Scottish Parliament's petition committee decides to support Slavonic Studies at the University of Glasgow

[Jan Culik]

(Sorry for a repeated message. It is not clear whether it has sent itself off. Thank you for your patience.)


Today, on 29th November, 2011, the Petitions Committee of the Scottish
Parliament debated again the petition of more than 3300 signatories,
requesting the introduction of targeted funding for Slavonic languages
and cultures at the University of Glasgow, the way this exists in England.

As you know, the petition was presented to Scottish parliament on 20th
September by playwright Tom Stoppard, former euroMP Hugh MacMahon and
Jan Culik. The presentation of the petition aroused considerable media
interest at the time.

The Petitions Committee has now re-examined the matter and has decided
to take it further.

The Scottish Education Secretary Mike Russell has been receiving a
steady stream of letters from supporters from all over the world,
requesting the introduction of targeted funding for the language-based
cultural programmes in the Slavonic area.

IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE LETTERS OF SUPPORT ARE MAKING A MAJOR IMPACT.

 If you can write an email to Mike Russell, the Scottish Education Secretary, 
expressing your support for targeted government funding for the unique language based cultural programmes 
in Czech, Polish, Russian  and Slavonic Studies at the University of Glasgow, it would help us a great deal. 

Mike Russell's address and a sample letter are at the bottom of this email. Thank you. 

Here is an account of today's  hearing by an observer:



The hearing went very well.  Bill Walker, MSP referred to Slavonic as a
valuable asset and also acknowledged the importance of the teaching of
cultures, as well as languages.

They are going to write to the Scottish Government and Mike Russell to
ask about 'controlled funding', which I gathered is something along the
lines of targeted funding. They were also keen to invite Muscatelli, the
SFC and perhaps Mike Russell along, but because the issue of Slavonic
Studies may be subject to judicial review, they weren't sure whether
there would be an issue with that. The committee's clerk will look into
it and they will decide on a later date.

They will also write to Fergus Ewing, Minister for enterprise on the
suggestion of Bill Walker, to see if that could be a secondary source of
funding, due to the importance that languages and cultures plays for
business.

They only slightly negative was from John Wilson, who said he felt that
whilst the petition did not focus so much on Glasgow University, the
second submission from the petitioners focused a lot on Glasgow
University, and he was worried that it was growing arms and legs from
the original request.

Sandra White pointed out that it was clear in the original petition that
it was specific to Glasgow, and that the University had been requested
to submit evidence.

But all in all, they were very supportive and they seem to have heard
about all the letters Mike Russell is receiving...!

----

The petition's hearing can be watched here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/scotland/newsid_9650000/9650619.stm

An hour and 12 minutes into it.


----



cabsecell at scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Michael Russell MSP
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Dear Mike Russell,

I am writing to you to ask you to introduce targeted funding for lesser taught languages and cultures at Scottish universities, in particular the Czech, Polish and Russian language-based cultural courses and the intercultural programme Slavonic Studies, which are currently taught at the University of Glasgow.

If such funding is not introduced, the unique provision for the language-based study of Central and Eastern Europe will disappear in Scotland. Scotland will suffer strategically, economically, culturally and politically.

Yours sincerely

[your signature] 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------