Mathematics is not redundant

Maths is essential. ‘Excellence’ does not come from ruining subjects.

I strongly support my colleagues doing excellent fundamental science at the University of Leicester. It is a shame that UL treats its academics in such a way. The VC and others like him should be reminded that the electric light did not come from the continuous improvement of the candle.

There is no Royal Road to AI, computational modelling, digitalisation or data science; for these fields – like all of the sciences – are built on a foundation of pure mathematics. This is an arrogant and ignorant decision that will only hinder the University in its stated ambitions.

Abstract mathematics is central to all scientific and quantitative research. Scrapping it shows you have no interest in excellence. None at all.

The number of philosophers, historians and pure mathematicians in a university shows the quality of university education, I think. Probably, if a university doesn't have any pure mathematicians, it is no longer an academic university.

Pure mathematics is the foundation upon which all other research is built. To cease all research in pure mathematics is to remove the core of the subject, leaving the remaining fields unsupported and disjoint.

Clear damage of AI fooled

I strongly support the effort to preserve the pure math research at Leicester University.

Dear "managers", please hire academics whom you try to fire to find a better solution for your financial optimization problem.

I have no idea why my location is given as Sothend-on_Sea. I am Geoff Smith of the University of Bath.

The notion of a university without research active pure mathematicians is absurd. You need a broad mathematical culture both for its own sake, and to underpin wider applied mathematics and scientific research. The University of Leicester will become an object of ridicule if this short-sighted plan is implemented.

I am afraid that I cannot fathom the mentality that would favour the proposed cuts to the faculty. It seems as thought the university has gone over to a strictly managerial model and has lost sight of its purpose to advance and convey knowledge and understanding.

This reminds me of the University of Florida's earlier plan (circa 2012) to subordinate Computer Science to Electrical Engineering, In both cases, administrators have misunderstood the relationships between the subject areas, so that the putative value vanishes upon further reflection. The only effect of this will be to damage U. Leicester's reputation, and hence its long-term value.

the advances in cryptography, thanks to which the internet is such a massive part of our lives, rests on properties of prime numbers which for a very long time were pure mathematics with no application in mind.

Pure mathematics is foundational, and critical to science and technology.

Mathematics is not redundant

Pure maths cannot be separated from applications.

This new attempt at destroying maths at Leicester has nothing to do with "shaping for excellence" and should be called "shaping for mediocrity".

It is very unfortunate to hear that University of Leicester will decrease its fundamental research capasity. Mathematics is the most fundamental and non-profit area of science and only universities can support it.

All my support for the affected staff. These cuttings are as stupid as kafkian.