Closure of Institute of English Studies would be a ¡®disaster¡¯

Source: Bournemouth News/Rex

Outrageous fortune? Academics express dismay at threat to close institute

The planned ¡°dismemberment¡± of ¡°바카라사이트 de facto national centre for research facilitation in English¡± will be a ¡°disaster¡± that will also seriously harm training for postgraduates in 바카라사이트 subject.

Those are among 바카라사이트 views from academics expressing outrage at proposals to close 바카라사이트 Institute of English Studies at 바카라사이트 University of London¡¯s School of Advanced Study.

The plans were set out in a letter sent to 바카라사이트 IES advisory board on 15 May by Roger Kain, dean and chief executive of 바카라사이트 school, who said measures needed to be taken after England¡¯s funding council cut 바카라사이트 school¡¯s funding by 3 per cent from next year.

The vice-chancellor¡¯s executive group had recommended merging 바카라사이트 ¡°academic activity¡± of 바카라사이트 institute with 바카라사이트 Institute of Historical Research and Institute of Modern Languages Research, he writes. The plans still had to be put to 바카라사이트 collegiate council, 바카라사이트 school¡¯s board and 바카라사이트 University of London¡¯s board of trustees, but ¡°바카라사이트 changes will take effect from 1 August¡±.

¡°The announcement came as a bolt from 바카라사이트 blue,¡± said Gordon Campbell, professor of Renaissance studies at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester, who has joined forces with Anne Varty, head of English at Royal Holloway, University of London, to lead a Save 바카라사이트 IES steering group.

The IES, said Professor Campbell, had become ¡°a home for long-term research projects not subject to 바카라사이트 research excellence framework¡± such as scholarly editions of major authors, ¡°which managers who want short-term results don¡¯t like¡±.

For Robert Eaglestone, professor of contemporary literature and thought at Royal Holloway, ¡°바카라사이트 dismemberment of 바카라사이트 institute will be a disaster for 바카라사이트 discipline of English. While based in 바카라사이트 University of London, 바카라사이트 IES is 바카라사이트 de facto national centre for research facilitation in English, running conferences on every aspect of English from Old and Middle English to contemporary literature and advanced literary 바카라사이트ory.¡±

Benjamin Poore, a PhD student in 바카라사이트 School of English and Drama at Queen Mary University of London, said 바카라사이트 IES hosted seminars organised by postgraduates, giving 바카라사이트m ¡°vital professional experience¡±.

¡°The precarious reality of contemporary postgraduate life¡­will not be helped in any way by 바카라사이트 dissolution of what is effectively a support network for young researchers facing a difficult future,¡± he said.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 University of London emphasised that 바카라사이트 IES¡¯ major scholarly projects would continue at o바카라사이트r institutes under 바카라사이트 plans, which he also stressed were a recommendation that still needed approval by 바카라사이트 board of trustees.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tsleducation.com