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Bill Bryson Library at night

Voluntary Severance Scheme for academic staff

Last updated: Thursday 5 November, 11am.

Durham University is opening a voluntary severance scheme (VSS) for academic staff.

Durham is in a secure financial position. We are a QS World Top 100 and UK top 10 university with regional, national and global impact.  

We continue to tightly manage our finances to maintain a strong academic environment for future generations.  

Voluntary severance gives academic colleagues an opportunity to consider their future plans. It also helps the University to create sustained financial capacity to invest in priorities aligned to our strategy.

Decisions will be made following consideration of academic, research and operational needs, including academic workload implications.

This scheme has been communicated widely to our academic staff and to our recognised trade unions. It opens on Monday 9 November and closes on Monday 7 December.

Further information.

  1. It is important to note this scheme is entirely voluntary for both individuals and the University. Importantly: it is not a redundancy scheme which is different. There are no targets for specific savings or reductions and there are no predetermined outcomes. There are no plans or proposals to reduce the number of academic staff when the scheme concludes.
  2. Durham remains committed to being an academically broad, collegiate university. We will seek to retain all academic disciplines and do not intend to close departments.   
  3. Durham is in a secure financial position. Subject to external audit, the University will be recording an improved operating surplus for the year 2025-26. 

Additional information, Thursday 5 November, 5.30pm:

Over the last few years, Durham University has addressed the acute financial pressures affecting UK higher education through proactive and prudent financial management. This scheme is part of that ongoing process, because, put simply, costs are projected to rise more rapidly than income. We will continue to maintain Durham University's sound financial position.
We monitor and manage University operations closely and responsibly to ensure that all staff have a manageable workload - continually reviewing what activity must be delivered, and what can be paused or stopped. In 2025, we declined many applications for voluntary severance because certain work had to continue. It is important that the University returns a surplus, so that we can continue to invest in core priorities: in research, education, student experience, and supporting infrastructure.