<div dir="ltr"><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div style="line-break:after-white-space"><div><blockquote type="cite"><br><div><div style="line-break:after-white-space"><div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">Dear colleagues,</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">The University of Exeter has confirmed that it won’t proceed with compulsory redundancies “at this time”. </div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">I would like to thank colleagues, students, alumni from all over the world who supported and signed our petition to defend humanities, arts and social science. Standing in solidarity together has been what has got us this far.  I hope this news will bring some hope to colleagues in other UK universities who are going through “restructuring” and compulsory redundancies. I want to express my solidarity with all colleagues affected by risk of redundancy in all universities.</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">While there is some relief in the threat of compulsory redundancies being removed , it is important to remember the amazing colleagues that we are losing through so-called voluntary redundancy. These colleagues are experts in their fields, they are our academic community, and they are fantastic educators who have inspired generations of students. Their leaving is a huge loss for our university community. Pressures on remaining staff will increase and students’ experience will be impacted. And all this time, we haven’t seen convincing arguments as to why so many members of staff should have to go.</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:16px"><b></b><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">As the cofounder of GeoForAll initiative, I have been working all my career for expanding geography education opportunities for all. So I am deeply disappointed with the University of Exeter management’s decision to close BA, BSc Geography and associated joint undergraduate programmes at the university's Penryn campus in Cornwall.</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal"><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62edpv9l53o" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62edpv9l53o</a></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal"><a href="https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/geoforall/2026-July/006684.html" target="_blank">https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/geoforall/2026-July/006684.html</a></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">Thanks again to all colleagues from across the world for signing the open letter and petition for defending Humanities, Arts and Social Science. </div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">Best wishes</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">Suchith</div><div><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div style="line-break:after-white-space"><div><br></div><div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div style="line-break:after-white-space"><br><div><br></div><div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div>On 23 Jul 2026, at 22:04, Suchith Anand  wrote:</div><br><div><div style="line-break:after-white-space"><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">Dear colleagues,</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">Thank you all for the huge support and solidarity for defending Humanities and Social Science. Over 35000 have signed the petition to stop redundancies at the University of Exeter. Details at <a href="https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/geoforall/2026-July/006684.html" target="_blank">https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/geoforall/2026-July/006684.html</a></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">This Guardian Editorial on 20 July 2026 highlights the importance of Literature, the arts and social sciences.</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jul/20/the-guardian-view-on-humanities-cuts-in-universities-academic-departments-are-more-than-cost-centres" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jul/20/the-guardian-view-on-humanities-cuts-in-universities-academic-departments-are-more-than-cost-centres</a></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">The UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is a Humanities graduate. In 2023, Andy gave this excellent interview about his experience studying a Humanities degree.</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">Humanities Degrees - An Interview with Andy Burnham</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal"><a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dJGnGiYy7T4&pp=iggUQAFKEF91OFZlaUloX2lrcnhlSU0%3D" target="_blank">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dJGnGiYy7T4&pp=iggUQAFKEF91OFZlaUloX2lrcnhlSU0%3D</a></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">I request the UK Government to support Humanities and Social Science in all UK universities.</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">Best wishes</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">Suchith</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">Professor Suchith Anand</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal">Professor of Practice in Science Policy | Senior Adviser to Governments and International Organisations | Scientist | Global Citizen | Science Diplomacy |  SDG Volunteer and Advocate</div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal"><span style="text-decoration:underline"><a href="https://spspa.exeter.ac.uk/people/profile/index.php?username=sa1131" target="_blank">https://spspa.exeter.ac.uk/people/profile/index.php?username=sa1131</a></span></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal"><span style="text-decoration:underline"><a href="https://ethicaldatainitiative.org/" target="_blank">https://ethicaldatainitiative.org</a></span></div><div style="margin:0px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;font-family:"Helvetica Neue";font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-feature-settings:normal;min-height:15px"><br></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div></div>