[RNLD] Petition for Finno-Ugrian studies in Groningen

[Mikko Salminen]

Dear RNLD members,

Apologies for any potential cross-postings.

Please take a minute (literally) to sign this small petition addressed to the University of Groningen Board, to ask it to reconsider its recent plans to completely stop offering teaching of Danish, Finnish, Hungarian and Norwegian.

This decision came after shutting down the department of Finno-Ugrian studies and Scandinavian studies with the initial intention of continuing to offer the four previously named languages as minor subjects in a more broadly oriented bachelor titled European Languages and Cultures. Now, teaching of these four languages is to be removed altogether.

Many current students of endangered languages, including myself, acquired or expanded their initial interest in minority languages during their stay at Groningen University (for example, students of Frisian, Sámi, Livonian, Mari and other endangered Finno-Ugrian languages). Furthermore, Groningen is the last place in the Netherlands and Belgium where Finnish and Hungarian are offered.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-languages-in-groningen/sign.html

Thank you and a good week to all of you.

Kind regards,

Mikko Salminen
PhD student at the Cairns Institute
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