A dozen members of student council have written to University management asking for increased representation
9th February 2024
Open Letter to University of Aberdeen Management:
Request to Include Students in the Current MLTI (Modern Languages, Translation and Interpreting) Consultation and Future Consultations on Academic Restructuring
Dear: Professor Boyne, Principal;
Professor Leydecker, Senior Vice-Principal;
Professor Collins, Head of School of Language, Literature, Music & Visual Culture (LLMVC);
Professor Muirhead, Head of School of Geosciences;
Professor Paton, Head of School of Biological Sciences;
Professor Greener, Head of School of Social Science;
Professor Lord, Head of School of Divinity, History, Philosophy & Art History (DHPA);
Languages teaching, staff, and degrees bring invaluable benefit to students across the University of Aberdeen and beyond.
Important voices have been left out during the ongoing consultation between University management and students.
Recently, The Gaudie has reported on plans for further funding cuts, possible redundancies and mergers in other schools including Geosciences, Biological Sciences, Social Sciences, and DHPA. Any such changes impact the whole University and beyond.
All students must be fully and genuinely consulted well before any action is taken.
We ask that you include students from across our University in any current and future consultations on academic restructuring at the University of Aberdeen. Management should engage, listen to, consider, discuss and enact valuable ideas gained through meaningful consultation.
Students should have the opportunity to contribute constructively and materially to any ongoing consultation before proposals are submitted to Court.
We request that all members of five identified stakeholder groups are invited to participate in the MLTI (Modern Languages, Translation and Interpreting) consultation:
All current students studying single honours degrees in languages.
All current students studying joint honours degrees in languages.
All current students from any school within the University currently studying an elective in languages who have studied electives in languages.
All current students from any school within the University who have previously taken a course in languages at the University of Aberdeen.
All current students who could potentially take an elective course in languages during their time at the University of Aberdeen.
Furthermore, it is integral that students are representated in the make-up of any Steering Group, responsible for decision-making, in any consultation on academic restructuring at the University of Aberdeen.
We request that you include an Undergraduate student and a Postgraduate student representative on any current and future Steering Groups (on the understanding that where a conflict of interest arises, for example in relation to redundancies, said representatives will remove themselves from those specific discussions).
As the School of DHPA Convener I have heard from students about the value of our strong languages departments.
“I can now use German sources that provide me with information that sources in English would not have provided me, so it's definitely been a big boost in helping me explore wider collections with confidence.” (student of History & German)
“French culture course has had compatibility across pretty much every philosophy class I’ve taken, providing historical and cultural context to philosophical arguments and texts.” (Esme, Philosophy & French Joint Honours student)
Further, students have educated ideas on how language courses can be revitalised.
“The School of Language, Literature, Music & Visual Culture is the only school on campus that has the ability to connect any other field of study, as languages are a crucial part of global citizenship, communication, and better job prospects. If the university took the time and very little money, they could attract students of engineering, social sciences, and natural sciences to study languages and cultures alongside their main degrees.” (Anna, History student with Arabic elective)
We hope that you can implement our suggestions with all due haste to include all student voices in current and future consultations and decision-making on academic restructuring.
Sincerely,
Students of the University of Aberdeen
Signed by:
Fred Byrne, School of Divinity, History, Philosophy & Art History Convener
Finn Abou El Magd, School of Language, Literature, Music and Visual Culture Convener
Rhiannon Ledwell, Vice President for Education
Miles Rothoerl, Vice-Chair Undergraduate Education
Niels Imre, School of Biological Sciences Convener
Shane Painter, School of Social Science Convener
André Justin Carpio, School of Medicine Convener
Kate Kostick, School of Engineering Convener
Kevhvan Graham, Postgraduate Education Rep
Sanaa Al-Azawi, Postgraduate Education Rep
Muhammad Faraaz Dheen Mohamed, Vice-Chair Postgraduate Education
Kirsten Koss, Widening Access Forum Convener
Tomas Pizarro-Escuti, Vice-Chair Raising and Giving
Christina Schmid, Vice-Chair Communities
