Arts ‘a bridge to success’ after Goldsmiths league table leap

The warden of Goldsmiths, University of London has said that studying creative arts, social sciences or humanities is "a bridge rather than a barrier to success" after the university jumped 22 places in the Complete University Guide (CUG) rankings.

It's the highest position in five years for the university specialising in the study of creative, cultural and social subjects, which now ranks 52 out of 130 institutions. 

Professor Frances Corner, warden of Goldsmiths, said: “This is very welcome recognition of our achievements and as a place where our students can further their ambitions.

“It’s also very important that the employment prospects of our students are creditably high with those who study STEM subjects and that studying creative arts, social sciences or humanities is a bridge rather than a barrier to success."

The CUG data noted that a Goldsmiths Music graduate’s prospects for progression “fly high at 82.8 per cent” and indicated that studying for an arts and design degree in London had “a great impact” on future employment opportunities. 

Goldsmith's success follows a recent announcement that 130 of the university's teaching posts are at risk of redundancy as it seeks to make £20m of savings amid declining student numbers.

It is one of at least 14 universities implementing redundancy programmes affecting arts degrees or closing creative courses, according to research by Queen Mary University.

The cuts, which will impact 11 of 19 departments, including Music, Theatre and Performance, English and Creative Writing, and Visual Cultures, have been called "unprecendendetned" in scale, intensity and speed by the University College Union.

Corner previously defended the cuts by saying: "Like other universities, we are having to make difficult decisions because of a funding model widely acknowledged to be unfit for purpose.

“Creative institutions have also borne the brunt of chronic underfunding of arts in schools, and within this environment, fewer students are choosing these subjects at university.

“We are fully committed to retaining the arts, humanities and social sciences as core elements of our educational offer.”