The vice chancellor of a university facing a £30m budget deficit has resigned.
Prof David Richardson served in this capacity at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich for nine years.
Earlier this month, the University and College Union’s UEA branch expressed no confidence in the institution’s senior executives.
Prof Richardson said “it’s about time I retired from university”.
The UEA said it faces a revised budget deficit of £30m for 2023-2024, rising to £45m in three years.
In January, the university said it was planning to make layoffs due to “the impact of Covid, the tuition freeze, pressure on student numbers and rising costs.”
In a statement, Prof Richardson said: “UEA and the higher education sector as a whole now face a number of other challenges, but real opportunities also lie ahead for UEA.”
The professor of microbial biochemistry, who has been at the university for 32 years, said the UEA can now “create a new long-term vision to take it forward”.
The university announced that he would become professor emeritus at the UEA.
dr Sally Howes, Chair of the UEA Council, said it was “a sad day for the university”.
Prof. Christine Bovis-Cnossen, Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, will become acting Vice-Chancellor while the university begins searching for a permanent replacement.
Find BBC News: East of England Facebook, external, Instagram, external And Twitter, external. If you have a story for us, send an email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk, external
Add Comment