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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · 12d

It's European Day of Languages today! 😀

"Languages open hearts and minds" - to connect us, inspire new ideas and broaden horizons.

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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · 12d

21 November ILCS event on thinking strategically about the challenges faced by language educators.
Don't miss it, sign up now!
university-council-for-languages.org/2025/09/24/t...

Thinking Strategically: Challenges Facing Language Educators – ILCS

An online event with the ILCS focussing on issues faced by language educators will take place on 21st November 2025, featuring Megan Bowler (Oxford), Emma Cayley (Leeds and UCFL), and Charles Forsd…

university-council-for-languages.org

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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · 25d

Mapping inequality in SHAPE

British Academy report shows Cold Spots in SHAPE Provision.

An important read, check it out on our website:

university-council-for-languages.org/2025/09/12/b...

British Academy Report Shows Cold Spots In SHAPE Provision

With more students than ever studying at local universities, a recent report published by the British Academy shows growing cuts of humanities, social sciences, and arts degree programmes in rural,…

university-council-for-languages.org

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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Sep 5

We are delighted that Emma Cayley, Current Chair of UCFL has been appointed to the REF subpanel for 2029.
university-council-for-languages.org/2025/09/05/n...

National appointment to REF subpanel for UCFL Chair

Emma Cayley, Current Chair of UCFL has been appointed to the REF subpanel for 2029. Emma said of her reaction to the news: ‘I am honoured and humbled by this appointment and looking forward v…

university-council-for-languages.org

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Reposted by UCFL - University Council For Languages

NeverFadingWood 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 @avantgardening.pl · Aug 23

Excellent letter.

UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Aug 23

The APPG Modern Languages has shared a Letter to The Times by Baroness Coussins, Co-chair of the APPG, in response to their recent leading article arguing falling languages uptake narrows young people's horizons (www.thetimes.com/comment/the-...)

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Reposted by UCFL - University Council For Languages

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · Aug 24

This is excellent. Languages matter for all kinds of reasons, and governments should be pressed to facilitate and encourage their take-up in schools and universities.

UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Aug 23

The APPG Modern Languages has shared a Letter to The Times by Baroness Coussins, Co-chair of the APPG, in response to their recent leading article arguing falling languages uptake narrows young people's horizons (www.thetimes.com/comment/the-...)

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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Aug 23

The APPG Modern Languages has shared a Letter to The Times by Baroness Coussins, Co-chair of the APPG, in response to their recent leading article arguing falling languages uptake narrows young people's horizons (www.thetimes.com/comment/the-...)

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Reposted by UCFL - University Council For Languages

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · Aug 21

Bit more on the Guardian liveblog here
www.theguardian.com/education/li...

Spanish surpasses French in popularity among students in historic first for language studies, according to the British Academy.
New GCSE data shows that Spanish has overtaken French for the first time as the most popular language choice among students, following a sustained rise in entries of nearly 25% since 2020.
Spanish entries increased from around 109,594 in 2020 to 136,871 in 2025, while French uptake remained steady - climbing slightly from 132,036 in 2020 to 134,651 in 2024 before dipping to 132,808 this year.
The data is released today by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and has been analysed by the British Academy, the national academy for the humanities and social sciences. It reveals wider trends in student choice across the curriculum.
SHAPE subjects (Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts for People and the Economy) continue to make up more than half of all entries (54%) - a figure that has remained consistent since 2019.

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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Aug 22

Vicky Gough, British Council’s schools adviser, said: “We need the success of Spanish reflected across all languages through exchanges, cultural programmes and real-world connections that demonstrate why languages matter. [...] young people from less privileged backgrounds miss out on opportunities"

Clare Seccombe @clareseccombe.bsky.social · Aug 22

www.theguardian.com/education/20.... KS2 still roughly twice as much French as Spanish taught

Au revoir to French: Spanish becomes most popular language GCSE

More than 136,000 studied español for this year’s exams, as holidays and La Liga football help increase its appeal

www.theguardian.com

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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Aug 17

Lost in translation - the case for learning modern foreign languages
www.ft.com/content/c9f3...

Lost in translation

Even in the language app era there are benefits to learning a foreign tongue

www.ft.com

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Reposted by UCFL - University Council For Languages

Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · Aug 15

Can universities help re-route languages pathways?
whoteacheslanguages.blogspot.com/2025/07/hope...

@cforsdick.bsky.social @emmacayley.bsky.social
@nickhillman.bsky.social
@ucflangs.bsky.social

Hope is in the air

Languages is in the news again. With an exciting plethora of projects and proposals that could take us forward. Here's one that has just qu...

whoteacheslanguages.blogspot.com

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Reposted by UCFL - University Council For Languages

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · Aug 16

‘2023 polling for the @britishacademy.bsky.social found 71 per cent of Britons would support making language study compulsory in schools.’

Pleased to see this FT editorial makes the case for learning foreign languages

on.ft.com/4mP3rrf

Lost in translation

Even in the language app era there are benefits to learning a foreign tongue

on.ft.com

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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Aug 14

Languages and the 2025 A-Level Picture - a blog post by our @ucflangs.bsky.social vice-chair Marcela Cazzoli @marcecazzoli.bsky.social :
👇
university-council-for-languages.org/2025/08/14/l...

Languages and the 2025 A-Level Picture

The British Academy’s look at this year’s A-Level results gives a mixed message for the humanities. Economics and Politics are still drawing in more students, but many other SHAPE subjects are slip…

university-council-for-languages.org

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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Aug 2

Listen below to our @ucflangs.bsky.social Chair
@emmacayley.bsky.social, in conversation with Matt Frei
from LBC News, discussing a recent @hepi-news.bsky.social report on the current crisis in language learning in the UK and the urgent need to address this at policy level 👇🏼

Emma Cayley 谷曦 @emmacayley.bsky.social · Aug 2

Was pleased to represent @ucflangs.bsky.social on @lbc.co.uk today in conversation with Matt Frei about the crisis for languages & their importance for global Britain, following the @hepi-news.bsky.social report by Megan Bowler. Listen at c.10.50am: www.globalplayer.com/catchup/lbc/...

