Wellcome responds to job losses at Cardiff University and Durham University

Beth Thompson, Executive Director, Policy & Partnerships at Wellcome, said:

“The news of job losses is a stark reminder of the precarious financial situation facing the university sector. Universities are key pillars of both local and national economies. This instability not only threatens the UK’s world-renowned role as a leader in science but also the country's ambitions for long-term economic growth. It's in everyone's interest that the government moves quickly to work with the university sector to find strategic and ambitious solutions that can put them on a stable financial footing.

"Beyond its crucial role in underpinning so much of the UK's economic strength in research and development, the university sector is responsible for a huge amount of research that drives new discoveries and breakthroughs in health. Weakening universities puts our future ability to unlock new knowledge at risk."