Queen’s restructuring plan approved by ruling council

Queen's University today announced they were appointing 83 new academics and almost 90 postgraduate scholarships as part of a £84 million restructuring plan.

However the university confirmed they would be closing down its Classical Languages department “due to very low demand” and losing some staff due to take up of early retirement.

The loss-and-gain announcement made today by the university’s ruling body - the Senate - was forecast in the media last week.

Key changes in the ‘The Academic Plan’ approved by the Senate involve the merger of the Institute of European Studies and School of Politics.

The Ancient and Modern History departments will also be absorbed into in a new School of History.

The Institute of Irish Studies, which will receive a £550,000 boost, will also be expanded to include all Queen’s academics working in the field of Irish Studies.

The scheme further involves plans to fund a “generous” voluntary early retirement scheme which the university said “will release investment in priority areas”.

The package is part of the university’s phase II of a major restructuring plan.

Phase I, initiated in 1998, brought in over 100 new academics and saw the university jump the league table and enter the top 20 universities in the UK for the first time.

Queen’s Vice-Chancellor George Bain said: "This plan will secure and enhance Queen's position as one of the United Kingdom's top universities.

"The University is a world-class institution, with research of international standing being carried out in all our faculties.

"This plan represents a significant investment in its economic infrastructure. It will further strengthen Northern Ireland's competitive position in the global knowledge economy."

Sir George said the new plan was not motivated by a need to cut costs or to make savings.

“It represents another major investment in the ongoing process to restructure, refocus and further enhance the reputation of Queen's as a university of national and international standing for both teaching and research.”

The university’s Science and Agriculture department is set to receive the most new staff. They receive 25 new academic appointments and 21 postgraduate scholarships.

Dr Esmond Birnie Chairman of the Assembly Committee for Employment and Learning said they were pleased the plan involved recruiting new staff.

However Mr Birnie did express concerns about the closure of the Classics Department.

“One should worry if certain disciplines cease to be taught anywhere within Northern Ireland (now Ancient Greek and Latin are to go, previously Russian and Italian),” he said today.

“One cannot blame Queen’s for the changes they face in the numbers of students applying for certain courses. Broader cultural change explains the decline in classics alongside the rise in, say, film studies.”

(AMcE)