Read this just now in the Belfast Telegraph. I find it a wrong decision to save on education, particularly now with unemployment so high and especially on languages.
donald

Queen's University was today due to announce details of its controversial Academic Plan which is likely to result in over 100 staff being made redundant.

The plan is also understood to contain proposals to close a number of areas — including the German department.

The university’s governing body, the Senate, was expected to approve the plan at a meeting this morning.

The university has told staff it needs to make cutbacks because it expects government funding to be reduced.

However, the Department of Employment and Learning told the BBC that funding for this financial year has been increased.[Michael McCready]

“To date, Queen's University Belfast has not informed, or consulted, us on changes in the number of staff, or the provision of degree subjects, for the coming year,” a statement said earlier this month.

“Funding to the university for 2009/10 has actually increased.

“The learning and teaching provision has increased by 2% and the Research provision has increased by 7.7% from the previous academic year.”