Dear all,
Now that this discussion has broadened out to cover national languages
policy, I'd like to refer colleagues to the report just published by the
Association for Language Learning, the professional body for language
teachers, following a consultation with its members in September: see
www.all-languages.org.uk
One of the conclusions of the report is that languages policy in the UK, in
universities as in other sectors, needs to have a coherent sense of
direction and to be underpinned by 'joined-up thinking'. It points out that
ministers and politicians utter pious pronouncements about the importance of
languages to the nation while in practice allowing vice-chancellors and head
teachers to axe language provision or downgrade it at their own whim and
without any overall strategy.
Which brings us back to the Anne Simon case. As a recently retired
Germanist and former head of a school of modern languages I've noted plenty
of language departments closed down in the last decade with greater or less
cynicism by management in various universities - including my own in
Leicester. What marks out the situation at Bristol, apart from the
shamelessly ruthless manner in which Dr Simon's redundancy has apparently
been decided and announced, is the unilateral decision by Bristol University
to shut down an area of study without any reference to what is happening
elsewhere in the UK - and without even consulting its own Germanists about
the needs of the discipline. Medieval and early modern German studies may
be an area of contracting interest to undergraduates, but it should still be
preserved and taught at several of our universities. But does any V-C give
a moment's thought to such national needs or academic criteria as (s)he
hastens to get rid of something perceived as unprofitable? We need someone
or some body nationally to shape the future direction of our discipline and
ensure that it is preserved in something like rational form.
Sorry to go on. Put it down to too much time on the hands of someone in
retirement...
Richard Littlejohns
-----Original Message-----
From: JISCmail German Studies List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Hall K.
Sent: 29 October 2010 12:55
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Bristol cuts / Swansea update
Dear all
There was a debate in the House of Lords yesterday on the importance of
modern languages in schools and universities, in the name of Baroness
Coussins (Chair of the APPG on Modern Languages). This could prove
useful to the broader fight for languages.
The baroness highlighted Swansea's case in her opening speech, and, as
ever, was a forceful advocate for support and investment in MFL:
'Alongside this, it is very disappointing to see that other universities
are looking at cutting modern language provision. Swansea, for example,
is considering proposals which would apparently involve 22 academic
staff competing for eight posts in a reduced department and the
disappearance of Italian, Russian and Portuguese altogether. This is
despite the Welsh Assembly declaring earlier this year that the study of
modern languages was a "national strategic priority". I hope that
Swansea and any other university contemplating cutbacks in their
languages provision will take a closer look at the Worton report and
resist such short-sighted and damaging cuts in languages. The UK needs
to produce more specialist linguists to be teachers, translators and
interpreters, but we also need more scientists, economists, lawyers and
others who can work in English and in another language. That is
important for their employment prospects as individuals and for the
capacity of UK universities to compete globally.
I should like to ask the Minister what specific action the Government
intend to take to reinforce the status of modern languages as
"strategically important and vulnerable" subjects at university level.
The forum set up after the Worton review is one important contribution
which I hope will be continued.
The STEM subjects have rightly attracted attention and strategic
investment. Modern languages require the same declaration of priority
and leadership from Government to give universities the confidence and
incentive to build on their provision, not to diminish it. Professor
Worton, in an article in last week's Times Higher Education supplement,
said:
"The case for modern languages in universities has never been more
compelling".
He asks whether universities have the courage to deliver. I ask the
Minister whether the Government will have the courage to do likewise.'
The full text should be on Hansard by now:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/hansard/lords/by-date/
I will certainly be writing in support of Anne at Bristol, as I'm sure
will many of my other colleagues here at Swansea.
Many thanks if you have signed our petition against the cuts. If you've
not yet signed please consider doing so here:
http://www.gopetition.com/petition/39117/signatures.html
All best wishes
Katharina
Dr. Katharina Hall
Senior Lecturer
Department of Modern Languages (German)
Keir Hardie 416
Swansea University
Swansea
SA2 8PP
Tel. 205678 Ext. 4882
http://www.swansea.ac.uk/staff/academic/ArtsHumanities/hallk/
Please do not print this email unless you really need to P
-----Original Message-----
From: JISCmail German Studies List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sarah Colvin
Sent: 29 October 2010 12:18
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Bristol cuts
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-europ
ean-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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