Polly McMichael
@pollymcmichael.bsky.social
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Russianist
reposted by
Polly McMichael
London Review of Books
6 days ago
āDecisions to close or to gut particular departments have little to do with intellectual quality: they are invariably managerial choices about the quickest way to reduce an actual or predicted budget deficit.ā Stefan Collini on UK higher education, in the next issue.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
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Stefan Collini Ā· Squadrons of Pigs: Bonfire of the Universities
The problems with Britainās universities are systemic and deep-rooted, not just local or contingent. Yet political and...
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v48/n10/stefan-collini/squadrons-of-pigs
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Polly McMichael
Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies
6 days ago
"The future of modern languages will not be secured simply by attempting to reverse falling demand. It will depend on expanding access to the point where demand can genuinely be expressed" by
@anademedeiros.bsky.social
and
@marcecazzoli.bsky.social
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Modern languages has a future ā and itās all about access
Contraction of modern languages provision is often painted as a response to falling demand. For Ana de Medeiros and Marcela Cazzoli, if you look across the whole education system then HE starts to loo...
https://wonkhe.com/blogs/modern-languages-has-a-future-and-its-all-about-access/
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Polly McMichael
Mark Pendleton
14 days ago
East Asian Studies is being gutted at Sheffield - all staff at risk with 8.6 FTE proposed to go (a third of us). Biggest cuts in Chinese and Japanese Studies. Weāll be taking a few days to process. Solidarity to Materials and Chemistry colleagues who are also dealing with similarly bad news.
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Polly McMichael
Rev. Dr. Liz Gloyn
15 days ago
Thrilled I've got 150 responses to my survey on personal tutoring! I'm aiming for 200 responses, so if you're an academic in UK HE who's had pastoral responsibility for students in the last five years, whatever that's called, with ten minutes spare, I'd love to hear from you. Do share if you can.
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The Role Of Interpersonal Relationships And Care In Personal Tutoring Within UK HEIS
Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SDFY22X
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Polly McMichael
University of Nottingham UCU branch
15 days ago
Today at 7 pm in the Trent LG Corridor, there will be a student-led exhibition responding to the closure of courses at the University of Nottingham, particularly Modern Languages and Music.
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Polly McMichael
Jonathan Kasstan
20 days ago
āWe are concerned about the growing risk of geographic and subjectbased ācold-spotsā, affecting areas and disciplines such as music and modern languages.ā
#Nottingham
is a regional behemoth for the study of
#languages
- this is so stupid and short sighted
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...
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www.change.org/p/stop-redun...
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Sign the Petition
Stop redundancies at Ulster University
https://www.change.org/p/stop-redundancies-at-ulster-university
about 1 month ago
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Polly McMichael
Liudmila Lyagushkina
about 2 months ago
Russian authorities have declared the NGO Memorial an āextremist organisation.ā It now joins others already on the list, including āinternational LGBT+ movementā and Navalnyās ACF. Now, even reposting their materials or displaying their logo can result in a conviction. 1/4
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Polly McMichael
QM_UCU
about 2 months ago
At QMUL: - 99 language modules cut - 50 language modules marked as 'to be confirmed' - single honours language degrees in questions - 'possible futures' includes the closure of languages at QMUL altogether The harm done to language studies is immense, and ramifications are not going to be pretty.
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Polly McMichael
Margot Finn
2 months ago
'The University of Leicester is to close its film studies and modern languages degree courses to new students.' 'The university has confirmed the courses would cease, but declined to comment on the number of prospective students affected, saying the figure was "commercially sensitive".' 1/2
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University of Leicester to cut film and modern languages courses
A union claims up to 300 students will see offers withdrawn as a result of the decision.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3l5kr9n95o
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Polly McMichael
Rev. Dr. Liz Gloyn
3 months ago
Have you had personal tutoring responsibilities in a UK HEI in the last five years? I'd love to hear from you! I'm running a short survey on interpersonal relationships & care within personal tutoring, which takes ~10 minutes to complete. Please do share: I'm keen to get a wide range of responses!
