Threat to Slavonic Studies at Glasgow University

[Jenny Carr]

Dear SEELANGS
The SRF (www.scotlandrussiaforum.org) has just received an email from the
student Russian Society at Glasgow University alerting us to possible (NB
not definite yet – so there’s still a little time!!) university plans for
the closure / retrenchment of Slavonic Studies as well as a number of other
subjects and many modern languages.
 
See the Herald newspaper, 9 Feb
(http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/education/seats-of-learning-at-risk-from
-cut-in-funds-1.1084121):

“....Proposals to cut modern language provision is equally controversial,
with up to two language areas under threat – possibly German, Italian or a
clutch of Slavonic languages including Czech, Russian and Polish.
One source remarked: “Russia and Germany are the two biggest countries in
Europe with the two largest economies – are we saying it makes sense to turn
our back on their languages?”

The students say:

“As Honours students, we believe that this would not only be a loss to
current and prospective students but to the strong bond between Scotland and
Russia. Glasgow University has a long history of teaching Russian starting
in 1917 and has inspired generations of students to learn more about not
just the Russian language but also the Russian people, their culture and
traditions. To close the department would mean that students would no longer
graduate with the language skills to do business in Russia or, indeed, to
help voluntary organisations such as yourselves.
We would gratefully appreciate any support you could provide in this matter,
particularly if you could email or write to the university as quickly as
possible.”

Please:
1. Write to the university principal (Prof Anton Muscatelli
principal at glasgow.ac.uk) to tell him how important Russian language study is
+ what an excellent dept of Slavonic Studies Glasgow is and how essential to
the world class study of Eastern European and Russian social sciences at the
university
2. Sign this i-petition
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/glasgowmodernlanguages/ 
3.    Check out Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Modern-Languages-and-Cultures-at-University
-of-Glasgow-under-threat/179538408755444 
4.    Tell anyone you know who might help!

Best wishes
Jenny Carr
Scotland-Russia Forum, www.scotlandrussiaforum.org 

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