University cuts in Languages

Reports from the East Midlands of plans at Universities to cut their Languages degree courses have been widely reported:

Leicester (BBC report): University could close courses and reduce staff

Nottingham: (Guardian report): University of Nottingham considers axing language and music degrees

ALL works closely with the All Party Political Group on Languages who have written a letter to the University of Nottingham. The Google AI summary states: :

Key Points of the APPG’s Position

National Importance: The APPG argues that the closure of honours degrees in languages and cultures is not a strictly internal university matter, as it has significant national implications for the UK’s language skills, economy, and international standing.

“Linguistic Desert”: The APPG and other critics have warned that if the proposed cuts go through, the East Midlands region could become a “linguistic desert” for modern languages, following similar cuts at other regional universities like Leicester and Nottingham Trent.
Economic Impact: The group highlights evidence that a lack of language skills is already costing the UK economy billions of pounds in lost contracts and opportunities, and that maintaining and developing language expertise at the higher education level is crucial for future economic success.
Reputation and Soft Power: The APPG suggests that axing these courses would damage the University of Nottingham’s reputation as a “global university” and negatively impact the UK’s soft power internationally.
Community Impact: The cuts also affect community-facing initiatives, such as evening language classes and British Sign Language (BSL) teaching, which the APPG and University and College Union (UCU) argue are important for the local community and a national issue due to limited alternative opportunities.

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