More major universities have announced job cuts this week.

The Australian National University (ANU) has announced 465 job losses, just a few hours after the University of New South Wales (UNSW) told staff that 256 positions would be cut.

Melbourne's RMIT announced another 250 permanent ongoing staff will go. Total job losses at RMIT are now at least 1,200.

RMIT staff member and National Tertiary Education Union committee member Liam Ward says that both university sector management and the Federal Government are to blame.

“Working conditions are being slashed, jobs are being slashed and they're getting million-dollar and half-million-dollar salaries,” Dr Ward said of uni leaders.

Reports say RMIT has appointed a new deputy vice-chancellor on an estimated salary of about $500,000.

Dr Ward said this happened at the same time as union members consulted on job losses.

“This will go down like a lead balloon,” he said.

“We're being told that hundreds of staff have to lose their job supposedly to make the whole operation more efficient and streamlined.”