Graduates of the esteemed creative writing course at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have voiced their hopes that the program will not be negatively affected by planned staffing cuts. The university is currently facing a substantial deficit and aims to reduce staff by 113 positions, in addition to voluntary departures.
Author Emma Healey expressed her worries about the potential impact on the course, stating that it is a “real worry” for the creative writing community. However, UEA has reassured that it expects “very few redundancies” in the creative writing department.
The University and College Union highlighted that 31 out of the 36 proposed job cuts at UEA would be in the Arts and Humanities faculties. The creative writing course at UEA, established in 1970, offers an MA qualification to its graduates and has produced renowned authors such as Ian McEwan, Tracy Chevalier, and Kazuo Ishiguro, winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature.
Emma Healey emphasized the significance of the humanities in expanding ideas and imagination, stating that it is not only the course itself that is a concern but also the overall atmosphere of the university. The creative writing program has fostered a community of writers in Norwich and played a crucial role in the city being designated as a UNESCO City of Literature in 2012.
Author and editor Erica Wagner, speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today program, highlighted the instrumental role that the creative writing course played in her development as a writer and the importance of finding a supportive community. While she believed it was unlikely for UEA to eliminate such a renowned and flagship program, she acknowledged the potential risks to humanities and arts courses due to the university’s budgetary constraints.
Wagner stressed the value of humanities, emphasizing the need for an understanding of human interactions and underscoring the economic contribution of the arts to the country.
UEA responded by assuring that all subject areas in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, including the creative writing course, would be maintained. The university spokesperson acknowledged the financial challenges UEA faces and the need for £30 million in savings by September to secure its future stability. They emphasized that compulsory redundancies would be a last resort.
As discussions continue regarding the staffing cuts, the UEA creative writing course remains a beacon of literary excellence, fostering emerging writers and contributing to the cultural landscape.
