Cardiff University: ‘Land of song silenced if arts axed’

German and Japanese student Theodore Ackers put the arts being axed down to comments made by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, about Conservative plans to tackle what they call “mickey mouse degrees”.

“He pushed for STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] subjects and a decline in the arts,” said the 23-year-old, adding that people should be allowed to study what they enjoy.

The final year student said the department of modern languages did not receive any internal communication from the university, and found out about the cuts from the media.

She said the situation was “diabolical” and she felt “deeply sorry” for her lecturers.

A spokesperson for Cardiff University said it was always its intention to speak to students and staff first and was “extremely disappointed” that the proposals were leaked to the media.

Ms Ackers described her teachers as “fantastic people”, many of which have migrated to Wales and built lives in the city teaching their language.

“Why not make the cuts at the top of the university,” she said, referring to the university’s Vice- Chancellor, Professor Wendy Larner, whose salary is £290,000 per annum.

“These subjects are so important, why make cuts to the whole subject, why not make some cuts to more subjects?” she added.