Languages of the wider world: valuing diversity

Date: 15 September, 2008 - 16 September, 2008
Location: School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London
Event type: Conference

Location map | Programme

Organised jointly by the Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies (LLAS) and the SOAS-UCL Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Languages of the Wider World (LWW-CETL), this conference will bring together teachers, researchers, educational developers and policy makers to discuss practical and strategic issues relating to languages of the wider world in UK higher education.

Following the 2005 HEFCE-commissioned Roberts Report's identification of languages as strategically important and vulnerable subjects (SIVS), significant funding has been released to promote and support languages across sectors, develop networks for the teaching of professional skills, and engage in research. This has led to an increased awareness of the strategic, civic and cultural importance of diverse languages and the establishment of initiatives such as Routes into Languages and the LWW-CETL.

This conference will build on the momentum by showcasing the range of work being undertaken within languages of the wider world in higher education. While each language has its own particular needs, the conference aims to identify common issues in order to facilitate collaboration, raise the profile, and make the case for increased HE provision of languages of the wider world.

Programme

Download: Conference programme (Word document, 206KB)

Download: Abstracts (Word document, 102KB)

Registration

Please register online for this event.

The conference is free to attend for employees and postgraduate students of publicly funded UK educational institutions. The standard delegate attendance fee of £40 per day for employees and postgraduate students of non-UK institutions will be covered on this occasion by the CETL for Languages of the Wider World.

Dinner (15th September)

The evening meal on 15th September, to be held at SOAS, will be charged at £32 per person. If you would like to join us for dinner, please download and complete the form and send to the address on the form itself by Friday 5 September. Please note that no charge will be made for other catering during the conference.