News archiveSee below for previous news stories published on the RLN London website. January 2006 - March 2010Employers rank languages the most desirable skill after IT8 March 2010 A recent survey conducted for CILT, the National Centre for Languages has revealed that employers rank foreign language skills as second only to IT in prospective candidates. 43 per cent of recruiters say speaking a second language gives a jobseeker the 'X-factor' when applying for work. Close to 300 of Britain's top employers who agree with this message are championing the importance of languages through a campaign to help young people bolster their employability by adding a language to their CV. Boots, HSBC, Arsenal FC, Weetabix and Royal Mail are among the British businesses who have united to inspire the next generation to learn a language, by becoming Business Language Champions. CILT Language Trends survey8 March 2010 The results of the latest Language Trends survey by CILT, the National Centre for Languages show that the number of students choosing to take a language at 14 is still in decline - but schools have an appetite for initiatives to reverse the trend. The findings, based on a survey sent to 2000 schools in England, revealed that the proportion of schools where more than 50 per cent of pupils study a language in year 10 has dropped from 45% in 2008-9 to 40% in the current school year. Schools are taking part in a wide range of new initiatives to improve take up - such as CILT's Business Language Champions programme - and these are already starting to show an impact on pupils' attitudes. Languages and the 2012 Games debated by the Lords9 January 2010 Baroness Coussins led a motion on 5 January at the House of Lords, drawing attention to the vital importance of languages in connection with the 2012 Games and the need for interpreters, linguist volunteers and supporting programmes like RLN London's Welcoming the World. The Baroness emphasised the need for further awareness-raising and continued funding to support languages in London, pointing out both the preparation that other Games organisers had undertaken and the potential legacy in terms of employability for young Londoners. "We have much of the raw material at our fingertips in a richly multilingual capital city, as more than 300 languages are used by Londoners. Sadly, however, some of the people with exactly the language skills that we need to harness do not necessarily yet feel that their skills are being recognised or used." Mandarin 'should be available for all pupils'9 January 2010 All secondary school pupils in England should have the chance to learn a less familiar language such as Mandarin, says Children's Secretary Ed Balls. Mandarin has become increasingly popular in schools - with one in seven now teaching the subject. As well as Mandarin, he pointed to the growing importance of Portuguese for trading with Brazil, Spanish in Argentina and Bahasa Indonesia in Indonesia. "A growing number of schools are now teaching Mandarin and in the coming years I think we will see this subject sitting alongside French, Spanish and German as one of the most popular languages for young people to learn," said Mr Balls. "In this new decade our ties with emerging economies like China will become even more important and it's vital that young people are equipped with the skills which they need, and British businesses need too, in order to succeed in a rapidly-changing world," he said. HSBC, BA and Hal Jaffer win national Business Language Champions awards London businesses HSBC, British Airways and Hotel La Place were amongst those commended at the national Business Language Champions celebration event on 30 November for the work they have been doing with school students to highlight the links between learning foreign languages and being successful in business. Event promotes languages in the media
Aiming to promote multilingualism and encourage college students to consider studying a language in higher education, 'Languages and Media Future Skills' took place at the University of Westminster on 25 November 2009. A total of 35 students from City of Westminster College and The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London came along. International sports correspondent Andy Brassell recounted how his language skills have helped in interviewing sports personalities such as Cristiano Ronaldo. RLN London and others explained the benefit of speaking languages for a number of career paths. Participating students were also given a taster of Chinese or Arabic, before making a short video for the London 2012 category of the Language and Film Talent Awards (LAFTAs) based around one of three languages French, Spanish and Turkish. LinkedUp award scheme - funding for innovative language learning projects22 November 2009 Are you working on an innovative language learning initiative that you could develop further by sharing it with others? If so, you could apply for funding through LinkedUp. The LinkedUp award scheme, which will fund more than 100 projects including initiatives involving local employers, offers funding for curriculum development projects carried out in primary, secondary or 16-19 education in England. The next deadline for applications is 15 December 2009, for projects running from February to November 2010. Petition to reinstate the compulsory teaching of languages to age 1617 November 2009 Study of foreign languages is currently optional at GCSE. If you'd like to see languages reinstated in the compulsory curriculum, you can sign a petition at number10.gov.uk - there are currently over 2,000 signatures. Since becoming optional in 2004, GCSE language study in England has slumped from 73% of students in 2003 to 44% in 2009. London is number one in Europe for business and languages6 November 2009 According to the recently published European Cities Monitor 2009, London