Research cuts make Cardiff Uni ‘a Russell Group university in name only’
Martin Shipton
Staff at Cardiff University fear that the near-halving of allocated research time for academics will compromise its status as an elite higher education institution.
The university is proud of its membership of the Russell Group of UK universities, which it joined in 1998.
But changes to Cardiff University’s business model following a widely criticised cuts programme are affecting its research capacity, considered a vital component of Russell Group status.
Following redundancies and retirements, remaining lecturers are expected to increase their teaching hours. Inevitably, that reduces the time available for research.
Under the changes, the baseline allocation of university-funded research time is being reduced from 600 hours per academic each year to 315. This changes the traditional division of working time: 40% research, 40% teaching and 20% administration. The university says externally funded research time is additional, and further allocations may be available.
Cardiff University is one of 24 Russell Group universities. The group’s website highlights the importance of research undertaken by its members, stating: “The Russell Group represents 24 leading universities across the UK. We are defined by excellence, impact, opportunity and scale. By combining world-class research, innovation and education, our universities are generating prosperity, strengthening national resilience and improving lives across the UK and beyond.
“Through collaboration and advocacy, the Russell Group works to advance and champion the positive economic, societal and cultural contributions of our universities. We seek to create the best conditions for our world-leading universities to maximise their public benefit and impact for the country and the world.
“Our universities share the ambition to change the world for the better. They do this by harnessing academic excellence at scale, through major civic and global partnerships, and with purpose across their research, innovation and education activities.
“They use groundbreaking research to make a difference: turning ideas into jobs, investment and innovative solutions to address the shared challenges we face – from cancer breakthroughs to the UK’s energy security and the cost of living. Located in every region and all 4 nations, they provide high-quality education, training and experience to nurture talent and develop the high-level skills the economy needs, transforming individual lives and creating opportunities for our regions to thrive.
“Globally, Russell Group universities have a reputation for high-quality research and education which generates significant export earnings and attracts inward investment for the UK. As international institutions, they leverage their extensive industry and academic reach to support investment, jobs and vibrant local ecosystems right across the country.”
A source in the university’s research management told Nation.Cymru: “The effect of the changes is to turn Cardiff University into a Russell Group university in name only.
“Staff are dismayed at what is happening. Managers were summoned to a leadership meeting on September 21 at which the deputy vice-chancellor, Damian Walford-Davies, made it clear that decisions had been taken and the staff were expected to comply. Most of the leaders are rookies, and this seemed like an attempt to impose a more authoritarian culture than has traditionally been seen as appropriate in a liberal academic setting.
“People are concerned, worried and dismayed by the reduction in research hours, and some are already leaving or making plans to move elsewhere. It’s heartbreaking to see.
“People are also being told that if they have been used to attending international conferences in their field, they should no longer do so but perhaps go every other year instead. This misses the point that such conferences usually represent a continuation from what has gone before, rather than being just one-off events.
“The University Executive Board has signed off these changes and its members are collectively responsible for them. This is all hugely divisive and will not end well.”
A spokesperson for Cardiff University said: “Cardiff University’s academic delivery model ensures a baseline of 315 university-funded hours for research (from a total of 1,500 hours across all activity), with scope for additional allocations according to strategic priorities and available capacity.
“Externally funded research time is added on top of the 315 hours. 315 is the absolute minimum research hours. This recognises the importance of research within academic roles, giving staff dedicated time to pursue their research and enabling further flexibility where strategic needs and capacity allow.
“Cardiff University has also maintained the same substantive policy on international travel since 2024, supporting our staff to undertake international activity within a framework that seeks to ensure fair and proportionate access to University resources.”
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Easy to criticise, but undergraduates have had poor value for money for high fees for years given the limited access to academic staff. If this situation at least makes the position no worse, then so be it. The conference goers need to appreciate who is paying the bills here.
As the husband of a Russell group lecturer, I would argue they’ve had very good value and their fees have been subsidised by international students. Universities aren’t turning over a profit! I would agree some man management might alleviate some problems
Most universities get over half their income from tuition; but only about 10 to 15% from research. This is ultimately how their bread is buttered.
There won’t be any staff to teach anything this way. You’re forgetting their employees like everyone else. And research is what makes teaching content better as well. Quite shortsighted.
Universities get funding for research, ultimately to make the economy better.
As the Welsh economy is not performing, maybe Cardiff University research has not been effective or followed?
If that was the case, should Aberystwyth University replace Cardiff as Wales Russell Group lead?
The baseline is 40% time for research. But if you get research grants the lecturer can buy out more time. The point being forgotten in this discussion is that Cardiff is not getting enough to research grants from the UK funding to justify the lecturers is getting more time to spend on research. It has got more competitive in recent years, but Welsh universities have been underfunded from WG for many years compared to English universities. Overall, we’re watching the real timeline of UK universities on the international stage. But the decline is steepest in Wales universities. Because of decisions… Read more »
That’s a pretty shockingly narrow view of why anyone does research. The economy is not everything.
The future is bleak for our universities. The UK government working very hard to placate the Daily Mail, Daily Express and Daily Telegraph readers over immigration. Consequently there has been a dramatic drop in international student numbers being recruited to our universities. What kind of government stops some of the brightest and best people in the world coming to study in their country?
Quire right, and if the brightest and best want to stay in the UK, and bring their families here, we should say welcome !
The opposite would be happening if the top team were bonused on improving the university’s international ranking which is heavily affected by research.
Surely cutting the allocation of research time for Teaching and Research staff is an academic decision — that is Senate should have discussed it. Apparently they did not and the decision was imposed from above without consultation. This reflects the increasingly autocratic nature of the Larner/Walford Davis regime (and I use regime here as I would for the ‘Trump’ regime’ or the ‘Putin’ regime). The ideal of the university as an association of scholars, students and scientists whose shared vocation is the pursuit of the truth has been comprehensively trashed.
Urfan is much bigger snake. PGRs left without supervision on tax payers money, wrong programme codes… sudden promotion and now best friends with Damien… be blind if you want but this is the best way to push out toxic Accademics.
It’s called “Managing out”
I guess getting into bed with the industrial war machine didn’t help?