By Graeme Paton. School leavers in England have lower levels of basic skills than their grandparents and now perform worse than young people in almost every other developed nation, according to a major international report. Research by the respected Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that 16- to 24-year-olds lag close to the bottom of global league tables in literacy and numeracy. Read more...
By Graeme Paton. Rising numbers of European universities are offering courses taught in English in a bid to tempt students away from leading British institutions, it emerged today. Figures show that the number of English language-based courses taught in countries such as Germany, France, the Netherlands and Sweden has soared by 38 per cent in just over a year. Read more...
By Anna BawdenUK accused of 'systematically squandering linguistic resources' as number of students studying French, German, Italian and Spanish falls. More than a third of UK universities have given up offering specialist modern European language degrees over the past 15 years, the Guardian has found, as leading academics argue harsh marking at A-level is putting teenagers off studying the subject at school.Find out how many universities have stopped offering French, German, Italian and Spanish single honours courses and joint honours courses with another language since 1998 using the line chart at the top of this interactive. Scroll further down to see a chart showing the number of courses offered in each language (to students in England) on the UCAS portal for the year 2014/15. Use the menu at the far right of the bar graph to choose the course types you want to include. Choose the specific university you want to look at with the menu at the far right of the list at the bottom or see which universities offer each language by clicking on the bars in the bar graph. Read more...By Anna BawdenA new analysis of the latest data shows that language degree courses are closing at an alarming rate. What can be done? As students return to their campuses, many will be wondering what sort of a job market they will find when they graduate. According to the Confederation of British Industry, recovery hinges on expanding exports. But the UK is being held back by a lack of language skills, crucial to doing business abroad. Lack of linguistic ability is acting as a "tax on UK trade", the CBI concludes. Read more...By Michael KellyUniversity degrees in languages may look like an endangered species. But hope remains, writes a former government adviser. It is a paradox of British higher education that our international profile has never been more important, yet fewer universities are offering language degrees. No wonder the government is worried that British graduates will be unable to make it in the global environment. Are we sleepwalking into tongue-tied isolation? Read more...By Anna Codrea-RadoOver the last few days, a Guardian investigation has revealed that modern foreign language departments are closing at an alarming rate. Here's a summary of the key facts. You highlight valid concerns about language learning but portray a rather limited sense of what a modern languages degree embraces (Plunge in language degrees blamed on A-level marking, 8 October). The decline of those taking languages at A-level and subsequently university level compels Professor Kohl of Oxford to to declare, rather prematurely, that languages might soon be the "prerogative of the privately educated elite, and language degrees are restricted to Russell Group universities". This is not the case. Read more...
The willingness of Ofqual, the exam regulator, to engage with the modern foreign languages community is most welcome, and it is to be hoped that other institutions concerned with language provision in the UK will follow suit. Andrew Smith, the Labour MP for Oxford East, has put down parliamentary questions for 14 October, pressing the government to strengthen modern language provision and uptake at secondary and tertiary level, and asking how it will ensure that any gains in modern language learning in primary schools translate into enhanced uptake in secondaries. Schoolteachers and university teachers of modern languages are invited to get involved in the initiative, Joining up MFL Teaching in the UK, by sending an email to the following address: mfl@mod-langs.ox.ac.uk.
Professor Katrin Kohl
Vice-chair, modern languages, University of Oxford
Our 3rd call for applications to join the European Master's in Translation network is now open. Universities may apply if they run programmes that comply with EMT quality standards. Already a member? Then you must re-apply with a complete file to renew your membership — selection cannot be guaranteed.
EMT membership (or observer status) will take effect on the day of publication, lasting five years. We will monitor memberships and organise a mid-term review. The EMT Board will deal with potential cases of doubt about continued membership.
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