Minister for Education and Skills
Welsh Government
5th Floor
Ty Hywel
Cardiff Bay
CF99 1NA
Friday 7 February 2014
Dear Minister,
I am writing in my capacity as the representative for Wales of the University Council of Modern Languages which represents Higher Education institutions across the UK, including Wales, and with the support and endorsement of the colleagues who have signed this letter.
The UCML community is extremely concerned about the reduction of grant funding which the Welsh government will be providing to CILT Cymru for the coming year. As modern linguists, we have worked with CILT Cymru in a productive partnership since its launch in 2002 and have benefited from its drive, passion and expertise in delivering support for modern languages from primary school to university. To exemplify the success and commitment of CILT Cymru to supporting languages in Wales, we would point to 4 projects. CILT Cymru has produced pioneering work, piloting research on the benefits of modern languages in primary schools in a six-year project which makes a clear case for modern language learning to be embedded into the primary curriculum. It has developed successful working partnerships with external stakeholders, such as its Business Language Champions project. This has grown to incorporate over 50 businesses in Wales, promoting the linguistic and transferable skills that come with modern languages competency and that have been proven to play such an important role in supporting Wales to deliver a thriving global economy. CILT Cymru has also supported the training and development of young modern linguists in Wales via its Student Language Ambassador scheme which trains university students to work in partnership with schools and to raise the linguistic aspirations and opportunities for younger Welsh students. This is truly inspirational work and has impacted upon the attitude of young people towards languages in a whole host of communities across Wales. Lastly, CILT Cymru has supported the development of the Triple Literacy program (Welsh, English and a Modern Foreign Language) and the importance of understanding the personal and professional development that derive from a multi-lingual and intercultural ethos in language learning and training.
As University linguists, we have worked in closely with colleagues at CILT Cymru on the Routes into Languages Cymru project over the last 4 years. This project has enabled a coordinated
approach to university-School outreach projects and allowed universities in Wales to work collaboratively to ensure that Welsh students and their families are able to engage with and understand the benefits of modern languages, both academically and in terms of long-term employability. With continued funding for Routes into Languages England (2013-2016), there is the very real possibility that there will be a gapping disparity between the cases of England and Wales and support for languages. In conjunction with the reduction in support for CILT Cymru, we have been told recently that no further HEFCW funding for Routes Cymru will be available. This would be to disadvantage Wales, Welsh students and the cultural life of Wales as a nation.
We would therefore urge you to reconsider the funding decision with regard to CILT in the light of the invaluable work it achieves in Wales and the ongoing need for an active and sustainable Centre for Languages in Wales. I, on behalf of my colleagues, would be happy to meet and work with you on how we can work in partnership to maintain the momentum and achievements of CILT Cymru and allied projects.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Claire Gorrara, (UMCL representative for Wales, Cardiff University)
Ms Sian Austin (Cardiff University)
Professor Gerrit-Jan Berendse (Cardiff University)
Dr Catherine Chabert (Cardiff University)
Dr Bruna Chezzi (Cardiff University)
Professor Derek Connon (Swansea University)
Professor Gordon Cumming (Cardiff University)
Dr Giovanna Donzelli (Swansea University)
Dr Andrew Dowling (Cardiff University)
Ms Helga Eckart (Cardiff University)
Dr Sian Edwards (Swansea University)
Ms Marie Gastinel Jones (Cardiff University)
Dr Kate Griffiths (Cardiff University)
Dr Katharina Hall (Swansea University)
Dr Christopher Hood (Cardiff University)
Dr Thomas Jansen (University of Wales, Trinity St David’s)
Dr Kathryn Jones (Swansea University)
Ms Genevieve Kinnafick (Cardiff University)
Dr Ruth Kitchen (Cardiff University)
Dr Rachael Langford (Cardiff University)
Dr Geraldine Lublin (Swansea University)
Dr Caroline Lynch (Cardiff University)
Dr Cristina Marinetti (Cardiff University)
Ms Tanya May (Swansea University)
Dr Carlos Sanz Mingo (Cardiff University)
Ms Cathy Molinaro (Cardiff University)
Dr Vanna Motta (Cardiff University)
Ms Elke Oerter (Cardiff University)
Dr Nick Parsons (Cardiff University)
Dr Patricia Rodriguez-Martinez Jones (Swansea University)
Dr Laura Rorato (Bangor University)
Dr Anna Saunders (Bangor University)
Mr Marc Schweissinger (Cardiff University)
Dr Sophie Smith (Swansea University)
Professor Carol Tully (Bangor University)