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The Role Of Interpersonal Relationships And Care In Personal Tutoring Within UK HEIS
Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YHJYC5T
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Polly McMichael
Jonathan Kasstan
2 months ago
We are fast moving from cold spots to blackout. This is not trivial and the impact in terms of access to languages education will be inter generational. How do you ālevel upā or promote āgrowthā without a multilingual workforce and the know-how to deploy?
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
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Polly McMichael
Prof Becky MuradƔs-Taylor
2 months ago
Few lower tariff unis offer languages, excluding people from under-represented backgrounds who can't travel far to uni. The Uni of Essex is a shining star, offering French, German, Italian, Portuguese & Spanish. This is under threat! Read and sign š
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
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Save Languages and Linguistics at Essex
To add your signature to this letter, please complete this form: Save Languages and Linguistics at Essex (Google Form) Dear Prof Bowen and members of the Executive Committee, We, the undersigned, ...
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Oc2NFMCSglHaQzOjfGve1804sQpT7qoAeVYVv4-6dkE/edit?tab=t.0
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Polly McMichael
UCFL - University Council For Languages
3 months ago
The University of Essex has proposed to discontinue most of their undergraduate language provisions as well as the Languages for All programme as part of large-scale restructuring. Sign their petition to urge the Executive Committee to reconsider the proposal:
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
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Polly McMichael
Nina Markl š³ļøāā§ļøš³ļøāš
3 months ago
biggest solidarity to the Department ot Languages and Intercultural Studies (LINCS) at Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh):
heriotwatt.web.ucu.org.uk/2026/02/04/d...
please sign their petition and send them any support they need, this is part of a UK-wide attack on languages education!
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Department of LINCS at Heriot-Watt under threat of cuts and closure
We have launched a Save LINCS petition because the Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies (LINCS) at Heriot-Watt University finds itself under threat of: Losing 11FTE jobs, one third of ...
https://heriotwatt.web.ucu.org.uk/2026/02/04/department-of-lincs-at-heriot-watt-under-threat-of-cuts-and-closure/
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Polly McMichael
Quinn Daedal
3 months ago
I will never not share the excellent digital preservation sweaters.
#DHmakes
š§¶š¾š¦
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Polly McMichael
Leicester UCU
3 months ago
All members are invited to our General Meeting next Wednesday, followed by a protest outside Senate at 1pm; on Wednesday, Senior Management will ask Senate to recommend the closure of Modern Languages and Film Studies.
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Polly McMichael
Dr Andrew McInnes
4 months ago
I urge you to fill in this consultation if you can - with this very helpful support from Amnesty International - although AND because ! it is heart-breaking that this country has sunk so low that Amnesty suggest in a number of cases to provide no answer as the terms of the question are so evil
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Polly McMichael
UCFL - University Council For Languages
4 months ago
YOU SIGNATURE MATTERS! Help us save Modern Languages at Leicester. Sign the petition:
www.change.org/p/save-moder...
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Polly McMichael
Dr Sarah J Young
4 months ago
This is a permanent research snd teaching post. Please share widely and forward to suitable candidates.
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This was wonderful
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
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Archive on 4 - Paris with Marianne - BBC Sounds
Jude Rogers revisits her afternoon in Paris with Marianne Faithfull.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002ppvr?partner=uk.co.bbc
5 months ago
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Polly McMichael
Margot Finn
5 months ago
'In a House of Lords debate on 8 January, Smith said she recognised āconcernā¦about the reduction in the number of students going into higher education to study modern foreign languages and the threats to some of those modern foreign language coursesā.' 1/2
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Polly McMichael
Margot Finn
5 months ago
'The institution currently has between 15 and 16 students for every staff member but wants to increase this to between 18 and 22 students, according to a ācase for changeā document recently shared with employees.' 5 faculties mooted to become 3 colleges.' 1/3
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Staff fear ācatastrophicā impact of Nottingham āconsolidationā
Increases to staff-student ratios could send university into a ādeath spiralā, says union leader as vice-chancellor insists institution must act now
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/staff-fear-catastrophic-impact-nottingham-consolidation
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Polly McMichael
Helen Barrett
5 months ago
thecritic.co.uk/issues/decem...
