Protest at University of Salford in row over plans to axe language courses

Members of UCU will be joined by students as they lobby the university's council meeting at the Old Fire Station from 12.30pm. The meeting is due to start at 2pm and the protestors will make their case to council members as they arrive for the meeting.

The university has announced plans to axe all modern foreign languages (MFL) courses after 2017, despite a review which recommended that they be maintained as part of combined degrees.

Following a subsequent review, the university announced that all MFL courses will stop in 2017. UCU was not informed about the second review and says the proposed changes risk further redundancies at the university.

UCU added that it was disappointed to be excluded from the second review as it had hoped its inclusion on the original panel had marked a turning point in industrial relations between the union and the university following a number of bitter industrial disputes.

UCU regional official, Martyn Moss, said: 'Staff and students are united in their opposition to plans to axe foreign language courses at Salford.

'We believe that modern foreign languages courses form an important part of the university's portfolio. Axing the courses risk further job losses as students are taught out and courses are ended.

'We hope members of the university's council will take the views of staff and students on board and challenge the university's plans.'