Computer science without foundations will fall over. Not giving staff the opportunity to shift research focus is particularly egregious.
M
Mahsa Shirmohammadi
5 years ago
Université de Paris
M
Martin Dyer
5 years ago
They would certainly have fired Alan Turing.
H
Haiko Muller
5 years ago
Algorithms are the hart of Computer Science.
A
Anonymous
5 years ago
Foundations of Computing underpins all the areas that are in focus (possibly not "digitalisation" which is not actually a thing). It is vital to keep it.
D
Don Sannella
5 years ago
Professor of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh.
A sad and short-sighted decision by administrators who appear to have no understanding of the science that they are proposing to eviscerate.
G
Georgios Stamoulis
5 years ago
To call fundamental research "obsolete" is one of the most absurd ideas ever recorded. We support our colleagues also on the precedence this will cause for future cases (when AI will not be in the spotlight anymore)
M
Marino Miculan
5 years ago
Cynically looking from the other side of the Channel, we could be happy to see how higher education in UK keeps digging its grave.
N
Neil Walkinshaw
5 years ago
Leicester has such a rich history and a strong reputation for its foundational research. Such a short-sighted, self-defeating move. To say nothing of the fact that the courses taught in this area at Leicester were always especially popular with the students.
G
Graham Hutton
5 years ago
Professor of Computer Science, University of Nottingham
Foundational research has been key to many of the most important advances in computing, and is a vital part of the discipline. Ceasing foundational research at Leicester would be hugely damaging and shortsighted. Demand for places on computer science degrees is also booming, so there is no financial reason for making staff in this area redundant, particularly during a global pandemic. I hope that Leicester reconsiders its proposal.
A
Asma Adnane
5 years ago
Everyone should be able to progress in any research direction he is strong in, the research doesn't change with the agenda
R
Russell Lock
5 years ago
You cannot build a wall without foundations! It is seems incredulous that a reputable university could self-sabotage its offering in this way.
D
DKE
5 years ago
Featured
This is very absurd and on top of being legally questionable, it will create a very dangerous precedence: nothing could stop the university in 5 years to declare all AI & DS research obsolete and rehire their beloved TCS researchers and so on.
L
Leszek A Gasieniec
5 years ago
If this policy stays it will hurt badly not only the targeted academic staff but also the students, the School, and the University. The most valuable academics (who can easily find other jobs) will likely consider options. Also it will be very difficult to bring new academics of equal strengths and recognition, especially that all CS departments in the United Kingdom and elsewhere are hiring in these fields. The universities including their research environments should be balanced (getting rid of the foundations of CS is a big mistake) and ought to evolve naturally in time. This can be implemented gradually through a long term strategic planning including natural departures and new appointments.
A draconian policy like this ruins the reputation of any employer and it will take a long time to gain it back.
Leszek A Gasieniec
Professor and former CS HoD
at University of Liverpool
A
Adam Ó Conghaile
5 years ago
I'm a theoretical CS PhD student at Cambridge and have met many Leicester academics and students at conferences in our field – especially the category theorists. Their work has always impressed and the reputation of Leicester as a leader in theory is widespread. Cutting pure mathematics and foundational CS research would not only be a tragedy for Leicester and the wider UK theory community but also a grave mistake for anyone trying to attract funding and world-class researchers to the university.
P
Peter Dybjer
5 years ago
This is a fundamentally misguided decision. It betrays a lack of understanding of the nature of the growth of knowledge. The term "artificial intelligence" is particularly unfortunate, since it gives the layman a misguided impression about the nature of the field. Progress in AI is largely the result of age old research in mathematics, statistics and main stream computer science and engineering. Some particular techniques have seen recent spectacular successes, and therefore motivate expansion. However, it is quite another thing to use this as a reason for destroying whole areas of computer science and mathematics.
M
Mike Paterson
5 years ago
Emeritus Professor of Computer Science, University of Warwick, FRS.
