Following a crucial meeting today, University Court confirmed that single honours language degrees at the historic university will be scrapped, and jobs will remain at risk. This crushing blow will see staff and students unite on the picket lines with planned strike action to proceed next month.

Court, which is the highest governing body at the university, met in a closed-door meeting on Wednesday at the University’s Foresterhill campus to the sound of student and staff protests.

Students’ Union Vice President for Education Rhiannon Ledwell said:

“We are incredibly disappointed with Court’s decision to scrap dedicated language degrees and leave jobs under threat. Despite clear demands from all student and staff unions, and even the Scottish Government, the University has disregarded our voices and is ploughing ahead with these cruel cuts to jobs and degrees.

“The reputational damage to the university cannot be understated, as management continue their plans to downgrade the languages department. This will seriously affect the quality of education on offer and – some would argue – means the University of Aberdeen will no longer be a comprehensive university.

“Student and staff unions are united in their refusal to accept forced redundancies and the loss of single honours degrees and strike action is now assured if the University does not change its direction; with students ready to join their lecturers on the picket lines.”

With strikes poised to go ahead, and protests set to escalate, the fight to save languages rages on. Visit www.ausa.org.uk/languages for more information, or to join the campaign.