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Coalhenge: Britainās colossal wonders | Jonathan Glancey | The Critic Magazine
Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station, closed in September 2024 and was the last of its English coal-powered kind
https://thecritic.co.uk/issues/december-january-2026/coalhenge-britains-colossal-wonders/
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Polly McMichael
6 months ago
Ongoing decimation of British universities part 252: Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ārisk of redundancyā letters via email. Please share
@ucuessex.bsky.social
@ucu.org.uk
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Embassy concerned by under-threat language courses
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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Embassy concerned by under-threat language courses in Nottingham
The University of Nottingham has announced proposals to suspend its modern languages courses.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8e9d73lwkro
6 months ago
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āIf things carry on as they are, there will be very few opportunities for young people to study Music at university, and therefore hardly anybody training as music teachers, and the whole system will then be stuck in a vicious cycle of decline.ā
thecritic.co.uk/a-discipline...
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A discipline in danger | Alexandra Wilson | The Critic Magazine
I have written previously for The Critic about the closure of Music departments in British universities and it gives me no pleasure to be revisiting the issue. Unfortunately, the domino effect thatā¦
https://thecritic.co.uk/a-discipline-in-danger/
6 months ago
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Polly McMichael
Liz Morrish
6 months ago
I cringe at this kind of disingenuous justification from Nottingham U. "Students are telling us that the way they want to learn languages is changing... we currently have almost 2,000 students studying languages as part of their degree through our Language Centre"
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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Protest over future of University of Nottingham language courses
The University of Nottingham has suspended entry for new students on modern language courses.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y2gwezgkqo?app-referrer=webview
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Polly McMichael
Musicians' Union (MU)
6 months ago
Suspending music courses will have a devastating impact on musical life at the University, as well as future courses, job, and career opportunities across Nottingham and the wider East Midlands š Read our open letter to the University
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MU Sends Open Letter to University of Nottingham on Music Course Cuts
Music courses are being suspended for new students at the University of Nottingham while the universityās council decides whether to terminate the courses permanently. Read our open letter to the Univ...
https://musiciansunion.org.uk/news/mu-open-letter-university-of-nottingham
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Polly McMichael
The Association of Hispanists of Great Britain and Ireland
6 months ago
ā Second statement in one week
#saveleicesterml
#saveleicesterlanguages
Following last weekās formal letter to the University of Nottingham, AHGBI has now issued a second statementāthis time to the University of Leicesterāregarding the proposed closure of its Department of Modern Languages.
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Protest over future of university language courses
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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Protest over future of University of Nottingham language courses
The University of Nottingham has suspended entry for new students on modern language courses.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y2gwezgkqo
6 months ago
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āthe progressive closure of foreign language degree programmes is especially worrying because of the desperate need for language skills in governmentā
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6 months ago
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Polly McMichael
Johnny Borgan
6 months ago
"Sing in me, oh Muse, and through me tell the story" - Bob Dylan in Killarney, 24th of November 2025
johnnyborgan.blog/2025/11/25/s...
via @johnnyborgan
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āSing in me, oh Muse, and through me tell the storyā ā Bob Dylan in Killarney, 24th of November 2025
Passing a point of no return. Thatās what itās about ā to be crossing the Rubicon. When the singer asks rhetorical in āMy Own Version of Youā: What would Julius Caesarā¦
https://johnnyborgan.blog/2025/11/25/sing-in-me-oh-muse-and-through-me-tell-the-story-bob-dylan-in-killarney-24th-of-november-2025/
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Polly McMichael
Hetan Shah
6 months ago
Iāve been quoted in
@thespectator1828.bsky.social
about the importance of taking a strategic approach nationally to language provision as universities are making individual decisions to slash provision which may collectively be very bad for the national interest
www.spectator.co.uk/article/in-p...
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Polly McMichael
Nadia Whittome MP
6 months ago
Nottinghamshire MPs have written to
@uniofnottingham.bsky.social
, urging the university to reconsider proposed course suspensions and potential closures, which would significantly impact staff, students, and our wider city and county.
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Polly McMichael
Margot Finn
6 months ago
'It is notable that in the last Research Excellence Framework exercise the Department of American Studies at Nottingham was ranked third in the Area Studies unit of assessment and was one of the top-performing units across the whole of the University of Nottingham.' 1/2
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University of Nottingham Council meets on Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 to decide on the proposal to close modern languages degrees
www.savemlcatnotts.org.uk/home#how-you...
