The University of Athens, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Athens Polytechnic have been forced to halt all activities as a result of Greek ministry of education proposals to suspend unilaterally 1,655 university administrative workers. The impact on teaching, research, clinical work and international collaboration is unparalleled and the threat to higher education in Greece as a result of stringently imposed EU austerity measures is a cause of great concern far beyond Greece's shores. As academics, university workers, students and others, we call on the EU and the Greek government to protect the status and staff of Greek universities, to ensure that they remain able to engage in education and research and to recognise that these institutions are more important now than ever. They are and must remain beacons of critical thinking in a Europe whose social structures are being eroded by massive cutbacks and over which the shadow of far-right extremism looms.Dr Kevin Adamson University of Stirling, Dr Marianne Afanassieva University of Hull, Jose Arroyo University of Warwick, Dr Cathy Bergin University of Brighton, Dr Nora Bermingham TVAS (Ireland) Ltd, Professor Andrew Bowie University of London, Dr Maud Bracke University of Glasgow, Clare Brennan University of York, Dr Daniel Bye University of Bedfordshire, Mark Campbell London Metropolitan University and UCU national executive committee, Dr Theodoros Chiotis University of Oxford, Professor Katharine Cockin University of Hull, Colin Creighton University of Hull, Professor Costas Douzinas University of London, Dr Martin Paul Eve University of Lincoln, Dr Kirsten Forkert Birmingham City University, Professor Des Freedman University of London, John Holloway Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, Dr Eleftheria Ioannidou University of Birmingham, Professor Laleh Khalili University of London, Dr Alexandra M Kokoli Middlesex University, Dr Vassiliki Kolocotroni University of Glasgow, Dr Theodore Koulouris University of Brighton, Dr Elena Loizidou University of London, Paddy Lyons University of Glasgow, Dr William McEvoy University of Sussex, Professor Luke Martell University of Sussex, Andy Medhurst University of Sussex, Dr Shamira Meghani University of Leeds, Dr Keir Milburn University of Leicester, Dr Jonathan Neale Bath Spa University, Ewan Nicholas University of London, Dr Catherine Packham University of Sussex, Dr Maia Pal University of Sussex, Dr Polly Pallister-Wilkins University of Amsterdam, Dr Dimitris Papanikolaou University of Oxford, Dr Eleni Papargyriou University of London, Professor Adam Piette University of Sheffield, Dr Anindya Raychaudhuri University of St Andrews, Dr Lucy Robinson University of Sussex, Dr Eleanor Rycroft University of Bristol, Dr Edmund Schluessel Cardiff University and NUS national executive council, Dr Despina Sinou University of Paris 13 and University of La Rochelle, Dr Olga Taxidou University of Edinburgh, Dr Peter Thompson University of Sheffield, Dr Georgina Voss Royal College of Art, Dr Aaron Winter University of Abertay Dundee
• Richard Seymour seems to suggest the violence of Golden Dawn should be dealt with by a militant response from the left (Comment, 24 September). This implies that only the left has the duty or right to stop fascism, and that fighting fire with fire is the appropriate response. Given that the fringes of the Greek extreme left have quite a record of recent violence themselves, would it not be best to urge the government to deal with Golden Dawn by using the full force of existing laws, rather than further stoke the flames simmering on the polarised streets?Christos ProukakisLondon
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