Students took part in a silent protest at the university in the hope of persuading the university to rethink the move.

But the university Council has decided to go ahead with the closure of the East Asian Studies and Linguistics departments.

The university has also revealed it is to "restructure" the departments of Politics, Computer Science, Sport, Sociology, Applied Social Studies and Community and Youth Work Studies Unit.

The university, which has almost 13,000 students, has defended the plans, which it says will see about �9m invested over the four years.

A statement issued by the university said: "Durham University Council has approved the strategic improvement programme, which will lead to the investment of �8.7m within the university.

'Short-sighted'

"This will secure and sustain its strongest academic areas to ensure they retain their international competitiveness.

"The university Council's approval is subject to the outcome of a 90-day statutory consultation process about the strategic improvement programme."

Opponents of the cuts described the university's decision as "incredibly short-sighted".

A spokeswoman for the university's student union, said: "Given the rising economic and political power of east Asia, this is no time to be closing down one of the UK's few, and indeed one of the most prestigious East Asian studies department."

The university says the departments to be scrapped were operating at a level which "falls short" of Durham's standards.