Universities in the UK are discontinuing numerous foreign language degrees and entire departments, attributing the trend to a significant “societal shift” in student preferences. The decline in demand for language courses raises questions about the future of language education, particularly in an era where technology, such as AI and online translation tools, plays an increasingly prominent role.
Michael Lynas, the UK country director for the language-learning app Duolingo, emphasizes that nothing can replace the experience of learning a language in depth. “Sometimes people say, ‘There are translation apps now, so why would you need to learn a language?’ But that’s not what young people in the UK are saying,” Lynas noted. He highlighted that users under 22 are the most active learners on Duolingo, spending more time on language studies than any other age group.
Lynas pointed out the cultural significance of language learning, suggesting that the ability to converse, even in limited phrases, fosters respect and connection. He argued that as the UK becomes more integrated into a global community, the need for interpersonal communication extends beyond what technology can provide.
The issue has garnered attention, prompting Duolingo to sponsor a report from the Higher Education Policy Institute focused on the “languages crisis” in universities. According to the report’s author, Megan Bowler, a postgraduate student and lecturer at Oxford University, the recent announcement from Nottingham University regarding potential cuts to language degrees is part of a broader trend driven by diminishing student interest. Bowler cautioned that the decline of language programs could have long-term consequences, as graduates with linguistic skills possess critical thinking abilities and a nuanced understanding of various contexts.
Over the past five years, nearly 50 language centres focused on French, German, Italian, and Iberian studies have either closed or reduced their offerings. The trend is expected to continue, with proposed cuts at institutions like Nottingham and Leicester University. Hannah Sutcliffe, a graduate from Leicester with a degree in Spanish and French, underscored the importance of language skills in her career as co-founder of a virtual reality training startup. She expressed concern that future students may miss out on vital opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Nottingham University attributes the decline in language applications to a long-standing trend in English schools, where the numbers of students taking A-level French have dropped from nearly 30,000 to below 10,000 over the last 30 years. Similarly, A-level German enrollments have fallen from about 10,000 to around 2,000 annually. Despite some improvements in Spanish and modest increases in languages like Chinese, these gains are insufficient to counteract the overall decline.
Dr. Emma Staniland, one of the first students to pursue a degree in Spanish at Leicester during the 1990s, expressed concern for current students facing uncertainty about their future. She shared that recent conversations with final-year students revealed a feeling that their choice of study was now deemed a mistake due to the imminent threat of departmental closures. “Those who do come to university to study this subject are largely driven by a passion for it,” Staniland said, warning that the narrowing options may eventually confine language study to a privileged few.
Brexit has also influenced the attractiveness of language studies, according to Dr. Maite Usoz de la Fuente, a Spanish lecturer at Leicester. She noted that the exit from the European Union has complicated potential career paths in key cities like Brussels and Paris. “The people who come to study foreign languages with us are quite globally minded, and part of what they want is a degree that’s going to allow them to work internationally,” Usoz de la Fuente stated.
As universities grapple with these challenges, the future of foreign language education remains uncertain. The interplay between societal change, educational priorities, and technological advancements continues to shape the landscape of language learning in the UK and beyond.
