Russian teaching is in danger at Edinburgh University following the announcement of the university's 2.6 per cent funding increase from the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.

The department has 60 degree students and only three full-time staff, a senior lecturer, a temporary lecturer and a foreign language assistant. The latter two are on contracts which expire in 1996.

Hopes that the posts might be made permanent are receding given the low funding increase when compared with an estimated 3 per cent plus inflation rate.

A university spokeswoman said that no decision had been taken on Russian until the university had reviewed the cash settlement.

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But applications for next session were still being treated normally and all students had been sent a letter this week making it clear that their interests would be fully protected, she said.

Russian has already fallen foul of the university's financial difficulties, despite having attracted increased numbers of students over the past decade.

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It was poised to fill the department's chair in 1990 when Edinburgh discovered an unexpected multi-million pound deficit and froze vacant posts. It ceased to be an autonomous department and is now part of the German department.

Nigel Griffiths, Labour MP for Edinburgh South, said Russian teaching should be supported at a time when Russia was opening up to the Scottish economy.