Universities in the UK are closing foreign language degrees and entire departments due to a significant drop in student demand, attributing this trend to a broader “societal shift.” This decision raises questions about the future of language education in an increasingly globalized world, as many wonder if years of language study can be replaced by artificial intelligence or online translation tools.
Michael Lynas, the UK country director for the Duolingo language app, emphasizes that there is no substitute for the comprehensive understanding that comes from learning a language. He stated, “Sometimes people say, ‘There’s translation apps now so why would you need to learn a language’? But that’s not what young people in the UK are saying. They are actually spending more time learning languages on Duolingo than any other age group.” Lynas pointed out that learning languages fosters cultural connections that technology cannot replicate.
The issue has garnered attention, particularly following Nottingham University’s announcement of potential cuts to its language degrees. Megan Bowler, a postgraduate student and lecturer at Oxford University, authored a report for the Higher Education Policy Institute on this “languages crisis.” She warns that the diminishing number of linguistics programs could be shortsighted, stating, “Graduate linguists are interdisciplinary thinkers who approach subtle nuances with a sophisticated awareness of societal and historical context. These skills and intellectual values are now even more important in the age of AI.”
Over the past five years, nearly 50 centers specializing in French, German, Italian, and Iberian studies have either closed or faced significant reductions. Further proposed closures threaten programs at institutions such as Nottingham and Leicester University. Hannah Sutcliffe, a Leicester graduate with a degree in Spanish and French, co-founded a virtual reality training startup and believes her language skills have been vital to her career. “They’ve allowed me to connect meaningfully with people from diverse backgrounds,” Sutcliffe said, expressing concern that future students might miss out on similar opportunities.
Nottingham University noted that a “societal shift” is leading to fewer applications for language courses, attributing this trend to a long-term decline in language learning in schools. Over the past 30 years, the number of students taking A-level French has decreased from nearly 30,000 to fewer than 10,000, while German has dropped from 10,000 to approximately 2,000 each year. Only Spanish has seen a slight increase, but it and modest gains in languages like Chinese have not compensated for the overall decline in student interest.
Dr. Emma Staniland, one of the first students to pursue a Spanish degree at Leicester, voiced her heartbreak over students feeling that their choice of study might be a mistake due to departmental threats. “Those who do come to university to study this subject are largely driven by their passion for it,” she lamented. The potential elimination of language programs could restrict access to these fields, making modern language degrees more accessible only to those with financial means.
Brexit has further complicated the landscape for language studies, according to Dr. Maite Usoz de la Fuente, a lecturer in Spanish at Leicester. She noted that the departure from the European Union has curtailed potential career paths in Brussels, Paris, and other EU cities. “The barrier now to simply going abroad and working as a British national is much harder,” she explained, highlighting the international aspirations of students.
The current trend in language education poses a challenge not only for academic institutions but also for society at large. As globalization continues to shape the way individuals interact, the value of language proficiency remains high. The ongoing discussions around foreign language programs in universities reflect a crucial need for a national strategy to preserve and promote these essential subjects.
