University of Nottingham students fight ‘insane’ cull of courses

Some students said they only found out what was happening via a BBC Instagram post, external on Thursday morning.

This was because they were not emailed by the university until Thursday afternoon.

“I think it’s disgusting that we have been told this information through news outlets, rather than the actual university,” said Lily-Rose Marsden, who is studying German and Spanish.

Although Ms Marsden will be able to complete her course, she is concerned for future students who will not have the option of studying modern foreign languages (MFL).

“When I thought about it and reflected I thought ‘This is insane’, they’re not offering MFL’,” she said.

“The subject is already going extinct in schools because the government has made it not compulsory.”

Charlie Blair, who is studying German and Russian, has started a petition, external against modern languages courses being removed.

She is part of a group of students representing the languages societies at the university, who are working together to take action.

“It’s really not fair on the lecturers, they’re the ones who I feel most for,” she said.

“Everybody is so passionate about their course and then to just be cut off like that, saying you’re not important, we don’t value you, I think it’s really wrong.”