Queen's University Belfast criticised for India expansion amid job cuts

Last week, the university confirmed plans to open a campus in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), in 2025

Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) has come under fire for its decision to establish a new campus in India while simultaneously implementing 270 job cuts in Northern Ireland.

 

According to a report in the BBC, the University and College Union (UCU) has condemned the move as “scandalous,” accusing QUB of using public funds to finance job losses at home while expanding abroad.

 

The university announced the redundancies — equating to more than 5 per cent of its workforce —in October, citing a financial deficit of over £11 million for 2024-25. It attributed the shortfall to a sharp decline in international student enrolments, necessitating cost-cutting measures, including a voluntary redundancy scheme.

 

 

However, last week, QUB confirmed plans to open a campus in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), in 2025. The new facility will initially offer five postgraduate programmes tailored to the Indian economy. QUB claims the expansion will enhance international partnerships and innovation opportunities between India and Northern Ireland, the report said.

 

The report mentioned that the UCU has strongly criticised the university’s decision, arguing that QUB receives significant funding from Stormont’s Department for the Economy and should prioritise job retention in Northern Ireland.

 

“It is scandalous that QUB is investing heavily in a new campus halfway across the world while axing jobs in Belfast,” said UCU General Secretary Jo Grady.

 

Katharine Clarke from UCU added that the university was “prioritising expansion abroad rather than safeguarding jobs in Belfast,” while also raising concerns about increased workloads for remaining staff. The union has called an emergency general meeting on Thursday to discuss the issue further.

 

According to the BBC, in response, QUB stated that the financial pressures affecting UK’s higher education had forced it to take “proactive” measures to ensure long-term sustainability. Interim Vice-President Alistair Finlay defended the voluntary redundancy scheme, insisting it provides staff with an opportunity to explore new career paths, with no obligation to apply.