Union members at Cardiff University have voted to strike as the institution prepares to axe about 400 academic jobs.

Eighty-three per cent of University and College Union (UCU) members who took part in a ballot said that they were prepared to walk out over Cardiff¡¯s plans to axe 400 full-time equivalent academic roles and close programmes in ancient history, modern languages and translation, music, nursing, and religion and theology.

There was also strong support for action short of a strike, including an assessment boycott, on a turnout of 64 per cent.

UCU members will meet later this week to decide on next steps if managers refuse to rule out compulsory redundancies.

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Cardiff has faced mounting criticism over its planned cuts, including the Royal College of Nursing and Neil Kinnock, the former Labour leader and university president, who warned about the impact of closing language courses on Wales¡¯ global standing. Thousands of people, including two Nobel prizewinners, have signed a letter opposing the merger of Cardiff¡¯s School of Mathematics with the School of Computer Science and Informatics.

The university has also come under fire for approving plans to open a branch campus in Kazakhstan while making cuts at home, although leaders have emphasised that they are not investing any capital in the venture, or seeking to outsource jobs.

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UCU claimed that it had commissioned an independent analysis of Cardiff¡¯s finances which showed that the university could draw on a ?188 million fund to protect jobs and courses as part of a longer, more gradual recovery.

Joey Whitfield, president of Cardiff¡¯s UCU branch, said staff were ¡°united in their opposition to the cruel and unnecessary cuts management are trying to force through¡±.

¡°It¡¯s time for Cardiff University leaders to listen to staff and recognise the huge amount of public, political, cultural and community support we have built before they further damage the university¡¯s tattered reputation,¡± he said.

¡°They must use the university¡¯s ?188 million of available cash to fund a more cautious and evidence-based approach to improving our finances without destroying our members¡¯ lives.

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¡°Industrial action is always difficult, and always a last resort, but if the university doesn¡¯t negotiate and row back on its disastrous plans we will be left with no choice.¡±

Internal documents seen by Times Higher Education have indicated that Cardiff will need to follow its cuts to academic staffing with reductions in professional services departments, and that the university is seeking to both reduce domestic student recruitment and increase student-staff ratios.

Cardiff has blamed its predicament on declining international student applications and increasing costs.

A spokesman said that the UCU¡¯s decision was ¡°disappointing¡± but that it would seek to minimise the impact of industrial action.

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¡°We recognise that these are extremely difficult and challenging times. However, it is important to stress that our proposals remain subject to an ongoing 90-day consultation,¡± the spokesman said.

¡°They aim to secure the long-term future of the university and we¡¯d urge UCU, and our other campus unions, to continue to work with us.¡±

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chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com