Matt Frei on LBC UK - Catch Up | Global Player

Catch up on the last 7 days of shows from Matt Frei on LBC UK

www.globalplayer.com

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Reposted by UCFL - University Council For Languages

wendya-b.bsky.social @wendya-b.bsky.social · Jul 31

Read UCFL's reaction to the new HEPI report on languages: university-council-for-languages.org/2025/07/31/n...
The recommendations for HE are particularly welcome, as are those around equality of access and social justice. @emmacayley.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social

New HEPI report calls for urgent action on revitalising language learning

UCFL welcomes the release of a new HEPI report, sponsored by Duolingo, that highlights the urgent need for action to support and improve the uptake of languages at school level and beyond. It empha…

university-council-for-languages.org

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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Jul 31

New HEPI report calls for urgent action on revitalising language learning - @ucflangs.bsky.social welcomes the release of a new HEPI report, sponsored by Duolingo, thqt highlights the urgent need to support and improve the uptake of languages: university-council-for-languages.org/2025/07/31/n...

New HEPI report calls for urgent action on revitalising language learning

UCFL welcomes the release of a new HEPI report, sponsored by Duolingo, that highlights the urgent need for action to support and improve the uptake of languages at school level and beyond. It empha…

university-council-for-languages.org

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Reposted by UCFL - University Council For Languages

Emma Cayley 谷曦 @emmacayley.bsky.social · Jul 31

@ucflangs.bsky.social The University Council For Languages (UCFL) responds to welcome a new @hepi-news.bsky.social report and joins them in calling for urgent action on revitalising language learning university-council-for-languages.org/2025/07/31/n...

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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Jul 17

📣Important podcast on the value of speaking other languages 👇

The conversation looks at how the languages we speak influence how we think & affect how we relate to others. It explores how multilingualism can foster social cohesion, support cognitive flexibility, & even boost economic opportunities.

wendya-b.bsky.social @wendya-b.bsky.social · Jul 17

In the latest episode of the @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk's podcast series, Crossing Channels, Benjamin Pitt & I discuss the value of speaking other languages: pod.fo/e/2fb7e1. @benpitt.bsky.social explains how language & culture shape the way people think & the value of cultural/linguistic diversity

Crossing Channels: What is the value of speaking other languages?

In this episode, Richard Westcott is joined by Wendy Ayres-Bennett and Benjamin Pitt to explore a big, everyday question: what is the value of speaking other languages? The conversation looks at ho...

pod.fo

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Reposted by UCFL - University Council For Languages

Emma Cayley 谷曦 @emmacayley.bsky.social · Jul 15

A great afternoon in Westminster thanks to the APPG ML. We presented our collective response to the Curriculum & Assessment Review: university-council-for-languages.org/2025/06/23/c... Was pleased to be there to represent @ucflangs.bsky.social with @wendya-b.bsky.social & @marcecazzoli.bsky.social

Response to the Interim Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR).

In the interim report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review of March 2025 , the subject ‘Languages’ was classified as requiring Category 1 intervention, i.e., a subject currently deem…

university-council-for-languages.org

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Reposted by UCFL - University Council For Languages

Emma Cayley 谷曦 @emmacayley.bsky.social · Jul 4

A wonderful day of collegiality and sharing good practice for the @ucflangs.bsky.social Summer Plenary in the splendid surroundings of the @ilcs.bsky.social Spreading the good news about languages & optimism for our collective future. Thanks to our speakers and to all who made the effort to attend 💐

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Reposted by UCFL - University Council For Languages

Sascha Stollhans @saschastollhans.bsky.social · Jul 4

Fascinating discussion and a really insightful day so far! #langsky

UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Jul 4

Our @ucflangs.bsky.social Summer Plenary today has a range of crucially important panels on current developments in languages provision in HE.

First up: David Clarke (Cardiff University) & Derek Hird (Lancaster University) on Modern Languages in a Global Humanities Landscape.

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Reposted by UCFL - University Council For Languages

UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Jul 3

We are calling for nominations to the UCFL Executive Committee for the following roles:

- ECA Representative

- Slavonic and East European Representative.

Please see our website for the role descriptions and the nominations forms: university-council-for-languages.org/2025/07/03/n...

Nominations: ECA REP and Slavonic and East European Rep

We are calling for nominations to the UCFL Executive Committee of suitably qualified people for the following roles: An ECA Representative and a Slavonic and East European Representative. The role …

university-council-for-languages.org

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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Jul 4

Our @ucflangs.bsky.social Summer Plenary today has a range of crucially important panels on current developments in languages provision in HE.

First up: David Clarke (Cardiff University) & Derek Hird (Lancaster University) on Modern Languages in a Global Humanities Landscape.

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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Jul 3

We are calling for nominations to the UCFL Executive Committee for the following roles:

- ECA Representative

- Slavonic and East European Representative.

Please see our website for the role descriptions and the nominations forms: university-council-for-languages.org/2025/07/03/n...

Nominations: ECA REP and Slavonic and East European Rep

We are calling for nominations to the UCFL Executive Committee of suitably qualified people for the following roles: An ECA Representative and a Slavonic and East European Representative. The role …

university-council-for-languages.org

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UCFL - University Council For Languages @ucflangs.bsky.social · Jul 1

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Fewer pupils in less affluent English schools taking languages, survey finds

Less than half taking foreign languages GCSEs compared with 69% in most prosperous state schools

www.theguardian.com

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