Loss of academic staff and “cold spots” for humanities and social science degrees threaten strategically vital skills for UK, says British Academy

A new data map released today by the British Academy shows a sharp and widespread decline in opportunities for university staff in the humanities, social sciences and arts subjects in 2024-25. The map uses unique evidence to track a decade of change in university staffing trends in these subjects.

“Mapping SHAPE Academic Staff” shows a precarious landscape for academics at the start of their careers, with the last year showing losses of posts and pronounced cuts to teaching staff. Patterns of decline were not mirrored at senior and professorial levels which remain stable or growing.

If opportunities for the next generation of researchers continue to decline, the UK’s ability to develop the expertise, knowledge and research capabilities needed to address future economic and societal challenges is put at risk. From identifying and tackling misinformation to the safe use of AI, and the crucial role of language learning in diplomacy and national security, the humanities and social sciences are vital to the questions and challenges the UK is facing.

The data complements the Academy’s “Cold Spots” maps which highlight where access to studying these subjects is shrinking, or in some cases, disappearing, reducing access and opportunities for students who cannot travel far from home to study.

Taken together, the two datasets show more than isolated course closures or staffing changes. They reveal a wider erosion of the people, places, and capabilities that sustain these strategically important disciplines across the UK.

Across both datasets, languages and humanities subjects such as English and Classics are among the worst affected, with stark regional inequalities emerging. In the last year, early career staff decreased by nearly 20% in both the North East of England and East Midlands, while there was little change in London and the East of England. Universities cannot remain at the heart of local economies without talented people to research, teach, and engage the public.

The humanities, social science and arts subjects are integral to a thriving society. The Academy’s data shows that people who study these subjects gain the skills employers and the economy need and are resilient to changes in the economy and job market.

The Academy is calling for Governments to collaborate across departments and regions, taking a comprehensive view of the issues, to stem the tide and prevent further erosion of strategically important skills, teaching opportunities and research capability.

Hetan Shah, Chief Executive of the British Academy said:

“Higher Education is one of the UK’s greatest strengths, but it is at a critical juncture. The findings in our data show a weakening of the pipeline of talent on which future teaching, research and innovation depend. It is especially worrying to see the stark regional inequalities that are emerging in our data.

“Without action, strategically important disciplines and skills for the UK risk being lost to the winds, by accident or simply because no-one was watching. Any growth-driving industrial strategy cannot be fully realised without talent. This requires a strong higher education and research system, rooted in local communities and economies, where teaching and research capabilities are protected. We need a coherent plan to shore up the long-term sustainability of universities for future generations and to enable regional prosperity”.

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