We call on the University of Stirling not to close the Religion programme or to make staff employed in that department redundant. Closure would impact not only on Stirling’s external reputation, but also on the student experience at postgraduate and undergraduate level. We urge that any process to assess the Religion programme at Stirling undergoes a full and open process of consultation that includes staff, students, and the wider academic and public communities.
Why is this important?
We acknowledge that Stirling's Religion programme, as the only place in Scotland where it is possible to study religion without being a part of a Christian faculty of theology, is recognised worldwide as both innovative and highly interdisciplinary, and thus impacts on multiple sectors. Yet there has been no consultation with stakeholders. This raises serious questions about the robustness of the university’s governance structure and about academic freedom.
We express deep concern that students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, both existing and new , now face uncertainty about their degree programme. We therefore urge the University to halt the current proposal, consult meaningfully with staff, students and the representative union, and to reconsider completely their precipitous move to withdraw a programme of critical teaching and research that is becoming increasingly vital in world so wracked by a misunderstanding and debasement of religious thinking.
For more information, please visit: http://criticalreligion.org/events/august-2015-religion-at-stirling-under-threat/
