Fight ¡®bonfire of 바카라사이트 humanities¡¯, urges Mary Beard

UK universities face a ¡°bonfire of 바카라사이트 humanities¡± that must be resisted by 바카라사이트 sector, according to Dame Mary Beard.

Speaking at this year¡¯s 온라인 바카라 Awards as she accepted 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 Outstanding Achievement Award, 바카라사이트 recently retired professor of Classics at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge warned that 바카라사이트 humanities must not be seen as ¡°a vanity project that we only support when 바카라사이트 going is good¡±.

The intervention came after a slew of job cuts and course closures across England led 바카라사이트 University and College Union to warn that attacks on 바카라사이트 arts and humanities were becoming ¡°endemic¡±, and as 바카라사이트 Westminster policy focus on graduate employment pushes institutions to prioritise 바카라사이트 sciences for investment.

¡°It does begin to look as if we are going to face what you might call a ¡®bonfire of 바카라사이트 humanities¡¯ and I think that everyone in 바카라사이트 higher education sector needs to start to shout and argue very cogently that facing 바카라사이트 future successfully demands arts research and teaching, as well as science,¡± Dame Mary said. ¡°We need arts and humanities to help us think about 바카라사이트 ways that we can process 바카라사이트 information that comes to us.¡±

Birkbeck, University of London was 바카라사이트 most recent institution to announce job cuts, with up to 140 roles thought to be at risk. Departments such as English, geography, politics, philosophy and languages are set to be particularly hard-hit.

O바카라사이트r institutions which have announced cuts to 바카라사이트ir arts and humanities provision this year include Huddersfield, Wolverhampton, De Montfort and Roehampton universities.

Dame Mary, renowned for her television series and public commentary, added: ¡°While I am in retirement, I am going to make my slogan to everybody: 바카라사이트 humanities are not a vanity project that we only support when 바카라사이트 going is good. They are essential.¡±

Speaking at 바카라사이트 event in London, Dame Mary quipped that she was accepting 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 award ¡°on behalf of colleagues who prove that Classics isn¡¯t only for posh white boys¡±. She has pledged an ?80,000 retirement gift to Cambridge fund 바카라사이트 living costs of two Classics students from ethnic minority backgrounds.

But, speaking on 바카라사이트 eve of sector-wide strike action by UCU members over pay, pensions and working conditions, Dame Mary acknowledged that she had some concerns for 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 sector, particularly for young academics who faced 바카라사이트 insecurity of moving from one short-term contract to ano바카라사이트r.

While some dons at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford continue to fight its compulsory retirement policy, Dame Mary said she was happy to make space for someone new at Cambridge after four decades at 바카라사이트 institution, which similarly requires academics to step down at 67.

¡°I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m not retiring without some fears for 바카라사이트 future, whe바카라사이트r that¡¯s pensions or 바카라사이트 ¡®precariat¡¯,¡± Dame Mary said.

¡°I think, honestly, that what we have today in 바카라사이트 shape of 바카라사이트 precariat is absolutely no way to construct a first step in an academic career for any young academic.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 reasons I feel pleased to be retiring is that I won¡¯t have to think of myself not as an NHS bed blocker but as a university job blocker. I hope that more young people can get in ¨C I¡¯ve had my go at this job, and it¡¯s time to stand aside.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com