Cardiff University retreats again on cuts plan

Martin Shipton

Cardiff University has further modified its proposed cuts programme by confirming that it will continue to teach modern languages and music after all.

In January the university stunned staff and students by announcing plans to cut 400 academic roles and close down five of its Schools, including Nursing and Music.

It later dumped the proposal to close the Nursing School and has now gone further.

Proposal

In a letter to all staff, Vice Chancellor Professor Wendy Larner stated: “I am writing to confirm that the University Executive Board (UEB) has now approved an alternative proposal for the School of Global Humanities. That proposal will now be put to University Council on June 17for its approval, as part of the ‘Our Academic Future’ process.

“The alternative proposal UEB approved was created through collaboration between the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the five Heads of Schools of the arts and humanities disciplines. It was informed by four alternative proposals developed by our staff who worked hard to put forward good ideas for the future of both music and modern languages provision at Cardiff.

“I can confirm that, if Council approves our plans, we will continue to offer modern languages and music research and education at Cardiff, albeit with revised structures and with a smaller staff base, based within a new School of Global Humanities. This new school will:

• continue to offer undergraduate and postgraduate Music degree programmes, but with revised entry targets and content

• continue to offer Modern Languages programmes but to smaller cohorts, and primarily in French, Spanish, Mandarin and Japanese.

• seek to expand our Translation degree provision

• continue to offer Languages for All with the languages offered there shaped by student demand

• develop a new suite of degree programmes to fulfil the ambitions of the new School – challenge-oriented, inclusive, co-created and committed to advancing the Public Humanities agenda.

“Having considered the case very carefully, we have decided not to revisit the proposal to cease named single and joint honours degrees in Ancient History, and Religion and Theology. I do understand that this will be very disappointing news for all academics who are deeply committed to these disciplines. We will of course continue to offer our current set of degree programmes for 2025-26 and are committed to teaching all students entering next September until the completion of their degree in these subjects.

“I would like to thank all of you who have provided feedback on the arts and humanities, contributed to workshops and feedback sessions, and submitted alternative proposals. This input has been key to arriving at these proposals.

“I also want to acknowledge the anxiety that the Academic Future project has created for many of you, and I hope that today’s announcement brings some reassurance. There is much work yet to be done to realise the ambitions of this new School, and I hope you will feel able to play a part in this.”

Pressure

A spokesperson for Cardiff University and College Union said: “It is good to see the University Executive Board, under pressure from our members’ massive public campaign to save jobs, has now agreed to reverse its initial plans to cut Nursing, Music, and Modern Languages provision entirely. However, it is unacceptable that management continues to keep more than 400 staff in scope for redundancy with no end in sight. The physical and mental health effects of this are becoming unbearable for many of our members.

“We will continue to press University leaders in the strongest terms to take all staff out of scope for redundancy and to work with us to find ways to continue teaching and research in ancient history, languages, religion, and theology. As we have argued from the start, no redundancies would be needed at all if the University was willing to reduce its overly ambitious and self-imposed financial targets and draw on its vast sums of accessible cash to fund a longer recovery period.

“We are currently working with management in the spirit of collaboration but, in case our concerns cannot be resolved by working together, we are also consulting members over future industrial action on the major issues, including the threat of future redundancies, created by this disastrous and unnecessary programme of cuts.”

Relief

Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Natasha Asghar MS said: “This announcement will come as a relief for many students and academics who were deeply concerned about the future of modern languages and music at Cardiff University.

“However, there are concerns about the ongoing impact of the upheaval and the university’s decision to discontinue several programmes.

“The uncertainty caused by these prolonged deliberations and closures has undoubtedly affected Cardiff University’s reputation globally. For many prospective students, the ongoing turmoil may make them reconsider Cardiff as their first-choice destination for higher education.”