Skip to main content
Media centre

A School of Global Humanities

Vice-Chancellor Professor Wendy Larner outlines how this alternative proposal was developed, and what it means.

Dear colleague

I am writing to confirm that University Executive Board (UEB) has now approved an alternative proposal for the School of Global Humanities. That proposal will now be put to University Council on 17 June for its approval, as part of the ‘Our Academic Future’ process.

The alternative proposal UEB approved was created through collaboration between the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the five Heads of Schools of the arts and humanities disciplines. It was informed by four alternative proposals developed by our staff who worked hard to put forward good ideas for the future of both music and modern languages provision at Cardiff.

I can confirm that, if Council approves our plans, we will continue to offer modern languages and music research and education at Cardiff, albeit with revised structures and with a smaller staff base, based within a new School of Global Humanities.

This new school will:

  • continue to offer undergraduate and postgraduate Music degree programmes, but with revised entry targets and content
  • continue to offer Modern Languages programmes but to smaller cohorts, and primarily in French, Spanish, Mandarin and Japanese
  • seek to expand our Translation degree provision
  • continue to offer Languages for All with the languages offered there shaped by student demand
  • develop a new suite of degree programmes to fulfil the ambitions of the new School – challenge-oriented, inclusive, co-created and committed to advancing the Public Humanities agenda.

Having considered the case very carefully, we have decided to continue with the original proposal to cease named single and joint honours degrees in Ancient History, and Religion and Theology. I do understand that this will be very disappointing news for all academics who are deeply committed to these disciplines. We will of course continue to offer our current set of degree programmes for 2025-26 and are committed to teaching all students entering next September until the completion of their degree in these subjects.

I would like to thank all of you who have provided feedback on the arts and humanities, contributed to workshops and feedback sessions, and submitted alternative proposals. This input has been key to arriving at these proposals. I also want to acknowledge the anxiety that the Academic Future project has created for many of you, and I hope that today’s announcement brings some reassurance. There is much work yet to be done to realise the ambitions of this new School, and I hope you will feel able to play a part in this.

Next Tuesday’s webinar (3 June) will provide more detail on the new School. For those unable to attend, a recording will be shared in Blas on 4 June.

Best wishes

Wendy, Vice-Chancellor