UCML plenary meeting and AGM 4th July 2014
Chair Report
This year UCML has been very busy and active on behalf of its members and championing languages
in Higher Education.
1. We have continued to liaise closely with HEFCE, particularly in relation to Catalyst Fund bids.
One bid has already been submitted to HEFCE and feedback towards a further draft has
been provided. Another is in preparation and will be submitted shortly to HEFCE. In the
process, numerous universities have come together to explore initiatives for collaboration
with a view to reshaping the landscape for languages in Higher Education. We also
submitted evidence to HEFCE on the risks to languages in the new fee and funding regime,
which was taken on board in HEFCE’s report (April 2014) analysing shifts and trends in UK
HE. Chris Millward and Linda Allebon have continued to engage us in regular dialogue and to
be massively supportive of our agendas.
2. UCML once again partnered AULC and the HEA in the preparation of the survey of
Institution-Wide Language programmes, published in February. This shows that the
message about the importance of language skills is getting through, with ever increasing
take-up and greater diversity of languages being studied in our universities.
3. However, in contrast, we are seeing further declines in degree programmes and there is
continued concern for application numbers. We liaised with both Salford and Westminster
Universities in respect of their closures and wrote letters and emails and responded to a
range of enquiries and calls for action. The Catalyst Bids could be of increasing critical
importance to the survival of our disciplines.
4. We responded to the Welsh government announcement of the reduction in funding for CILT
Cymru and raised awareness of this through the press, BBC Wales, and writing supportive
letters both to the Welsh government and to CILT Cymru.
5. We engaged in correspondence on the proposed restructure of the School of Advanced
Study which was rumoured to impact badly on the IMLR, assisted in the clarification of these
rumours and kept a close watching brief as the story unfolded. (May 2014)
6. I provided a detailed briefing on statistics in HE languages, including the IWLP survey, UCAS
applications data for language degree programmes, data on numbers of universities offering
degrees, independent/state school admissions to languages degrees etc to Baroness
Coussins, much of which was cited in her speech in the House of Lords HE debate in April.
7. We have ensured we are represented at numerous meetings and events. In the absence
abroad (March to July) of our Vice Chair for Research (Naomi Segal) other members of the
Exec have stood in where possible and I am particularly grateful to Paul Rowlett for doing so
on several occasions for events I could not attend.
a. Jim Coleman (as Chair at the time) attended the HEFCE Annual meeting (November
2013) and raised issues of the health of languages in the sector in plenary session.
b. Jim Coleman spoke at the All Party Parliamentary Group on Languages in December
2013. We have been represented at almost all subsequent meetings of the APPG.
c. Jim Coleman and I attended the AGM of the Conseil Européen pour les
Langues/European Language Council in Berlin in November 2013.
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d. I gave a presentation to the Russell Group’s A level content advisory board (ALCAB)
modern languages panel (March 2014), set up by the DfE/Ofqual, to influence the
reshaping of languages A levels. I also continue to liaise closely with OCR to advise
on developing thinking in relation to new A levels in languages.
e. Lesley Twomey spoke at the HEA event for new academics in languages disciplines
in March 2014, to raise awareness of the role of UCML.
f. Paul Rowlett attended a meeting in April 2014 of the heads of various subject
associations exploring how we can work together to champion research in our
disciplines and discussing how to monitor the AHRC DTP opportunities for graduate
studentships in our disciplines.
g. Paul Rowlett represented us at the launch of the AHRC OWRI initiative in May 2014.
h. Paul Rowlett attended the Humanities and Social Sciences Learned Societies and
Subject Associations Network meeting hosted by the BA in May 2014.
i. Paul Rowlett attended the Speak to the Future AGM in May 2014.
j. Paul Rowlett represented UCML at the Institute of Modern Languages Research
(IMLR) AGM in June 2013.
k. Ulrich Tiedau attended the Arts and Humanities User Group (AHUG), in June 2014.
l. I attended the HEFCE Steering Group for Routes into Languages (March 2014) and
made a joint presentation with Linda Allebon (HEFCE) on the current health of our
disciplines.
m. I have Chaired 2 meetings of the Routes into Languages Advisory Board also
attended by Lesley Twomey representing UCML. Routes into Languages now has an
unprecedented number of English universities working together on outreach
initiatives.
n. I am speaking at the LLAS biennial conference on languages in Higher Education
(Southampton, July 2014) on behalf of UCML. UCML is one of the co-sponsors of this
conference.
We have continued to respond to consultations on issues as varied as reformed A levels and
GCSEs, Open Access
Mary Fischer (UCML Scotland) organised a seminar on languages in Scotland, drawing in
numerous representatives of the Scottish government, funding council, local authorities etc
to look at possible initiatives.
Claire Gorrara (UCML Wales) has been tireless in working with colleagues in other
universities and in CILT Cymru to ensure some form of continuation of Routes Cymru.
We are supporting the APPG manifesto campaign for languages – due to be launched on
14th/15th July.
We will be launching our own campaign for a GCSE in a language to be included in
admissions criteria by universities, regardless of subject for which students are applying,
following the launch of the APPG manifesto campaign..
I have been liaising with the organisers of the Language Show to set up a live panel debate
(18th October, Olympia) on HE languages, at which I will speak on behalf of UCML.
We continue to disseminate information about events, activities, news and the outcomes of
meetings which we have participated in or have led, via our website. Our News pages
regularly feature updates on activities which UCML is directly involved in. Our Research and
Education pages are regularly updated to include reference to sources of data, reports and
information which UCML members will find useful.
15. The Executive Committee has been tireless in communicating between UCML and subject
associations. We have also had excellent nominations come forward for vacant posts, which
is testament to the commitment of so many colleagues in the sector to engaging nationally
on behalf of all our disciplines.
16. UCML’s Facebook page regularly features links to relevant articles, calls for papers,
notifications of conferences and receives increasing numbers of hits. Both Teresa Mackinnon
and I regularly post to these pages, and all postings are tweeted automatically. In response
to one recent article which was misleading about languages at A level and in University, I
wrote to the Guardian. This was not published, but my text was posted on the Fb page to
ensure our rebuttal could be accessed more widely.
As always – I invite UCML members to raise
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issues of concern,
topics on which you would like us to make representations,
topics on which you would welcome talks at future plenaries or workshops,
requests for data and other information which is helpful to you and which we could post to
our website for the benefit of other members.
Please do not hesitate to contact us, via the generic email address, or directly, via your own
Executive Committee representative or to one of the officers.
Jocelyn Wyburd
June 2014