Dear Fedi, we need your help!
On Monday, the University of Utrecht announced that they would shut down six bachelor studies, including the 'bachelor of arts' ("BA") Celtic Languages and Culture.
Current students will be able to finish their study, but from 2026 on no new students are to be accepted.
This was shocking news to receive.
We will not go down without a fight, though! 
We started a petition to stop it! (see the end of the toot if you want to skip all about why it is bad to loose Celtic in Utrecht.)
The Celtic BA at Utrecht University is unique in the Netherlands, and rare worldwide. Moreover, being able to study Celtic here in the Netherlands, away from the political context you have when you study it in Ireland, for example, allows us to bring new insights, because we can see it all from a slightly different perspective, which is very valuable for the whole field of Celtic studies.
It should be no wonder then, that the department of Celtic studies at Utrecht University is internationally respected.
The Celtic department also delivers important contributions to the field of Celtic studies that are much-needed worldwide.
Therefore, it would be disastrous to lose this beautiful and culturally important bachelor, that celebrated its centenerary just last year!
Hence, I emplore you all to sign this petition to save Celtic!
chng.it/tBwmVpYqMF
It is also possible to write a letter or email wherein you write why it is so important to keep the Celtic bachelor, to the Rector Magnificus of Utrecht University, who has to vote together with the 'rectores' of all other Dutch universities about the dissolution of the Celtic bachelor.
If you decide to write a letter or email, the staff of the Celtic department would love to receive a copy.
Written letters can be directed to:
Professor dr. Henk Kummeling
Universiteit Utrecht
Bestuursgebouw
Heidelberglaan 8
3584 CS Utrecht
The Netherlands
Emails can be directed to:
h.kummeling@uu.nl
You can send the Celtic staff a copy by:
Adding their email address in the BCC, or emailing a scan of your letter:
keltischezomer@uu.nl
Alternatively, you can send a physical copy to @drnike, Aaron Griffith, or Natalia Petrovskaia, at
Trans 10
3512JK Utrecht
The Netherlands
There exists an example draft for letters, if you would like to see that, please ask me!
