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The recent announcement of the University of East Anglia’s plan to cut 31 arts and humanities posts out of a total of 36 academic job cuts has sparked not only anger but also deep dismay. UEA emerged as a prominent institution for literature among the new universities established in the 1960s. This year marks its 60th anniversary, and since 1970, it has been renowned for hosting one of the world’s most renowned creative writing courses, established by novelists Malcolm Bradbury and Angus Wilson. The program’s esteemed alumni include Anne Enright, Ian McEwan, and Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro.
The news of prestigious institutions like UEA facing financial troubles has shocked alumni and onlookers alike. These universities, once celebrated for their innovative approaches, were incubators for various experimental courses during the 1960s. Creative writing was just one example, alongside media studies, development studies, and women’s studies. By cutting funding for arts and humanities in these universities, university managers and policymakers are essentially regressing to a bygone era, disregarding the pressing need for courageous and visionary advancements in education. It is crucial to acknowledge that the detrimental consequences are not limited to the post-1992 universities.
Promoting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has long been a conservative initiative, as these skills are viewed as essential for the economy. Earlier this year, Rishi Sunak, despite not having studied math at A-level, criticized what he deemed an “anti-maths mindset” in the UK. He aspired for all students to learn math until the age of 18. However, this ambition seems impractical in a country where teacher shortages, including math teachers, are impairing the quality of education. Furthermore, the rhetoric from government officials continues to undermine the value of subjects outside the STEM realm.
However, the issues culminating in job cuts run deeper and cannot be solely attributed to the government’s preference for STEM disciplines over the arts. Universities are facing financial crises. Since 2017, student tuition fees have been capped at around £9,250 per year, while costs continue to rise. Esteemed institutions have responded by capitalizing on the removal of student number caps, resulting in larger class sizes, accommodation shortages, and an overall deterioration of the student experience. Moreover, in 2020/2021, international students, who pay higher fees, accounted for 20% of UK universities’ total income. Nevertheless, the recent restrictions on student visa holders bringing family members to the UK inject uncertainty into this funding stream as well.
Both students and staff have valid grievances. Students have suffered from the lack of face-to-face teaching due to the Covid-19 pandemic and have witnessed changes in loan terms that require earlier and longer repayments. Strikes by academics have resulted in unmarked work. Specialists in their academic fields, who have dedicated years to study, often find themselves stuck in unstable, poorly compensated, temporary contracts. Simultaneously, the UK’s higher education sector is grappling with the longstanding industrial dispute over staff pensions and salaries. Meanwhile, vice-chancellors’ salaries have skyrocketed as universities increasingly position themselves as business entities with interests in property development alongside education.
Ultimately, ministers bear the responsibility for the decline of the UK’s world-leading universities. The elite few with substantial endowments and unlimited recruitment potentials can shield themselves from the worst repercussions. However, for others, like the unfortunate situation unfolding at UEA, the combination of stagnant income, high inflation, and unfilled student slots will result in significant losses and a bleak outlook.
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