UCML Plenary meeting
April 2016
VC Languages and Intercultural Education Report
1. Statistics: UCAS 2016 cycle applicant figures – March deadline
These statistical releases describe applicants and applications from the 2016 UCAS cycle at the 24 March deadline. The 24 March deadline is applicable to some art and design courses.
The datapublished include applicant numbers by age, sex, country of domicile, country of institution applied to, and institution type, as well as the number of applications by subject group. Compared to the same number of application in 2015, our subjects are seen to be experiencing a further fall in number of UK UG applications across all domiciles:
· Group Q Linguistics, Classics & related -3%
· Group R European Langs, Lit & related -7%
· Group T Non-European Langs, Lit and related -6%
Numbers for Group J Technologies and Group Y Combined sciences are also down on last year’s figures (-11% and -12% respectively).
2. Less-Widely Taught Languages Survey Report 2016
The report was published on our website on 5 April 2016. Itsurveys contact hours, credit loads, health of the discipline,progression routes, and other areas of interest for Europeanand Worldlanguages taught within named degree programmes. This makes interesting reading and could be helpful to Heads of Department in making the case for contact time,credit loads and number of admissions.In particular, it presents data for the following languages: Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serb-Croatian, Slavonic, and Ukrainian. Statistically relevant responses were obtained from 46 HEIs both from within and outside the Russell Group. By and large, the highest number of responses was obtained from those languages for which provision is more widespread nationally (Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian).
The report can be accessed from http://www.ucml.ac.uk/sites/default/files/pages/160/LWTL_Report_v1.3.pdf
3. Representation on behalf of UCML
· 12 April Language Trends
I attended the launch of the Language Trends Survey with representatives from other associations and HEIs. Details on the content of the document and the response from UCML are found below in 5.
· LLAS/UCML conference panel – ongoing. We have approached keynote speakers and reviewed conference proposals.
· 4 May All-Parties Parliamentary Group MFL
I will attend the meeting at Westminster on behalf of the Chair.
4. GCSE, AS and A level reform consultation
Ofqual published aconsultationdocumenton the Conditions and guidance forGCSE/A-Level in Modern Foreign Languages. In particular, information was sought from languages other than French, German and Spanish. UCML has now replied to the consultation, which can be accessed from our website
http://www.ucml.ac.uk/languages-education/primary-secondary-languages
5. Publications and campaigns of interest
· Born Global: very useful and interesting publication focussing on the ‘added value’ languages bring to the workplace. Can be used to reinforce the case for languages. http://www.britac.ac.uk/policy/implications_for_higher_education.cfm
· AULC yearly survey: figures show that nationally Language Centres continue to enjoy high levels of popularity with student numbers on the rise
http://www.ucml.ac.uk/sites/default/files/pages/160/UCML_AULC_2015-2016.pdf
· Language Trends 2015-16: the yearly report shows data on the state of languages in the Primary and Secondary sector nationally. Overall, virtually all primary schools in the UK are now teaching a language, but the situation remains more challenging for secondary state schools. The new curricular reform should address issues relating to teachers’ perceived shortcomings of the current system (e.g. examinations). http://www.ucml.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Language%20Trends%20Survey%20-%20embargoed%20until%2000.01%2018%20April%202016.PDF
We have produced our own response to the document, which can be accessed from our News webpage http://www.ucml.ac.uk/news/307
· Our Twitter #loveEU campaign. Please follow us on Twitter and add your views to our interactive map http://padlet.com/profteresamac/ucml
Can I please remind colleagues to consult our website on a regular basis for updates on languages matters concerning both HE and the Primary and Secondary sector. Thank you.
29 April 2016
Dr Elena Polisca
1