Strategy to Recovery response
The University of Dundee is reducing courses, programmes and services under its Strategy to Recovery. This page is DUSA's running record of the consultation - every meeting, every decision, and every way you can still have your say.
Last updated · 12 August 2026Feel free to read our FAQs and get in touch with our Representation team if you have any further queries!
The University's senior management team responded to the questions DUSA submitted on 17 July, covering the scale of the proposals, timeline, courses, student support and how to get help. Read the full FAQ below.
The DUSA President and VPSA met the University Principal, Vice-Principal (Education & Student Experience) and Chief Operating Officer for further discussion on the proposals.
The President met Interim Principal Nigel Seaton and, separately, the University's Head of Corporate Communications, pressing for clearer and earlier information to students.
VP Academia and VP Representation met the affected English for International Students team, and DUSA published its fourth public statement on the cuts.
The Executive met the Student Support Service team to express solidarity and hear directly about the proposals affecting the service.
We asked the University to answer a set of frequently asked questions built from your class reps' input and the messages sent to representation@dusa.co.uk. The University's answers are now published - read them below.
Senate ratified the appointment of the new University Principal, formally announced the same day. The current DUSA President observed the University Court meeting; as Court membership runs from August to August, the former DUSA President remained a voting representative for this meeting.
The Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee ratified the proposed course and programme closures, with VP Academia and VP Representation in attendance. The same day, the Executive met affected Global Room staff, visited the new Student and Education Support Hub, and met the Careers Service team.
The Executive attended the Dundee University and College Union Town Hall alongside staff facing redundancy.
Regular meeting between the President and the Vice-Principal to raise ongoing student concerns.
The President and VP Representation circulated DUSA's framework document setting out the principles any meaningful student consultation must meet.
DUSA published its third public statement, and the Executive met the University's Communications team to set expectations for how students are kept informed.
The Executive met the Vice-Principal (Education & Student Experience), Chief Operating Officer, a Faculty Director of Operations and a senior member of the Communications team.
DUSA published its second public statement. The President joined the Education and Student Experience Stakeholder Group, meeting the candidates for University Principal and feeding student priorities into the appointment.
The President met the Vice-Principal to press for the detailed proposals still missing after the Senate briefing.
The Executive attended a Senate briefing outlining proposed reductions to courses and programmes. Numbers were shared - but no detailed proposals.
The President briefed local elected representatives on the impact of the cuts on students, building political pressure beyond the University.
The President met affected Philosophy staff to hear directly how the proposals would hit teaching and students.
The President met affected Chaplaincy staff. At the DUCU and Dundee Trades Union Council Town Hall, the former DUSA President took part as a panel member.
DUSA published its first public statement and opened representation@dusa.co.uk for student feedback. A student meeting was held to plan our response to the proposed cuts.
First formal discussion between DUSA and the University: the Executive and CEO met the Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice-Principal (Education & Student Experience) and two Faculty Directors of Operations.
The University's governing body approved the Strategy to Recovery - the plan under which all subsequent cuts to courses, programmes and services are being proposed.
DUSA built this FAQ from student input - your class reps and messages to representation@dusa.co.uk - and put it to the University's senior management team. These are their answers. We'll keep pressing for more detail and will update this section as things develop.
Like many universities across the UK, Dundee is facing a challenging financial situation. Since November 2024 the University has taken action to return to a more stable financial position, including two rounds of voluntary severance, tighter financial controls, freezing non-essential recruitment and limiting operational expenditure.
The University says it has made considerable progress toward financial stability, with support from the Scottish Government via the Scottish Funding Council. The number of people working at the University fell by 820 between August 2024 and August 2026 - the majority in professional services rather than academic roles.
Collective consultation with the campus trade unions runs for a minimum of 45 days from 16 June, though the University expects it to run slightly longer. Final decisions are expected in September or October 2026.
The University says that while collective consultation continues, everything remains a proposal. Feedback from staff and students, including from DUSA, is feeding into that process.
The University is in collective consultation with UCU, Unison and UNITE on proposals to reduce staffing by around 190 posts, split roughly equally across academic and professional services. There are proposals for change in every Faculty and Professional Services directorate.
Academic provision will stay broadly the same, but there are proposals to suspend some undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from September 2027, including in Languages, Maths and Philosophy. These are currently only proposals, subject to change through collective consultation.
There is no change to undergraduate course provision for September 2026 entry, and any student who starts in September or is already on a course will complete their degree at Dundee. The University notes it is normal for course and module provision to change year to year, depending on student demand and available resource.
Students would continue with their course at Dundee. The University says it will continue to teach all courses until all current and 2026/27-entry students have graduated.
Yes.
A new Student and Education Support Hub is now operating from the Old Medical School Building, with satellite teams at Kirkcaldy and Ninewells, integrating Registry and Student Services. Together with the new information and enquiry hub in the Main Library, this is intended as a key contact point for students on campus.
Proposed changes elsewhere include doing some things differently in student health and wellbeing services and the Chaplaincy, and in careers and employability; withdrawing from pre-entry English language teaching; consolidating learning technology services within Library and Academic Services; and withdrawing from operation of the Botanic Garden.
The University describes this as a wide-ranging change programme intended to operate more efficiently with a stronger focus on education and research. While collective consultation continues, these remain proposals rather than plans - more detail is expected in September/October once that process concludes.
Most services will see some degree of change, but the University says it will continue to offer a strong level of student support. Details will be confirmed once collective consultation concludes.
Yes.
A range of pastoral support remains available, via Student Services and also through DUSA.
Existing services can still be contacted. You can also speak to your adviser of studies and/or your Faculty Office, or visit the Student and Education Support Hub at the Old Medical School building on the City Campus.
Many courses will be affected to varying degrees, and much of this is described as "business as usual" change - module provision and optionality regularly shift year to year, for reasons like demand or changing focus.
There are proposals to end some degree programmes in Mathematics, Languages and Philosophy, but these remain subject to discussion and counter-proposals. Programmes would not end for existing students, but under the proposals some may close to new applicants.
It means the University would stop offering a programme to new applicants, in the short or long term, and eventually stop teaching it.
These are always liable to change through the University's annual portfolio review. The University says students would always be informed, engaged and consulted at the earliest opportunity about any changes to their programme.
Studies will continue as planned. If supervision arrangements change, this will be discussed with postgraduate researchers in good time, as is the University's usual process when colleagues leave or retire.
Alternative supervision would be put in place wherever required. The University says it has existing protocols for this, as used in situations such as prolonged staff absence.
The University points to student representation at every level of committee meetings, including at Court, its governing body. Senior management at University and Faculty level meet regularly with student representatives, and each programme or set of programmes has a student representative who can raise issues with teaching teams.
Surveys such as the National Student Survey and DUSA's own student experience survey also feed into this.
The University says it is continuing to invest in facilities where it can, and that part of the move to a stronger financial base is to enable further investment in facilities and resources to support a strong student experience.
The University says it will communicate regularly via your @dundee.ac.uk email, with Faculties providing updates in their own areas, and will continue working closely with DUSA. Its own information page will be updated as proposals turn into firm plans - and so will this one.
Speak to your Programme Director or Head of Division, and/or visit the Student and Education Support Hub at the Old Medical School building on the City Campus. DUSA can also offer support.
Speak to your adviser of studies about any impact on your studies. For wellbeing support, the University points to its guide at dundee.ac.uk/guides/get-help-mental-health.