CLOSURE OF UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENTS

Motion Text

That this House deplores recent announcements by leading universities that they are to close, or freeze recruitment to, some departments because of funding problems; notes that the universities of Durham, Swansea, Cambridge, King's College London, Queen Mary and Westfield College London, Reading and Exeter are each considering at least one major department closure; regrets that departments awarded a Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 4 star rating receive less than half the funding that 5 star rated departments receive; notes that some Exeter University students part way through their degrees will have to complete their studies at other universities or suffer a reduced standard of teaching as departments are winding up; calls on the Government urgently to review the RAE star rating system and its impact on funding; and urges the Government to take practical steps to ensure that students whose departments are closed part way through their degree course do not suffer.