Joint language degrees saved at University of Aberdeen - but jobs still at risk

The governing body of the University of Aberdeen has accepted a recommendation that will see the University continue to offer joint honour degree programmes in Languages.

It comes following backlash to a consultation on scrapping the department.

However, single honours degrees will not be offered, as only five students chose them this September.

It means some staff members remain uncertain about their jobs, and students uncertain about their degree provisions.

The consultation period is being extended by a month to allow more time for further discussions on redundancies and addressing a £1.5m deficit for the department this year.

Professor Karl Leydecker, who chairs the Steering Group looking at language provision, said: “The University absolutely understands how much our community and the wider public care about Modern Languages including Gaelic. 

“We have been heartened by the many offers of support and advice on maintaining degree programmes and the ideas that colleagues have brought forward to address their sustainability.

"We will also make concerted efforts to increase the uptake of the opportunities we offer to all our students to learn languages.  

“As a result, we’re extending the consultation period by a month to allow time for further detailed discussions on how to grow demand and address financial sustainability.   

“Like others in the sector, our University has a very challenging period to weather but we are working to build firm foundations to ensure a bright long-term future ahead with language provision an important part of that.”

Rhiannon Ledwell, Aberdeen University Students Association's Vice President for Education, said: "This outcome does not make a commitment to protecting staff jobs, or our degree provisions.

"In fact, if the proposals go through, 50% of staff within the department are still likely to lose their jobs.

"Axing single Language Degrees, including Gaelic, before the end of the consultation, makes a mockery of the entire process and is a serious violation of the University’s own Gaelic Language Plan.