The?number of job cuts that have been made in UK higher education could be much higher than previously thought, with more than 20,000?roles potentially affected, according to new research.

Rebecca Harrison, a former lecturer at The Open University, said that the extent of the deterioration of job security in universities was ¡°alarming¡±, adding that institutions had not been transparent about the extent of the cuts occurring in the sector.

After conducting a survey of 349 university workers across 97 higher education institutions, Harrison, alongside former University and College Union (UCU) treasurer David Harvie, estimated that the extent of the sector¡¯s job cuts could be massively underestimated in publicly recorded figures.

The report estimates that while 8,900 people are being, or have recently been, affected by compulsory redundancies across the sector¡¯s 165 institutions, a further 11,500 people have been affected by ¡°back-door¡± redundancies, such as voluntary severance and redundancy schemes, hiring freezes, non-renewal of fixed-term contracts and?fire and rehire practices.?

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These figures surpass previous estimates, with UCU estimating earlier this year that?10,000 staff could leave the sector by the end of this academic year.

Respondents representing 86 of the 97 universities surveyed report that their institution has imposed hiring freezes, and 78 report the non-renewal of at least some fixed-term contracts.

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The researchers argue that the job cuts are having wide-reaching implications on teaching standards, research and academic freedom. The survey finds that 21 per cent alleged trade union victimisation in the selection of people targeted for redundancy, and 36 per cent feel that there has been deliberate targeting of people openly critical of management. A further 36 per cent describe the undermining of academic freedom following job cuts, they write in the ?report.?

One person told the report that it was like ¡°watching the birth of fascism¡± as colleagues singled out for redundancy were deliberately isolated.

¡°Not only is it in the interests of university senior managers to keep as many of these redundancies hidden as possible, but it¡¯s also in their interest to stick to the line that this is entirely about finances. And I think for everyone who¡¯s been working in a university over the last 10 years, I think it would be impossible for anyone to argue that this isn¡¯t much more sinister,¡± said Harrison.?

Harrison argued that the casualisation of the sector, which is seeing more people working on short-term contracts?as the number of jobs available dries up, is also having negative consequences on academic freedom because researchers ¡°don¡¯t want to seem contentious or upset management because [they¡¯ll] be constantly looking for the next position¡±.?

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Harvie, a former lecturer at the University of Leicester, argued that covenants reached between banks and universities could have financial implications on universities ¡°over many decades¡±, and in some cases ¡°up to 50 years¡±, which could elongate the sector¡¯s financial crisis, and noted that these covenants are often ¡°highly secretive¡±.

¡°University finances should be fully open to scrutiny and managerial financial decisions should be absolutely transparent,¡± he said.?

Overall, the survey finds that 91 per cent of staff have witnessed deterioration in working conditions, including less collegiality and lower morale following their institution¡¯s job cuts, and 90 per cent cite emerging anxiety, stress, depression or other health problems as a result of redundancy processes.?

juliette.rowsell@timeshighereducation.com