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Cardiff University and Lifelong Learning

It seems that a row has broken out in Cardiff University over its Centre for Lifelong Learning.

According to a report in the BBC, there are plans to cut all teaching in arts and humanities at the Cardiff University Centre For Lifelong Learning with alleged implications for jobs at a time when there is a growing demand for adult education during a recession.

Should it be surprising that Cardiff University is abandoning its role in lifelong learning in Wales?

Not according to last week’s Times Higher, which leaked a memo from a meeting between David Grant, vice-chancellor of Cardiff, and the heads of school.

This memo stated that staff recruitment would be driven by the demands of the research excellence framework in the future, "not teaching" and that the "V-C left us with this message: a) we may be over-teaching in some areas; b) we may be teaching in areas that we shouldn't be".

The University states that it is consulting on this issue, but I hope that it does not take this step without a real consideration of the impact it will have on its local community.

Indeed, I gave evidence in February 2008 to the Enterprise and Learning Committee (and alongside the Vice Chancellor) where Dr Grant was eloquent and enthusiastic on the matter of Cardiff’s contribution to Wales.

Given his comments then, I hope that his university will reconsider this decision.

If not, then I have heard rumours that another academic institution may well step into the breach which would be highly embarrassing for Wales’ top university and its role in supporting Welsh society.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Be careful Dylan. There are a number of powerful Vice Chancellors who are out to get you and the University of Wales although you should more worried about a big university West of the capital city. Comments like this don't help.
April 25, 2009 8:09 am
Cardiffian said…
Many of the staff think that Cardiff has lost its way in recent years. It has forgotten that it is a welsh university that is still largely funded through the Welsh taxpayer. Swansea Uni hates Cardiff but is more politically connected. Watch it overtake Cardiff sooner rather than later.
April 25, 2009 6:32 pm
Anonymous said…
Swansea is certainly making the most of its connections, hardly justified though. Cardiff has somewhat lost its way but no danger of Swansea overtaking, things would have to get really bad for that to happen. As for the Welsh taxpayer argument I am not sure what that is supposed to mean. If it should imply that Cardiff should be an inward looking unambitious university, then yes it may get more, as Swansea currently is, but such an approach would merely adopt all the failings of our naroow-minded political elite. Cardiff is a UK university with international aspirations, not to just be a Welsh one.
April 27, 2009 11:57 pm
Anonymous said…
Concerned staff, tutors and students at the Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning are campaigning to save the Humanities and Welsh teaching.
There is now a campaign blog:
http://savehumanitiescardifflifelonglearning.blogspot.com/
April 30, 2009 12:47 am
George Buchanan said…
I recently left Swansea University, and I can honestly say any claim that Swansea is an "inward looking unambitious university". Is characterising a beast of the past. The VC, and many staff see Swansea's goal to be an international university in Wales. Previous regimes were certainly more inward looking, but the past is a foreign country.

There is no conflict between being Welsh and International - unless you're an ignorant anti-Welsh little Englishman.

BTW, I'm not Welsh myself - I'd never even visited the country before I moved to Swansea 3 years ago.
May 25, 2009 10:13 am
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