Dear Members of the Vice-Chancellor’s Office and Future Nottingham's Office,

We are writing as Postgraduate Research (PhD & EdD) students at the University of Nottingham to express our deep concern about the ongoing Future Nottingham 2 redundancy process and its potential impact on academic staff, students, and the wider university community. This letter reflects the concerns, anxieties, and experiences shared by many PhD and EdD students who have been profoundly affected by the recent redundancy situation.

We fully understand that the University is currently facing serious financial challenges, and we recognise that difficult decisions are being made under significant institutional pressure. However, as PGR students, we believe it is important that the University fully considers the specific consequences that staff redundancies may have on research students, whose academic journeys are deeply dependent on stable supervisory relationships, intellectual guidance, and long-term academic support.

Over the course of our studies, many of us have witnessed fellow students experience sudden supervisory changes, uncertainty, and disruption, all of which created considerable academic and emotional stress. For PGR students, supervisors are not only academic advisors, but also mentors, collaborators, and key sources of professional and personal support. When academic staff are placed under prolonged uncertainty and pressure, this inevitably affects the wider research environment and the students who rely upon it every day.

In addition, many PGR students have experienced significant anxiety and emotional distress since hearing about the proposed redundancies. PGR students occupy a unique and often vulnerable position between being students and becoming early career researchers. Many of us hope to continue working within higher education in the future. Seeing respected lecturers, researchers, and supervisors facing such instability has created uncertainty not only about our own academic futures, but also about the sustainability and humanity of the academic environment we are being trained to enter.

Recently, some of us attended the PGR Future Nottingham Engagement Forum, where we listened carefully to different perspectives shared by students and University representatives. During the discussion, the University asked students to provide constructive suggestions. We therefore wish to respectfully put forward the following recommendations on behalf of concerned PGR students:

First, if there are any possible alternatives to large-scale redundancies, we strongly urge the University to prioritise these options and minimise compulsory staff cuts wherever possible. We recognise the financial difficulties facing the institution, but we also believe that protecting the academic community should remain central to the University’s long-term vision and values.

Second, if redundancies are ultimately unavoidable, we ask the University to adopt the following measures in order to protect both staff and students during this difficult period:

1. Prioritise wellbeing and mental health support for both staff and students. The current uncertainty has already created significant emotional pressure across the University community. We ask the University to ensure that adequate well-being and mental health support is made accessible and visible to everyone affected.
2. Provide clear guidance, transitional support, and student choice in cases where supervisors may leave the University. PGR students whose supervision arrangements are disrupted should be given transparent information, reasonable transition periods, and meaningful opportunities to express their preferences regarding future supervision arrangements.
3. Ensure transparency throughout all decision-making processes. Students, like staff, are directly affected by these institutional changes and therefore deserve clear communication and timely access to information regarding decisions that may impact their studies, supervision, funding, and academic futures.

Finally, and most importantly, we ask the University to recognise the financial and academic implications of these changes for PGR students. For self-funded students in particular, tuition fees represent not only access to a degree, but also an expectation of stable academic supervision and institutional support. If these conditions are significantly disrupted by redundancy-related restructuring, we ask the University to clarify how affected students will be supported and compensated.

Similarly, for sponsored students, we hope the University will provide clear and responsible communication to funding bodies regarding any institutional changes that may affect students’ academic progress or supervisory arrangements. We further urge the University to consider implementing financial support measures or compensation policies for students whose academic experiences and research progress may be negatively affected during this process.

Despite the current difficulties, we would also like to express our sincere appreciation for the dedication, professionalism, and care that academic and professional staff continue to show towards students during this period of uncertainty. Their contributions remain central to the intellectual and emotional life of the University community.

We sincerely hope the University leadership will carefully consider the human impact of these decisions alongside financial considerations, and work towards solutions that protect both the well-being of staff and the future of students.

Yours sincerely,

On behalf of the concerned Postgraduate Research Students (PhD & EdD)
University of Nottingham