6 months ago
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Polly McMichael
The Association of Hispanists of Great Britain and Ireland
6 months ago
AHGBI, led by Professor Sarah Wright, opposes the University of Nottinghamās move to suspendāand effectively closeāall Modern Languages degrees. SRUK/CERU, led by Dr Carlos Soler Montes, has also raised concerns. AHGBI urges immediate reconsideration.
#SaveNottinghamLanguages
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Polly McMichael
University of Nottingham UCU branch
6 months ago
Colleagues and UCU members from UoN's Department of Modern Languages have put together this wonderful guide on supporting their programmes. A lot of what they suggest is also helpful in challenging the 48 courses at risk across the university
www.savemlcatnotts.org.uk
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savenottinghamlanguages
The University of Nottingham has suspended applications to all languages degree programmes, with a view to permanent closure of all of its undergraduate languages degrees. Under the proposals, itā¦
https://www.savemlcatnotts.org.uk/
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Polly McMichael
Gillian Roberts
6 months ago
Help save Modern Languages at UoN!
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Save Modern Languages at the University of Nottingham
www.savemlcatnotts.org.uk
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savenottinghamlanguages
https://www.savemlcatnotts.org.uk/
6 months ago
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www.change.org/p/stop-the-r...
www.change.org/p/save-moder...
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7 months ago
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Polly McMichael
Dr Rachel Haworth
7 months ago
Happening everywhere - not just Nottingham but also Leicester now. On the horizon: more cold spots in languages provision and (crucially) access to HE language teaching for those who need to study close to home. We should be widening access, not narrowing it. Solidarity to colleagues affected ā
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Polly McMichael
Arts and Humanities Alliance
7 months ago
Times Higher article out today explains the folly of yet more proposed closures in languages (also music, film, philosophy, and others). This time at the Universities of Leicester and Nottingham. Oversight of the changing UK HE landscape for our disciplines has never been more needed or vital.
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āgiven that the UK needs more graduates with languages qualifications, the task of universities is not to accelerate the decline of language learning but to find ways to bolster their student intakesā
www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/late...
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The latest threat to UK modern languages is yet another faux pas
Nottingham and Leicester are taking a swing at language departments. But those proposing closures have taken their eye off the ball, say four linguists
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/latest-threat-uk-modern-languages-yet-another-faux-pas
7 months ago
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Polly McMichael
Katharine Hodgson
7 months ago
'The threat to languages is particularly ironic given Nottinghamās strategy, which promises a vision of a āuniversity without bordersā and Leicesterās āCitizens of Changeā agenda, aiming to promote global citizenship and inclusivity'. Global but monoglot: how's that supposed to work?
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Polly McMichael
Emma Cayley č°·ę¦
7 months ago
Every university should renovate the disciplinary framework of its courses and ask whether it is responding to its global responsibilities. But no university should recognise any merit in withdrawing from the study of other languages, cultures & societies
www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/late...
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The latest threat to UK modern languages is yet another faux pas
Nottingham and Leicester are taking a swing at language departments. But those proposing closures have taken their eye off the ball, say four linguists
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/latest-threat-uk-modern-languages-yet-another-faux-pas
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Polly McMichael
Sarah Arens
7 months ago
In the same week, both the University of Nottingham and the University of Leicester announced closing their Modern Languages departments. Disastrous for the sector as a whole and for the ML landscape in the Midlands:
c.org/4X7VMy9MPD
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Sign the Petition
Save Modern Languages courses at the University of Leicester
https://c.org/4X7VMy9MPD
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Polly McMichael
Emma Humphries (she/her)
7 months ago
The decision to cut all language programs at the University of Nottingham and the University of Leicester will be the final nail in the coffin for many potential applicants' languages education, leaving no languages degrees in the East Midlands.
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Polly McMichael
Nicki Hitchcott
7 months ago
When is this going to stop? Save Modern Languages at the University of Leicester š
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Sign the Petition
Save Modern Languages courses at the University of Leicester
https://c.org/rk2JkR8cjy
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