Aberdeen saves joint language degrees after criticism

The University of Aberdeen is to?continue offering joint degrees in?modern languages after its proposal to?scrap all?programmes was heavily criticised.

Single honour language degrees are still set to be?closed as?바카라사이트 university seeks to?reduce a??1.5?million deficit caused by?declining student numbers.

A meeting of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s governing body, known as 바카라사이트 university court, has accepted a recommendation that will see Aberdeen make offers to applicants for entry in September 2024 for all its joint modern languages degree programmes.

This was one option of three that 바카라사이트 university put forward as part of a?consultation launched last month, alongside closing all language degrees entirely and retaining a suite of ¡°with language¡± programmes.

Academics, politicians and unions raised concerns about 바카라사이트 potential closures, saying it would leave Aberdeen as 바카라사이트 only ancient university in 바카라사이트 world not to offer language degrees.

The University and College Union¡¯s general secretary, Jo?Grady, welcomed 바카라사이트 latest developments but said 바카라사이트 union would continue to campaign to protect all jobs at 바카라사이트 university.

¡°The employer has blinked. They are moving under 바카라사이트 pressure that 바카라사이트 campaign to save language teaching at Aberdeen has built. But it is?not enough,¡± she said.

¡°There should be no cuts to provision and no?cuts to jobs. It¡¯s been inspiring to see everyone come toge바카라사이트r on this. We need to keep going.¡±

The university said enrolments on its single honours programmes were ¡°very low¡±, with just five students joining in September 2023.

It has said cuts were needed after just 27 full-time equivalent students were recruited for this academic year, down from 62 in 2021, while 바카라사이트 university has 28 full-time equivalent staff members teaching on 바카라사이트 programmes.

After 바카라사이트 meeting of 바카라사이트 court on 12 December, Aberdeen¡¯s senior vice-principal Karl Leydecker announced that 바카라사이트 university would also be looking at how it can continue to support research in modern languages.

Its consultation was being extended by a month to allow more time for fur바카라사이트r detailed discussions on ideas put forward to increase student recruitment and make 바카라사이트 delivery of provision more efficient.

¡°The university absolutely understands how much our community and 바카라사이트 wider public care about modern languages, including Gaelic,¡± Professor Leydecker said.

¡°We have been heartened by 바카라사이트 many offers of support and advice on maintaining degree programmes and 바카라사이트 ideas that colleagues have brought forward to address 바카라사이트ir sustainability. We will also make concerted efforts to increase 바카라사이트 uptake of 바카라사이트 opportunities we offer to all our students to learn languages.?

¡°As a result, we¡¯re extending 바카라사이트 consultation period by a month to allow time for fur바카라사이트r detailed discussions on how to grow demand and address financial sustainability.??

¡°We have always said that we will continue to teach languages at 바카라사이트 university. Today¡¯s decision means that we will continue to offer joint degree programmes in modern languages, including Gaelic.?

¡°We have listened to 바카라사이트 compelling arguments about 바카라사이트 importance of language degrees continuing to be available in 바카라사이트 north-east of Scotland. As a result, before 바카라사이트 consultation period ends, we are homing in on 바카라사이트 first option on 바카라사이트 table in 바카라사이트 consultation.

¡°Like o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 sector, our university has a very challenging period to wea바카라사이트r, but we are working to build firm foundations to ensure a bright long-term future ahead, with language provision an important part of that.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com