Queen's agrees 103 job cuts plan

Staff held a protest at the university

The senate of Queen's University has agreed a plan to cut 103 jobs and close its German department.

The ruling body agreed the move on Tuesday, arguing it would save money and increase Queen's chance of joining the world's top 100 universities.

However the lecturers' union said it was the wrong decision.

University management and union representatives are to appear before the Employment and Learning Committee at Stormont later.

They were summoned after MLAs learned of the plan to cut jobs and subjects.

The university wants to ensure that most academic staff do high quality research, so the jobs of those who only teach students could be in jeopardy, said BBC NI education correspondent Maggie Taggart.

"The union involved says it will fight the job losses even though the number is smaller than originally predicted," she said.

"The 103 staff targeted will be offered voluntary redundancy or early retirement but compulsory redundancies are not ruled out."