Queen’s University Belfast has today launched a Voluntary Severance Scheme open to interested staff who meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria. 
 
The university has made it clear there will be no compulsory redundancies as part of the scheme. 
 
Similar to other UK higher education institutions, the University has undertaken a number of actions to manage costs in response to financial challenges being faced right across the UK higher education sector. 

Northern Ireland universities face an additional challenge as numbers of home students are limited by the Maximum Student Number (MaSN) cap, and the income for teaching home students does not cover the whole cost of teaching, creating a deficit.
 
In previous years, we have balanced this through income from our international students. However, there has been a sharp decline in the numbers of international students seeking to come to the UK. This has impacted on university income, and Queen’s is no exception.
 
The Voluntary Severance Scheme aims to reduce recurrent costs and improve organisational efficiency.
 
However, Queen’s is committed to its strategy of investing in the continued development of the university and the future of its staff and the student experience, and its positive impact on Northern Ireland.  
 
Alistair Finlay, Interim Vice-President and Chief People Officer at Queen’s University Belfast, said: 
 
“In the context of the challenging environment widely faced by the higher education sector at present, it is vital that we continue to be proactive and considered in ensuring that the University operates in an effective, efficient and financially sustainable way. In this context, we are announcing the launch of a Voluntary Severance Scheme.  . 
 
“The initiative is designed to provide an opportunity for eligible colleagues who may wish to explore new paths or consider a change in their professional journey. Staff can choose to apply or not, without any pressure or obligation.” 
 
The scheme is open for applications from all eligible staff until Friday 14 February.

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