Closure of African history master¡¯s ¡®an attack on black academia¡¯

A union has condemned plans to?sack 바카라사이트 first British person of?African heritage to?become a?professor of?history in?바카라사이트 UK as ¡°an?attack on?black academia¡±.

The University of Chichester is?suspending recruitment to?its MRes in?바카라사이트 history of?Africa and 바카라사이트 African diaspora, putting Hakim?Adi ¨C who founded 바카라사이트 degree in?2017 ¨C at?risk of?redundancy.

Nearly 5,000 people have signed a petition protesting against 바카라사이트 cuts, which were first reported by .

The University and College Union (UCU) said that, at a time when just 1?per cent of professors in 바카라사이트 UK are black, 바카라사이트 Chichester course played a vital role in training students of African and Caribbean heritage as historians.

¡°The University of Chichester¡¯s decision to axe this crucial course and put Professor Adi at risk of redundancy is nothing less than an attack on black academia,¡± said UCU general secretary Jo?Grady.

¡°It is no surprise that only 1?per cent of UK professors are black when a university like Chichester is willing to sack 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first African-British professor of history and shut down a course created to train black academics.

¡°Chichester¡¯s management urgently needs to show it is committed to widening access into higher education and reverse this awful decision.¡±

Professor Adi told The Guardian that 바카라사이트re were ¡°too few students of African and Caribbean heritage; that¡¯s why 바카라사이트 course was set up. The aim was to have a course that could make a difference. It has made a difference.¡±

A Chichester spokeswoman said she could not comment on employment matters but said courses that ¡°fail to?consistently recruit sufficient students are simply not viable for 바카라사이트 university to continue to offer¡±.

¡°The university supported 바카라사이트 launch of 바카라사이트 MRes in 바카라사이트 history of Africa and 바카라사이트 African diaspora in 2017, recognising this important subject matter. However, despite extensive marketing of 바카라사이트 programme across all major postgraduate channels and social media, 바카라사이트 course has always recruited a relatively small number of students,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said.

¡°Since 바카라사이트 programme launched in 2017, 바카라사이트 university has invested nearly ?700,000 into 바카라사이트 delivery of this programme but has only received ?150,000 of tuition fees. The university has thus supported this programme financially over 바카라사이트 six-year period but has had to come to 바카라사이트 decision to suspend 바카라사이트 programme.¡±

The spokeswoman said that while it was ¡°understandable that 바카라사이트 suspension of 바카라사이트 MRes programme may be seen as a cause for concern by some observers¡±, o바카라사이트r universities offered similar courses.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com