Cardiff University Reverses Music, Languages Cuts Amid Staff Protests

Cardiff University has reversed its plans to close its music and modern language departments following significant public and celebrity opposition, including from stars like Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, and Sir Elton John. The university will continue to offer undergraduate and postgraduate music and modern language courses with revised entry requirements, smaller cohorts, and a reduced staff base within a new School of Global Humanities. However, the university will still close its ancient history and religion and theology degree programs after the current students complete their studies. These changes come as part of broader cost-cutting measures initially targeting 400 job cuts, later reduced to 138, across various faculties. Despite the reversals for music and languages, creative arts courses continue to face cuts and job losses at other UK institutions, including the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts and Liverpool Hope University. Cardiff University has also committed to avoiding compulsory redundancies in 2025 as part of an agreement with the University and College Union to prevent industrial action.