Canterbury University has confirmed some jobs will be lost as it deals with a fall in student numbers following the earthquakes, but not as many as a union fears.
The Tertiary Education Union claims more than 350 jobs are set to be cut at the university.
It says it has seen an internal university document forecasting a fall in finances over the next ten years and proposing to cut staff numbers from 1947 to 1596 over the next three years.
The union says student numbers could drop by up to 20%, and the Government should provide more funding to cover the fall in revenue.
However, Vice Chancellor Rod Carr said the university currently predicts a drop of about 13% in student numbers.
He said the Government's block grant for teaching will remain the same, but the decline in tuition fees has led the university to begin a review of courses and programmes.
"While there has been a 13% drop in student numbers (compared to this time last year) and while some redundancies are inevitable, we are still considering how the University might adapt to the post-earthquake environment," he said.
He said there is the potential for some job losses, but nowhere near as many as the union claims.
"I have made it very clear from early August that we are facing significant financial challenges," he said.
"The university's senior management team has been working hard to identify solutions that will minimise adverse impacts on the university, its staff and students"
He said a range of options is being explored and will be discussed with the university council before a budget is adopted in November.
TEU national president Sandra Grey said the tertiary education minister, Steven Joyce needs to make a stronger case for helping the university to senior politicians.
"Cabinet plans to meet in Christchurch next Monday. It is essential that it act now to protect the university from these cuts," she said.
"The university is an essential public infrastructure. It has a key role to play in the next year helping the city rebuild. It cannot do that without government support."
The union says the university faces a predicted shortfall of $12-18 million over the next year.
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