For those who haven't yet read their Poppletonian...
(http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=415464)
Philosophical transactions
In an exciting development, Dr P.Q. Function, our Professor of Advanced Logic, has announced the establishment of a new research project to consider whether it is possible to detect any degree of logical incompatibility between David Willetts' proposal to obliterate the teaching grant for the humanities and social sciences and his recent assertion that "the humanities and social sciences are essential to a civilised society".
Vous parlez anything? Non
Our university has revealed that in common with the University of Glasgow, it will be introducing plans to cut all foreign language provision. Announcing the decision, our Director of Curriculum Development, Janet Fluellen, insisted that she had nothing against students learning to speak languages other than their own but thought that, in common with other hobbies such as stamp collecting and quilt making, it was a pastime that people could very well carry out in the comfort of their own homes. She described as "perverse" the allegation by Ted Odgers of our Media and Cultural Studies Department that the cuts would mean that the only foreign language still represented at Poppleton would be that currently spoken by members of our management team.
Thought for the week
(contributed by Jennifer Doubleday, Head of Personal Development)
"I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realise I should have been more specific."
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Sarah Colvin
Professor in the Study of Contemporary Germany and Director, Institute for German Studies
University of Birmingham
Muirhead Tower
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
Tel: ++44 121 4158627
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