italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
Dear colleagues
Earlier in the year, George Ferzoco and I reported on Swansea University's plans for drastic 'restructuring' of Modern Languages provision with loss of more than 50% of academic posts including all those in Italian.
At the meeting of the University's governing Council on 25 October, the move did not go ahead which had previously announced, to establish a Redundancy Committee in preparation to go ahead with restructuring.
We believe this is because of technical legal inadequacies in the procedure which had been followed, and that the attack on our Department may be resumed at the Council meeting scheduled for 6 December.
Meanwhile, the situation here is beginning to attract increasing attention, in the media and amongst Welsh and UK politicians.
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Today, the Western Mail and the BBC have reported on the distinguished author John Le Carré 's support for our campaign :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-11643561 <https://email.swan.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-11643561> (with link to our blog)
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2010/11/01/thriller-writer-john-le-carr-attacks-swansea-university-s-modern-language-cuts-91466-27576607/ <http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2010/11/01/thriller-writer-john-le-carr-attacks-swansea-university-s-modern-language-cuts-91466-27576607/> .
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Last week, languages education in UK schools and universities was debated in Parliament. The following is an extract:
'it is very disappointing to see that other universities are looking at cutting modern language provision. Swansea, for example, is considering proposals which would apparently involve 22 academic staff competing for eight posts in a reduced department and the disappearance of Italian, Russian and Portuguese altogether. This is despite the Welsh Assembly declaring earlier this year that the study of modern languages was a "national strategic priority". I hope that Swansea and any other university contemplating cutbacks in their languages provision will take a closer look at the Worton report and resist such short-sighted and damaging cuts in languages. The UK needs to produce more specialist linguists to be teachers, translators and interpreters, but we also need more scientists, economists, lawyers and others who can work in English and in another language. That is important for their employment prospects as individuals and for the capacity of UK universities to compete globally.
I should like to ask the Minister what specific action the Government intend to take to reinforce the status of modern languages as "strategically important and vulnerable" subjects at university level. The forum set up after the Worton review is one important contribution which I hope will be continued.
The STEM subjects have rightly attracted attention and strategic investment. Modern languages require the same declaration of priority and leadership from Government to give universities the confidence and incentive to build on their provision, not to diminish it. Professor Worton, in an article in last week's Times Higher Education supplement, said:
"The case for modern languages in universities has never been more compelling".
He asks whether universities have the courage to deliver. I ask the Minister whether the Government will have the courage to do likewise.'
The full text of the debate is recorded in Hansard: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/hansard/lords/by-date/
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Please don't forget our campaign blog -
www.modernlanguagesatswansea.wordpress.com <https://email.swan.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.modernlanguagesatswansea.wordpress.com <https://email.swan.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.modernlanguagesatswansea.wordpress.com> > -
and our on-line petition -
http://www.gopetition.com/petition/39117.html <http://www.gopetition.com/petition/39117.html> <https://email.swan.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.gopetition.com/petition/39117.html <https://email.swan.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.gopetition.com/petition/39117.html> > .
Many thanks to all those of you who have signed the petition and written to our University management to support us.
With best wishes,
jms
Jonathan Smith MA DPhil
Department of Modern Languages (Italian)
School of Arts & Humanities
Swansea University
Singleton Park
Swansea SA2 8PP - UK
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