Dear all,
I think that Hans makes a very good point.
Several of us were at a meeting at the FCO last Monday, where govt commitment to 'talented young people with languages' as our future representation at EU level was stressed. You might want to check out e.g.
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/global-issues/institutions/britain-in-the-european-union/090-eu-careers/
and particularly the 'skills and qualifications' page, which reads:
The languages question
You need to be fluent, or at least confident, in a second language and may have to do a job interview in that language. If you’re taking the Concours (the official selection process) you currently need to take the final stage of the assessment in your second language which, if you’re English, must be French or German.
I hope we can support Anne and all the colleagues in German who have been forced out of post or are currently threatened with that. This is a wide-reaching issue that will certainly impact negatively on the UK in the international and specifically European context, and I think it's crucial that we find ways of tackling it both at the personal and at the political level (and yes, the personal is still political, it seems...).
A simultaneous approach to the Minister for Europe and the Commission might be worth thinking about?
Yours in haste, apologies,
Sarah
Sarah Colvin
Professor in the Study of Contemporary Germany and Director, Institute for German Studies
University of Birmingham
Muirhead Tower
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
Tel: ++44 121 4158627
________________________________________
From: JISCmail German Studies List [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Hans Hahn [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 29 October 2010 11:58
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Bristol cuts
Dear colleagues,
I am anxious to add my name to the number of those protesting against yet another curtailing of German Studies. However, I am not hopeful and wonder, what other action may be possible. I have just written to the German Embassy, suggesting that the matter should be taken up by the European Commission, since it does not simply affect German. If Britain wishes to play a significant role in Europe (and some of us doubt this) then the Government must take steps to avert a further undermining of European languages in schools and higher education. The recently proposed cuts in funding for arts subjects will lead to further deterioration.
By coincidence I was given a copy of Die Welt, a paper I avoid if at all possible. In it (25th October, p. 23) Thomas Kielinger, much favoured by the BBC, has a commentary, headed 'England ohne Geist' in which he criticises the cutting of arts subjects.
Maybe a joint approach to the European Commission would make an impact?
H.J. Hahn
Emeritus.
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