Higher Education Under Pressure: Provision Tracker
One of our top priorities is ensuring that the UK has healthy maths degree provision at all tariff-levels and across the country. This must be a crucial part of any strategy to improve economic growth and productivity, or to strengthen the maths teacher workforce.
However, following several cuts or closures at university maths department in recent years, the start of 2025 has seen a series of university-wide announcements on voluntary redundancy processes, potentially affecting mathematics.
Therefore, in January 2025, CaMS launched our Provision Tracker, through which we will proactively monitor the health of university maths departments. We will do this by collating public data on provision, including through official university communications and other published content, such as news articles and research reports.
We want to work with university maths departments to prevent further downsizing or closures. We will support our colleagues in the maths community wherever possible.
If you would like to discuss a particular issue in strictest confidence, please contact Professor Jens Marklof, President of the London Mathematical Society, at J.Marklof@lms.ac.uk.
Public Announcements Around University Cuts and Closures
University of Wolverhampton
BBC News: University closures 'unsettling and worrying'
6 February 2025
BBC News: University to shut buildings as 'estate too big'
Aberystwyth University
Cambrian News: Aberystwyth University £8.1m in the red, situation 'will get worse before it gets better'
4 February 2025
Cambrian News: Union warns up to 200 jobs will be axed at Aberystwyth University
9 May 2024
Queen’s University Belfast
The Irish Times: Queen’s University Belfast launches voluntary job cuts amid €15m deficit
3 February 2025
Cardiff University
BBC Radio 4, Today Programme, Interview with the VC of Cardiff University: BBC Radio 4 - Today, 31/01/2025 (Listen at 2:42:20)
31 January 2025
BBC News: Cardiff University confirms plans to cut 400 jobs and axe courses
28 January 2025
Durham University
ITV News: Staff jobs at risk as Durham University sets out £20m cuts over next two years
29 January 2025
University of Kent
University of Kent seeks more job cuts to save £19.5m
27 January 2025
Newcastle University
Times Higher Education: Newcastle set to axe around 300 jobs in £20 million staffing cuts
22 January 2025
University of Reading
University of Reading: Voluntary Redundancy Scheme
20 January 2025
Birkbeck, University of London
Campaign for Mathematical Sciences: Professor Jens Marklof on the closure of maths degree courses at Birkbeck
25 Nov 2024
University of Sheffield
The Star: High-ranking courses targeted in Sheffield Uni redundancies
24 November 2024
University of East Anglia (UEA)
Cash-strapped UEA to shed 170 full-time jobs
20 November 2024
University of Huddersfield
BBC News: University of Huddersfield to cut 200 jobs and axe courses
26 April 2024
Oxford Brookes University
Times Higher Education: Oxford Brookes inks music and maths closures
2 Feb 2024
Campaign for Mathematical Sciences: Statement on the closure of mathematics degree courses at Oxford Brookes University
23 November 2023
University of Brighton
Campaign for Mathematical Sciences: Open Letter to VC of Brighton University
2 March 2023
Related content
Cardiff University: 'Welsh universities are not going bust'
BBC News
1 February 2025
Quarter of leading UK universities cutting staff due to budget shortfalls
The Guardian
1 February 2025
Dismay at plan to cut back A-level maths support programme
Financial Times
29 January 2024
Shrinking number of maths students
Campaign for Mathematical Sciences
13 August 2024
Maths degrees are becoming less accessible – and this is a problem for business, government and innovation
The Conversation
2 May 2024
Maths Deserts
Campaign for Mathematical Sciences
12 March 2024
Parliamentary Roundtable on University Maths Closures
Campaign for Mathematical Sciences
28 February 2024
UK must protect maths departments
Times Higher Education
5 Feb 2023
Get Involved
Please email cams@connectpa.co.uk if you want to get involved in the campaign or if we can help with your work. You also can sign up for the CaMS newsletter using the form on this page.
We are always looking for help and suggestions to advance the mathematical sciences, including from new campaign supporters and industry partners.
We are always happy to help by sharing data and insights about the mathematical sciences, and with media queries and speaking opportunities, and policy briefings and visits.
