Concerns raised about staff cuts at the University of Exeter

The University of Exeter is currently consulting on proposals to reduce its academic workforce by around 150 full-time roles, with over 500 staff across the university at risk of redundancy. Modern languages is one of several humanities and social sciences disciplines facing a reduction of up to 25% in teaching-related staffing.

The University and College Union has raised strong objections to the proposals and has launched a petition calling on the university to stop the redundancies, which has attracted more than 10,000 signatures (you can sign the petition here).

In light of these developments, ITI has written to the university's vice-chancellor, Professor Lisa Roberts, to set out our concerns about the impact of these proposed cuts on language teaching and research at Exeter. Our letter is reproduced below.

Proposed staff reductions in Modern Languages

As you may recall we wrote to you at the beginning of the year to share our new report: The strategic case for languages in UK higher education. Our report makes the case for why language degrees and translation and interpreting programmes are essential for UK competitiveness, and sets out six steps that universities can take to reverse the decline and build the linguistic capabilities essential for the UK’s future prosperity.

We were therefore deeply disappointed to hear that the University of Exeter is now proposing extensive staff cuts under the redundancy proposals currently out for consultation. We understand that Modern Languages is one of a number of Humanities and Social Sciences disciplines facing a reduction of up to 25% in teaching-related staffing as part of a wider restructuring exercise that places over 500 academic staff across the university at risk of redundancy.

In our view, cuts of this scale would cause significant harm to the UK’s educational, cultural and economic prospects. They would undermine Exeter’s standing as one of the UK’s leading centres for language teaching and research, and would damage access to language learning in the South West of England, which has already known to be a cold spot in language provision.

Academic excellence and research strengths

The Department of Languages, Cultures and Visual Studies is one of the UK’s leading centres for the study of French, German, Hispanic Studies, Italian and Russian, with developing pathways in Chinese and Portuguese. Its Centre for Translating Cultures provides a focal point for research and postgraduate training in translation studies, attracting research students and visiting scholars from around the world.

In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, 100% of the department’s Modern Languages and Linguistics research was assessed as having internationally excellent impact, with 83% of its research rated 4* or 3*, placing Exeter 17^th in the UK on this measure.[1] Reductions in academic staffing of the scale proposed risks undermining this formidable level of achievement.

Regional leadership

The Department of Languages, Cultures and Visual Studies provides a valuable service to the communities of the South West, ensuring that local students have access to language degrees at a leading research university. Such provision is essential to ensuring equal opportunities for everyone.

Recent British Academy research identified the South West of England as one of three regions, alongside the North and East, with the most acute cold spots in language provision, with cold spots for Modern Foreign Languages present even among universities with higher entry tariffs.[2] The current proposals would inevitably result in a loss of capacity within the region which would have a particularly harmful impact on young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who may have the aptitude and desire to study languages but lack the economic means to study elsewhere in the UK. More than half of UK students study locally, with those from disadvantaged backgrounds particularly likely to stay close to home.

Economic considerations

The economic case for maintaining strong language provision is compelling. A 2022 study from the University of Cambridge and the not-for-profit research institute RAND revealed that removing linguistic barriers to trade could be worth an additional £19bn annually in UK exports.[3] This supports the broader recognition that language capabilities are essential for the UK's post-Brexit economic strategy.

Aston University’s LO-C 30 research on 415 UK SMEs revealed that companies making use of language capabilities are 30% more successful in exporting than those who do not.[4] Reducing investment in language teaching therefore weakens the UK’s opportunity for sustainable economic growth. The British Council has warned that the UK’s language deficit remains a threat to the country’s international competitiveness and standing in the world, and that investment in language skills is needed to safeguard citizens’ ability to participate fully in the global economy.[5]

Furthermore, the proposed reductions risk undermining the UK’s skills and knowledge infrastructure at a critical time. Employers in both public and private sectors place a high premium on graduates’ proven ability to learn languages, and the additional skills fostered through language learning, such as improved literacy, mental agility and problem-solving ability, enhance a student’s employability and their economic value to their future workplace.

Cultural understanding and international engagement

The broader benefits of language skills extend far beyond immediate economic returns. Language capabilities are essential for cultural exchange, diplomatic relations, and the UK’s ability to project itself effectively on the global stage. These capabilities are essential if the UK is to play a positive role in dealing with the complex global challenges that we now face. The Department of Languages, Cultures and Visual Studies provides essential professional linguistic training through its postgraduate programmes and research degrees. Graduates emerge equipped to become the skilled translators and interpreters that the UK’s international engagement depends on.

Exeter’s own Strategy 2030 commits the university to being a globally networked institution, offering outstanding education and research opportunities across international boundaries. Staff cuts of the scale proposed therefore sit uneasily alongside that ambition. How can the University of Exeter fulfil its global ambitions without supporting the linguistic and intercultural capabilities that enable meaningful cross-cultural engagement?

Conclusion

We recognise the financial pressures facing the higher education sector, but note that this decision should not just be centred on establishing a resilient business model. We ask that the university’s leaders give due weight to the importance of maintaining the university’s standing as one of the UK’s leading centres for language teaching and research, and to ensuring that there is still a beacon of high-quality language teaching in a known regional cold spot. We urge senior leaders to work with staff to find a way through the current consultation that preserves this vital educational, economic and cultural resource.

Yours sincerely

Sara Robertson FRSA FIIC

Chief Executive, Institute of Translation and Interpreting