One of the UK’s most prestigious universities could be hit by industrial action if it halts admissions to its veterinary degree programme.

Three unions have warned the University of Cambridge they could initiate formal dispute proceedings if would-be students are not permitted to start the course from 2026.

A decision on its future could be made as early as this week and officials insist work to address regulatory concerns raised last year is being prioritised.

Survival

But Unison, Unite and the University and Colleges Union (UCU) have backed a Save the Vet School campaign, arguing that its very survival is now at stake.

The unions were due to take part in a protest rally tomorrow (4 March), having earlier issued a joint statement denouncing the admission pause idea.

They said: “There is a widespread feeling within the department that this must not be allowed to go ahead if the department is to retain its staff and secure its future.

“UCU has voted within its branch to consider dispute proceedings with the university in the event the general board press ahead with this premature decision, with Unite and Unison planning to introduce motions that would allow them to follow suit.”

Escalating concerns

Concerns about the vet school’s future have escalated following both the publication of a highly critical RCVS report last November – in which it was only granted conditional accreditation – and the emergence of broader concerns about its financial viability.

The unions claimed the present situation is putting more than 160 jobs at risk and was causing anxiety to both staff and students, as they accused the university of making an “opportunistic decision” to raise pressure on the department by inappropriately linking the accreditation and finance issues.

They added: “In particular, the uncertainty surrounding the future of the vet school, and the university’s lack of clear communication around it, has left many students concerned about the implications for their future employability if the university does not indicate it continues to have confidence in the teaching provided by the department.

“Furthermore, there is clear concern that a pause in admissions would impact students’ ability to make the best decisions for their own learning, particularly in cases where a student may need to consider intermitting into a non-existent year group.”

Decision

A meeting of the university’s general board is due to take place on Wednesday (5 March), where the unions say a decision on future veterinary admissions is set to be made.

The university declined to confirm or deny whether that was the case when approached by Vet Times and did not respond directly to union suggestions that it had “repeatedly” let down the veterinary department.

However, a spokesperson did say: “Our priority is to address the issues raised by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. The department continues to regularly engage with staff and students through open meetings and internal updates.”

The vet school is currently due to face a further RCVS assessment this autumn following the awarding of conditional accreditation.