About 350 staff at the University of Edinburgh have accepted voluntary redundancy as part of a cost-saving effort.
In a letter to staff, principal Sir Peter Mathieson also confirmed academic promotions would be frozen for the 2025-26 period.
The university has claimed it needs to reduce costs by about £140m, but unions have called it a "manufactured crisis".
A ballot asking whether staff would consider going on strike is running until 20 May.
Prof Mathieson previously said there had to be a "radical re-wiring" of the way the university operates, suggesting the number and variety of courses could be cut.
He has previously refused to rule out the potential for compulsory redundancies.
In a statement, he said the 350 voluntary redundancies would save about £18m, with formal confirmation due on 30 April.
