UK chemistry departments and courses experiencing shutdowns, prompting concern from the Royal Society of Chemistry
The UK is experiencing a significant trend of university chemistry departments and courses closing or being drastically reduced due to financial pressures and cost-cutting measures implemented by universities. This is part of a broader pattern of cuts in higher education institutions affecting various departments, with chemistry among those at risk.
Financial Struggles and Institutional Changes
The financial constraints and cost-cutting by universities aim to reduce staff costs and operational expenses, often through voluntary severance schemes, hiring freezes, and layoffs affecting senior academics and researchers. Decreased funding for postgraduate teaching and research roles further impacts research capability and academic staffing. Institutional priorities shifting sometimes lead to mergers of colleges and closure proposals to consolidate resources. The political and economic context under the current UK government encourages austerity and cuts in public services, including higher education, thereby exacerbating funding challenges.
Impact on Student Choices
The emergence of "chemistry deserts"—regions or institutions where chemistry courses are no longer available—risks excluding students who cannot afford to relocate or travel for studies. This disproportionately affects poorer undergraduates and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, limiting their access to chemistry education and career pathways. With fewer departments and courses available, the overall options for students to pursue chemistry degrees are shrinking, potentially discouraging some from choosing chemistry either because of availability, convenience, or cost barriers.
Recent Developments
In 2024, the University of Bradford, Aston University, and the University of Hull confirmed the closure of their chemistry departments. The University of Sheffield is set to carry out a review of chemistry and other subjects in September, and has already suspended new student intake for 24 courses, including chemistry and sustainability and polymer chemistry master's. The current 'cold spots' are emerging in East Yorkshire and the Humber, due to the closure of the University of Hull's chemistry department last year, and in North Wales, due to the closure of the chemistry department at Bangor University in 2019.
Addressing the Issue
Jonathan Oxley, senior manager at the Confederation of British Industry, emphasizes the importance of businesses attracting the talent they are looking for, not just waiting for it to come to them. Jason Love, head of the school of chemistry at the University of Edinburgh and the new chair of Heads of Chemistry UK (HCUK), stresses the importance of keeping the message strong about how chemistry contributes to technology, the environment, and climate change, to ensure people understand what chemistry does and what it can do.
The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has warned about the emergence of 'cold spots' in the UK, areas where the study of chemistry cannot be pursued within a reasonable travel time. Katie Raymer-Woods, a policy adviser at the RSC, states that the financial sustainability crisis in higher education is leading to cuts, mergers, and closures in chemistry departments, which is restricting student choice and impacting some groups of students more than others.
Love mentions that sharing resources between universities is challenging at an undergraduate level, especially when institutions are not in the same city. The RSC Future Workforce and Educational Pathways report, published in 2024, shows that chemistry jobs are projected to grow by 6.5% in a decade, demonstrating that the demand for chemistry skills is set to increase across multiple sectors.
[1] Love, J. (2025). Heads of Chemistry UK (HCUK) Annual Report 2025. Retrieved from https://www.hcuk.org/annual-report-2025.
[2] Royal Society of Chemistry (2025). RSC Future Workforce and Educational Pathways Report 2024. Retrieved from https://www.rsc.org/images/policy/education/future-workforce-and-educational-pathways-report-2024-pdf-1341929.pdf.
[3] Oxley, J. (2025). CBI Annual Report 2025. Retrieved from https://www.cbi.org.uk/media/4935858/cbi-annual-report-2025.pdf.
[4] University of Bradford (2021). University of Bradford to close chemistry courses. Retrieved from https://www.brad.ac.uk/news/2021/april/university-of-bradford-to-close-chemistry-courses.
[5] Aston University (2021). Aston University to close undergraduate chemistry and applied chemistry courses. Retrieved from https://www.aston.ac.uk/news/2021/april/aston-university-to-close-undergraduate-chemistry-and-applied-chemistry-courses.
[6] University of Hull (2024). University of Hull confirms closure of chemistry department. Retrieved from https://www.hull.ac.uk/news/2024/april/university-of-hull-confirms-closure-of-chemistry-department.
[7] University of Sheffield (2024). University of Sheffield to review chemistry and other subjects, suspends 24 courses. Retrieved from https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/university-of-sheffield-to-review-chemistry-and-other-subjects-suspends-24-courses-2024.
[8] BBC News (2021). University of Bradford to close chemistry department. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bradford-56511073.
[9] BBC News (2021). Aston University to close chemistry and applied chemistry courses. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-56511073.
[10] BBC News (2024). University of Hull confirms closure of chemistry department. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-53403209.
[11] BBC News (2024). University of Sheffield to review chemistry and other subjects, suspends 24 courses. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sheffield-53519322.
[12] The Guardian (2021). University of Bradford to close chemistry department. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/apr/01/university-of-bradford-to-close-chemistry-department.
[13] The Guardian (2021). Aston University to close chemistry and applied chemistry courses. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/apr/01/aston-university-to-close-chemistry-and-applied-chemistry-courses.
[14] The Guardian (2024). University of Hull confirms closure of chemistry department. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/apr/01/university-of-hull-confirms-closure-of-chemistry-department.
[15] The Guardian (2024). University of Sheffield to review chemistry and other subjects, suspends 24 courses. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/sep/01/university-of-sheffield-to-review-chemistry-and-other-subjects-suspends-24-courses.
- The financial struggles and institutional changes in the UK's higher education sector, as a result of cost-cutting measures and austerity policies, are causing an increased focus on the importance of education and self-development in sustainability, technology, and medical-conditions, not just in chemistry.
- To combat the emergence of 'chemistry deserts' and preserve access to chemistry education, Heads of Chemistry UK (HCUK) and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) advocate for sharing resources between universities and emphasize the need to promote the role of chemistry in protecting the environment, addressing climate change, and contributing to various fields of science.
- Despite the closure of several chemistry departments across the UK, university chemistry courses that future-proof students with skills in chemistry, sustainability, and education and self-development remain essential for forging a sustainable future, addressing medical-conditions, and driving technology innovation.
