engagement, on behalf of the Senior Management Group and Executive Board.