As many of you know, last week the University announced two measures in hopes of ensuring its financial sustainability: the closure of the Southend Campus from the 2026/27 academic year, and the introduction of a redundancy programme affecting 400 academic and professional services staff, aiming to save approximately £23 million in costs. 

To find more information on how this will affect you, the University has put together a list of FAQs, information here.

We’re here for you. 

Your Students’ Union have also put together a form for you to tell us how you’re feeling and if anything is unclear or missing from the information you have received so far. You can complete the form here. 

We know that these measures will have an impact and disruption on your student experience. Especially, Southend students who choose to continue their studies in Colchester or elsewhere.

While we understand that these decisions had to be made to ensure the long-term sustainability of the University, we’re very concerned about the potential impact on the quality of education and support the University can now provide at Essex.

In the coming weeks, we’re committed to actively listening to you and pushing for changes that benefit all students.

We’re calling on the University to:

• Ensure that Southend students receive appropriate logistical and financial support and compensation
• Extend the current consultation period and allow for greater flexibility in the process to minimize compulsory redundancies
• Provide transparency as to the institution’s finances and timelines for student support and redundancy process
• Avoid course closures at all costs to avoid further disruptions to students’ studies

This is bigger than Essex. The issues behind these decisions reflect a national crisis in Higher Education, with universities across the country under intense financial pressure.

The current market-led funding model is not working. The Office for Students has reported that almost 1 in 2 Universities are expecting a deficit this academic year. In the past three years, 105 institutions have launched redundancy, voluntary severance, or restructure programmes. These are not isolated events. They point clearly to deep, systemic issues that go far beyond any single university.

Because of this, we’re pushing for change beyond Essex.

Right now, the system is failing students, staff, and the communities universities serve. Students who are already struggling are being asked to carry the financial burden through rising fees, while grant funding continues to be cut. At the same time, recent immigration policies have created further instability, particularly for international students. All of this has contributed to the unsustainable position universities now find themselves in.

We echo the urgent calls for national action. The government must intervene, address the root causes of this crisis, and move away from the marketisation that has pushed Higher Education into such a precarious state.

At a national level, we’re going to:

• Publish an open letter calling on the government support universities by investing in Higher Education through increased grant funding
• Support the from calls other SUs to scrap the 6% levy on international students.
• Lobby MPs to support these goals and elevate these demands in Parliament
• Ask MPs to join for an all-student meeting in Winter Term for them to hear your concerns directly from you
• Ask the University to join us in lobbying the government for meaningful change to the funding model for Higher Education

We’re monitoring the situation closely and will continue sharing updates so you know exactly what’s happening and how we’re advocating for you.