PETITION TO SAVE LATIN AND ITALIAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ, FINLAND

We would like to make you aware of the fact that the teaching of Latin and Italian are under threat of being discontinued at the University of Jyväskylä. Please read the following information by Dr Alexandra Grigorieva and consider signing both petitions:

 

“Dear Colleagues,

 Please help Finnish classicists to save teaching of Latin and teaching of Italian at the University of Jyväskylä. Both subjects are being abolished from the university curriculum altogether.

There IS a small chance it might be reconsidered if our protest is large and international enough. We have a reassuring precedent; a Danish University has recently reversed the decision to remove Greek from the curriculum thanks to the loud international outrage [cf. our blog]. Finnish university bureaucracy might be sensitive about such kind of public outcry as well.

Please sign for Latin

http://www.petitions24.com/jyu-latin-2016

And although it's a classicist mailing list I hope you could sign for Italian as well

http://www.petitions24.com/jyu_italian_2016

 As a foreign researcher based in Helsinki I admire Finnish university Classical traditions immensely and seeing them being ruined is not a thing I can contemplate with equanimity. Incidentally, Jyväskylä was named 'Athens of Finland' thanks to its commitment to education back in the 19th century when such things mattered.

Thank you so much for your support.”