Foundations of Computer Science are not redundant

One does not cut the roots of a tree just because they bear not fruit.

computer science is as indispensable for the virtual world as physics is for the real world, with maths underpinning both.

We are enduring the same ordeal.

assistant lecturer

Research in foundations is essential in all Sciences. We would not have been able to develop a vaccine for any disease, master new energy sources, have an “online life” during the pandemic and even reach breakthroughs in AI or data science without foundational work in many areas. Today Computer Science provides a fundamental pillar for our lives, work and research, we can not reach new frontiers in Biology, Medicine, Engineering, Social Sciences, Education and even Arts without CS. But this pillar needs to be constantly reinforced, and advances in CS itself can not be made without the strong basis provided by research on Foundations of Computer Science. Leila Ribeiro, Full Professor, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Lecturer in Computer Science at University of Bremen, Germany

I am a pure mathematician, working at the boundary of mathematics and computing science, have already signed a petition circulated by the mathematicians. The FoCS group at Leicester plays a vital and strong international role in this subject area. It would be a tragedy, and an irresponsible action if this group were to be closed down.

Trends in computer science come and go and the decision to commit to a certain research direction is unwise in my opinion. Foundations of computer science - on the other - hand, are enduring and have spawned many research directions that have thoroughly influenced and shaped more applied areas. Furthermore foundations are needed to teach students structural and concise thinking. Barbara König, Professor, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany

Australia

Assistant Professor in Computer Science, Augusta University

Save Math!

Dropping research (and correspondingly teaching) in foundations of computer science is a disastrous strategic decision on the part of the University management, and needs to be urgently re-thought. Alastair Donaldson - Professor of Programming Languages, Imperial College London

This is what happens when marketing dudes define what science means.

Getting rid of most of Computer Science would be breathtakingly short-sighted.

PhD student, University of Birmingham.

Postgraduate Research Assistant at the University of Pisa, Computer Science

It would be sadly counterproductive to cease research in FoCo in favour of the current prominent areas of data science, AI and digitalisation. Exactly the accomplishments of FoCo during a full century have made possible the emergence of these favoured areas. We are reminded to the obvious simile of the golden goose. We hope and plead that the Science Directors at University of Leicester will reconsider. Jan Willem Klop, Emeritus Professor in Logic Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Fellow of CWI Amsterdam, member of Royal Dutch Academy KNAW and Academia Europaea AE, Dr h.c. University of Norwich UEA.

This module is way more important than you think it is for the future career

Direct link to applications leads to ignore long term results like "improving candles cannot lead to discover electricity"

Professor of Computer Science, Leiden University, The Netherlands