Aberdeen University's ruling court meets as more than 12,000 back petition against modern languages cuts

Students and staff call for controversial consultation to be halted

More than 12,000 people have backed a petition calling on Aberdeen University to halt plans to axe modern languages degrees.

The ruling court at the ancient institution is under pressure to end the “needless panic and upset” caused by the proposals when its members meet today.

The university’s senior leadership team has been criticised after saying the existing provision of modern languages is “unsustainable”, following a “steep fall” in student numbers.

Aberdeen University King's College building

A steering group was established to consider three options, all of which involve the end of single honours French, Gaelic, German and Spanish.

The plans have met a backlash, with an online petition gaining more than 12,000 backers in a week.

The Scottish Government has also urged the university to “carefully consider” the plans.

Ahead of a "crucial” meeting of the court on Tuesday, staff and student representative bodies published an open letter calling for the university to stop the consultation and protect the provision of language degrees at the institution.

The students’ union, NUS Scotland, and local branches of trade unions UCU, Unite and Unison, backed the campaign to prevent redundancies and save courses.

Rhiannon Ledwell, vice president for education at Aberdeen University Students Association, said: “This consultation has caused needless panic and upset among our university community and has united staff and students against these ruthless proposals.

"It is now abundantly clear, with the backing of all student and staff unions at the university, and of the over 11,800 people who have signed our petition, that the only people who think this consultation is remotely fair and legitimate is university management.

“Court must do the right thing and halt the consultation, take time to explore all options to protect the provision of modern languages and ensure that any future consultation process is done correctly, not quickly.

"Failure to do so when so many eyes are upon us, would shatter the university’s claim to be ‘open to all’ and show clear disregard for students and staff.”

Dr Rachel Shanks, Aberdeen UCU branch chair, said: “Staff across the university are shocked at how this so-called consultation has taken place.

"It is wrong to make staff redundant and deny students the opportunity of studying modern languages degrees in the north-east of Scotland.”

On Monday evening, staff and students were due to join at a rally on campus to give their backing to the campaign.

An Aberdeen University spokesperson said: “The university absolutely understands how passionately colleagues, students and many members of the wider public feel about modern languages including Gaelic.

"The consultation on modern languages was launched to address the financial unsustainability of current provision (losses of over £1.5m a year). This is the result of low and declining recruitment to degree programmes in modern languages at Aberdeen.

"The university has always made clear that it will continue to teach and value languages, and we are grateful to all those who are sending us their views and ideas on how we can do this in a sustainable way.

"The university court will discuss the consultation underway with regard to future provision in modern languages at its meeting on Tuesday.”