Statement on proposed cuts at University of Exeter
Exeter has an esteemed history of reading, writing, and learning dating back more than a thousand years. That legacy continues today through Exeter’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature, awarded in 2019 in recognition of the city’s literary heritage, cultural partnerships, and commitment to creativity, education, and international exchange.
Exeter City of Literature recognises the uncertainty facing staff and students following the proposed staff reductions within the University of Exeter, including in departments we have worked closely with over the years, as well as the challenges universities across England are confronting. Many of these staff members have helped the UNESCO designation flourish in Exeter through intellectual exchange, intercultural collaboration, and public engagement.
UNESCO believes that the goal of education “is not just to acquire technical knowledge but to develop the capacity to ‘learn how to learn.’” A humanities education equips people with the critical thinking, creativity, and cross-cultural understanding that UNESCO identifies as essential to navigating a changing world—skills that matter as much to students of business, engineering, or science as they do to students of literature and history.
Our partnerships with colleagues across the humanities, arts, and social sciences (HASS) have enriched Exeter as a UNESCO City of Literature. Through Modern Languages, academic staff have developed partnerships with Lviv City of Literature, producing translated publications, literary events, and international exchanges (link). Colleagues have hosted writers from fellow UNESCO Cities of Literature, creating opportunities for students, researchers, and residents alike (link). For three consecutive years, students in the MA Publishing programme have published books connected to Exeter’s UNESCO designation and the worldwide Cities of Literature network (link).
Exeter City of Literature hopes the enduring value of arts and humanities—to students, to the region's educational offer and cultural economy, and to Exeter's status as a UNESCO City of Literature—remains part of the conversation. We remain committed to the shared belief that literature, language, culture, and education continue to matter deeply to the life of this city, and we remain profoundly grateful to the staff, colleagues, and students whose work has helped make Exeter’s UNESCO City of Literature designation meaningful in practice.
