LLAS Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies

Language Futures: Languages in Higher Education conference 2012
Event date: 5 July, 2012 - 6 July, 2012
Location: John McIntyre Conference Centre, Edinburgh

Globalisation: a conference for undergraduate students
Event date: 4 March, 2009
Location: Loughview Suite, Jordanstown Campus, University of Ulster

Shaping the future of languages in higher education : WEBSITE NOW LAUNCHED
In October 2009 HEFCE published a review of Modern Foreign Languages provision in higher education in England authored by Professor Michael Worton, Vice-Provost, University College London. In response to the report HEFCE funded a project (led by UCML in partnership with LLAS, AULC and CILT) which explored some of the key recommendations for languages made in the report and produce online tools and resources to support senior managers in HEIs in shaping the future of modern languages in higher education.

Global perspectives in Area Studies: a complacent or creative response?

Higher Education is under pressure to produce graduates with the knowledge and skills for working in a globalised world and with the values and attitudes to behave as global citizens. Are Area Studies students developing these 'global perspectives' through their studies? A scoping study at the Royal Geographical Society (with with the Institute of British Geographers) has investigated the current status of the global dimension. The research project examined how global perspectives are manifest at three different levels within Higher Education: disciplines/subject areas, departments/teaching teams and institutions. In Area Studies, the picture is generally encouraging, with many of the building blocks for developing and strengthening global perspectives already in place. The long-term objective is for a holistic approach where all the components contributing to global perspectives are integrated and embedded into the ethos, structures, activities and daily life of Higher Education institutions.