[ARENA] Middlesex University close all Philosophy programmes

[miguel leal]

Olá a todos:

Acabei de saber da inacreditável decisão tomada pela Middlesex  
University, de Londres, de fechar em definitivo todos os seus  
programas de Filosofia, o que implica na prática o fim do excelente  
Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy (CRMEP; <http:// 
www.web.mdx.ac.uk/crmep/> O assunto é ainda mais actual no contexto  
desta lista já que é nesse departamento que trabalha Éric Alliez, um  
dos convidados das nossas Unneeded Conversations <http:// 
unneeded.virose.pt/oradores/oradores/ERIC-ALLIEZ/>. Por outro lado, e  
como poderão verificar pela carta que reenvio em baixo, é fácil  
perceber como esta é uma ameaça que se dirige a todas as  
universidades e a todas as áreas de ensino  que não sejam  
consideradas 'lucrativas' -- lá como cá -- , sobretudo nestes tempos  
conturbados em que o discurso economicista e burocrático parece tomar  
conta até dos espíritos que julgávamos mais lúcidos. Aliás, em muitos  
casos (como parece acontecer aqui) tal discurso serve apenas para  
encontrar uma justificação que permita eliminar departamentos  
politicamente incómodos.

____________________

Earlier this afternoon all staff in the Arts and Education section of  
Middlesex University received the following email:
  Dear colleagues,

Late on Monday 26 April, the Dean of the School of Arts & Humanities,  
Ed Esche,
informed staff in Philosophy that the University executive had  
‘accepted his
recommendation’ to close all Philosophy programmes: undergraduate,  
postgraduate and
MPhil/PhD.

Philosophy is the highest research-rated subject in the University.  
Building on its
grade 5 rating in RAE2001, it was awarded a score of 2.8 on the new  
RAE scale in
2008, with 65% of its research activity judged ‘world-leading’ or  
‘internationally
excellent’. It is now widely recognised as one of the most important  
centres for the
study of modern European philosophy anywhere in the English-speaking  
world.
The MA programmes in Philosophy at Middlesex have grown in recent  
years to become
the largest in the UK, with 42 new students admitted in September 2009.
The Dean explained that the decision to terminate recruitment and  
close the
programmes was ’simply financial’, and based on the fact that the  
University
believes that it may be able to generate more revenue if it shifts  
its resources to
other subjects – from ‘Band D’ to ‘Band C’ students.

As you may know, the University currently expects each academic unit  
to contribute
55% of its gross income to the central administration. As it stands  
(by the credit
count method of calculation), Philosophy and Religious Studies  
contributes 53%,
after the deduction of School admin costs. According to the figures  
for projected
recruitment from admissions (with Philosophy undergraduate  
applications up 118% for
2010-11), if programmes had remained open, the contribution from  
Philosophy and
Religious Studies would have risen to 59% (with Philosophy’s  
contribution,
considered on its own, at 53%).

In a meeting with Philosophy staff, the Dean acknowledged the  
excellent research
reputation of Philosophy at Middlesex, but said that it made no  
‘measurable’
contribution to the University.

Needless to say, we very much regret this decision to terminate  
Philosophy, and its
likely consequences for the School and our University and for the  
teaching of our
subject in the UK.

· Professor Peter Hallward, Programme Leader for the MA programmes in
Philosophy,
· Professor Peter Osborne, Director, Centre for Research in Modern  
European
Philosophy,
· Dr. Stella Sandford, Director of Programmes, Philosophy
__________________


Abraços

Miguel Leal
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