Save Russian Studies at Macquarie University— WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT NOW!

Started by Macquarie University Russian Language Students.

Macquarie University is considering discontinuing Russian Studies (along with Croatian, Italian, German, and Modern Greek). The enrolment of students in the first-year courses of these languages could stop as early as 2025.

This proposal threatens the teaching of languages at Macquarie University and will severely damage the breadth and variety of languages taught not just at Macquarie but in Australia.

Australian government agencies, Australian businesses, the IT industry, law, and consulting companies require employees with knowledge of the Russian language.

Macquarie University is one of the few universities that has Russian Studies and the only one that has both an internal and an external program, offering students across the whole country the opportunity to learn this important language.

The Russian Language program at Macquarie University is uniquely positioned as a course that presents immeasurable strategic value due to the global importance of the Russian language, a rich exploration of the linguistics, history, and cultures of Russia, as well as other countries of the former Soviet Union, which fosters an appreciation for cultural understanding that transcends political boundaries.

The removal of Russian Studies would also be devastating to the Russian-speaking community, denying future generations the opportunity to learn the language and obtain a formal qualification.

We call upon the Macquarie University administration to listen to the voices of the students, the academics, and the wider community and to reconsider the proposed changes. We very much hope that Macquarie University's multicultural program will continue in the future.

PLEASE SUPPORT THE PETITION in defence of Russian language teaching at Macquarie University ... and SHARE this post with friends, family, and colleagues.

The petition is addressed to: the Vice-Chancellor of Macquarie University, Professor Bruce Dowton, and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Professor Chris Dixon.