Short-sighted decision by Leicester
P
Peter Green
5 years ago
Don't discard the seed corn - the ideas of this group underpin the future you haven't thought of yet
J
Julie Greensmith
5 years ago
Without theory there would be no practice.
V
Vitaliy Kurlin
5 years ago
Foundations of Computer Science are needed for new justified models in the epidemiology, whose current level of rigour is insufficient to resolve the on-going pandemic.
Computer science without foundations will fall over. Not giving staff the opportunity to shift research focus is particularly egregious.
Université de Paris
They would certainly have fired Alan Turing.
Algorithms are the hart of Computer Science.
Foundations of Computing underpins all the areas that are in focus (possibly not "digitalisation" which is not actually a thing). It is vital to keep it.
Professor of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh. A sad and short-sighted decision by administrators who appear to have no understanding of the science that they are proposing to eviscerate.
To call fundamental research "obsolete" is one of the most absurd ideas ever recorded. We support our colleagues also on the precedence this will cause for future cases (when AI will not be in the spotlight anymore)
Cynically looking from the other side of the Channel, we could be happy to see how higher education in UK keeps digging its grave.
Leicester has such a rich history and a strong reputation for its foundational research. Such a short-sighted, self-defeating move. To say nothing of the fact that the courses taught in this area at Leicester were always especially popular with the students.
Professor of Computer Science, University of Nottingham Foundational research has been key to many of the most important advances in computing, and is a vital part of the discipline. Ceasing foundational research at Leicester would be hugely damaging and shortsighted. Demand for places on computer science degrees is also booming, so there is no financial reason for making staff in this area redundant, particularly during a global pandemic. I hope that Leicester reconsiders its proposal.
Everyone should be able to progress in any research direction he is strong in, the research doesn't change with the agenda
You cannot build a wall without foundations! It is seems incredulous that a reputable university could self-sabotage its offering in this way.
This is very absurd and on top of being legally questionable, it will create a very dangerous precedence: nothing could stop the university in 5 years to declare all AI & DS research obsolete and rehire their beloved TCS researchers and so on.
If this policy stays it will hurt badly not only the targeted academic staff but also the students, the School, and the University. The most valuable academics (who can easily find other jobs) will likely consider options. Also it will be very difficult to bring new academics of equal strengths and recognition, especially that all CS departments in the United Kingdom and elsewhere are hiring in these fields. The universities including their research environments should be balanced (getting rid of the foundations of CS is a big mistake) and ought to evolve naturally in time. This can be implemented gradually through a long term strategic planning including natural departures and new appointments. A draconian policy like this ruins the reputation of any employer and it will take a long time to gain it back. Leszek A Gasieniec Professor and former CS HoD at University of Liverpool
I'm a theoretical CS PhD student at Cambridge and have met many Leicester academics and students at conferences in our field – especially the category theorists. Their work has always impressed and the reputation of Leicester as a leader in theory is widespread. Cutting pure mathematics and foundational CS research would not only be a tragedy for Leicester and the wider UK theory community but also a grave mistake for anyone trying to attract funding and world-class researchers to the university.
This is a fundamentally misguided decision. It betrays a lack of understanding of the nature of the growth of knowledge. The term "artificial intelligence" is particularly unfortunate, since it gives the layman a misguided impression about the nature of the field. Progress in AI is largely the result of age old research in mathematics, statistics and main stream computer science and engineering. Some particular techniques have seen recent spectacular successes, and therefore motivate expansion. However, it is quite another thing to use this as a reason for destroying whole areas of computer science and mathematics.
Emeritus Professor of Computer Science, University of Warwick, FRS. Short-sighted decision by Leicester
Don't discard the seed corn - the ideas of this group underpin the future you haven't thought of yet
Without theory there would be no practice.
Foundations of Computer Science are needed for new justified models in the epidemiology, whose current level of rigour is insufficient to resolve the on-going pandemic.