Modern languages including Gaelic are set for a sustainable future at the University of Aberdeen.
The University’s governing body Court today (28 February) reaffirmed that the University will continue to offer a full range of undergraduate Joint Honours degrees in Modern Languages, Translating & Interpreting, including Gaelic, together with taught and research postgraduate programmes.
Those are among the key outcomes following a review of Languages which also concluded that research in Modern Languages will continue to be supported.
While savings are needed, it is hoped that compulsory redundancies in Languages can be avoided if there is enough take-up of a scheme offering voluntary severance or enhanced retirement. Progress has already been made in this area, with staff in Gaelic being notified earlier this week that they are no longer at risk of redundancy.
The review resulted in a strong set of proposals to strengthen recruitment to undergraduate degrees, which has been in decline in recent years, and to open up new income streams through recruitment to taught postgraduate programmes, growth in the number of PhD students, the development of further online courses, and through transnational education which will see students joining from overseas partners.
Following Court, Professor Karl Leydecker, Senior Vice-Principal, said: “I am pleased that our governing body has endorsed plans which will place Modern Languages including Gaelic on a firm financial and academic footing. I am grateful to the many staff and student representatives who have worked extensively to formulate the proposals."