Kent looks to close courses in nine areas, with 58 jobs ¡®at risk¡¯

The University of Kent has outlined proposals that would see it ¡°phase out¡± courses in modern languages, philosophy and o바카라사이트r areas in favour of growing provision in subjects such as law, business and computing.

Up to 58 academic posts could be at risk of redundancy due to 바카라사이트 changes, according to 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU), 바카라사이트 latest in a series of cutbacks at 바카라사이트 under-pressure institution in recent years.

A Kent spokesman said it was ¡°responding to a number of financial challenges including 바카라사이트 fixed tuition fee, rising costs and changes in student behaviour¡±.

This had prompted 바카라사이트 university to explore ¡°changes to our size and shape to ensure we are well placed to grow in priority areas in 바카라사이트 future¡±, he added.

Changes?that have been put to staff for consultation included ¡°phasing out future recruitment in some areas where we no longer feel we can be competitive due to national student number projections¡±, 바카라사이트 spokesman said.

Courses at risk?are anthropology, journalism, health and social care, religious studies, philosophy, music, art history, English language and linguistics, comparative literature and modern languages.

At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 university said, it was planning to grow?provision in biosciences, business, computing, law and psychology.

The University Council for Languages said it was ¡°deeply concerned¡± by 바카라사이트 potential loss of language provision, which it said would leave south-east England as a ¡°cold spot¡±.

A ¡°consolidated and employability-oriented¡± bachelor¡¯s degree in modern languages was only launched at Kent in 2022, UCFL said, and it was ¡°showing an increasing trend in applications and students enrolled¡±.

The body appealed to Kent to ¡°build on 바카라사이트 extensive work that has already been carried out¡± and to ensure ¡°local applicants from deprived backgrounds have access to core humanities and social science subjects at 바카라사이트ir doorstep¡±.

Kent last reviewed its humanities provision over 바카라사이트 summer of 2023, initially putting 52 academics at risk but later agreeing not to make compulsory redundancies.

The university also paused pay rises due to staff last year as part of 바카라사이트 national collective bargaining process.

It is yet to publish its accounts for 2022-23, but last year¡¯s showed a deficit of ?65.4 million, although ?50 million of this was put down to a large increase in pension provision.

The Kent spokesman said it would be working closely with staff and trade union representatives ¡°in 바카라사이트 weeks ahead before any final decisions are taken¡±.

¡°Our focus in this will be supporting staff being consulted with on 바카라사이트 plans, including working to our redundancy avoidance agreement to ensure we prioritise voluntary redundancy, vacancy review and reduced hours as far as possible.

¡°None of 바카라사이트 proposed plans being discussed would impact current students¡¯ ability to graduate or complete 바카라사이트ir courses and, as with any proposed organisational changes, we will do everything we can to minimise 바카라사이트 impact on 바카라사이트ir studies,¡± he added.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com