Keele University has become the latest to announce job cuts after it said the UK sector was facing ¡°unprecedented financial challenges¡±.

The institution has informed staff that ¡°at least¡± 100 academic posts and 50 professional services roles could go in its latest round of cost-cutting.

Staff at the university told?Times Higher Education the?plans were ¡°deeply concerning¡±, and the announcement follows news last month that the provider¡¯s University and College Union (UCU) branch had voted in favour of strike action after the university failed to ruled out the use of compulsory redundancies, and?unpopular department mergers.

A spokesperson for Keele University said: ¡°The UK higher education sector is facing unprecedented financial challenges as a result of tuition fees being frozen for over a decade and not keeping pace with inflation, as well as a volatile international student recruitment market.¡±

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It said ¡°Keele is not alone in facing these challenges¡±, with a report by the Office for Students finding that?almost half of English universities?are facing a financial deficit this year.?

¡°We have worked hard over several years to ensure Keele is able to withstand these pressures as much as possible, and job losses are always a last resort, but are necessary to secure Keele¡¯s long-term future.

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¡°We recognise that this is unsettling news for both staff and students, and our priority is to support staff who are affected by these changes, as well as minimising the impact of these changes on our students to ensure we can continue to deliver an outstanding student experience.¡±?

The news?comes after the University of Plymouth confirmed?plans?that put?up to 200 roles at risk of redundancy, and Newcastle University said it was planning on pressing ahead with 38 redundancies despite union opposition.

juliette.rowsell@timeshighereducation.com