remains the top rated city for languages spoken in Europe - followed by Brussels and Amsterdam. London is also considered the best city overall for business in Europe - a position it has held for 20 consecutive years - rating highest in half of the 12 major rankings, including easy access to markets, transport links with other cities, availability of qualified staff and quality of telecommunications. Games talk by RLN London at the 'Languages meet Sport' conference5 November 2009 London and the UK were well represented at the first European conference on languages and intercultural dialogue through sport, held in Trieste on 16 and 17 October. Jane Collis of RLN London was among the speakers from eighteen countries who presented a wide range of European, national and local policy and projects. Her talk focused on the potential of the 2012 Games as a catalyst for language learning and intercultural skills development. Visit RLN London's 2012 Games area. Internet set for language shake-up5 November 2009 The internet is on the brink of the "biggest change" to its working "since it was invented 40 years ago", the net regulator Icann has said. The body is finalising plans to introduce web addresses using non-Latin characters, allowing domain names to be written in for example Chinese, Arabic and other scripts. "Of the 1.6 billion internet users today worldwide, more than half use languages that have scripts that are not Latin-based," said Rod Beckstrom at the opening of Icann's conference in Seoul, South Korea. The first of these 'internationalised domain names' could be up and running by mid-2010. Review of languages provision in higher education21 October 2009 A wide range of recommendations to address falling numbers of languages students in higher education and a dramatic reduction in provision have been made by Professor Michael Worton - Vice-Provost of University College London - in his 'Review of Modern Foreign Languages provision in higher education in England'. He calls on stakeholders to take a number of steps to ensure the long-term sustainability and vitality of modern foreign languages provision - in particular encouraging universities and their partners in the languages community to work together to promote 'a clear and compelling identity' for the subject. Double Club exchange students meet Arsenal star16 October 2009 Arsenal's star midfielder Samir Nasri handed 10 lucky German Double Club pupils an award for their language and football achievements at Emirates Stadium this month. The pupils received the prizes pitchside ahead of the Gunners' 6-2 victory over Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League. The German youngsters from partner club Hertha Berlin were on an international exchange in England as part of Arsenal's Double Club project. As well as meeting Samir and watching the game, they went sightseeing in Greenwich, participated in a football tournament and visited other Double Club partner schools in the UK. You can find out more about Arsenal's activities as a Business Language Champion on our website. Read more about the Double Club exchange on Arsenal's website CBI HE report cites value of languages9 October 2009 This report titled 'Stronger Together' published in September by the CBI sets out what business wants from higher education, and how it can work with government and universities to improve outcomes. It emphasises the value of language skills in an increasingly globalised workplace, encouraging students to develop these skills which are not 'an optional extra' alongside their academic qualifications. According to financial service employer Thomson Reuters, "... by developing language skills and awareness of cultural variations, UK graduates will be able to compete on an even playing field with those of Continental Europe and beyond, where this is increasingly the norm." Awards for businesses supporting language learning in schools5 October 2009 The national Business Language Champions Awards are being launched by CILT, the National Centre for Languages to recognise and celebrate companies that are supporting language learning in schools. RLN London co-ordinates Business Language Champions in the capital - are you interested in getting involved in our programme or putting your company forward for the awards? Entries are invited for the following awards:
Deadline for all applications is 30 October 2009. UK held back by lack of language skills18 September 2009 The UK needs to boost numbers of languages learners, as it seeks to emerge from recession. CILT, the National Centre for Languages has pointed to a worrying decline in the take-up of modern languages, and wants languages to be treated as strategically significant subjects in the same way that science and maths have been championed. As CILT launched their new agenda for languages, calling on government agencies and employers to help safeguard languages, Chief Executive Kathryn Board said: "Our engagement with the non-English speaking world will remain superficial and one-sided unless we develop our capacity in other languages." Research from Cardiff Business School suggests improving languages could add an extra £21bn to the UK economy and that export businesses that use language skills boost their sales by 45%. Continued Government backing to tackle language skills gap15 September 2009 Following the successful bid for DCSF (Department for Children, Schools and Families) funding by CILT, the National Centre for Languages to run the Language Employer Engagement project, the Business Language Champions programme for London will be launched in October 2009 and will continue to run until March 2011. RLN London is working hard to get more businesses on board to help improve young people's chances of entering the global job market with the advantage that language skills offer and tackle the decline in language take-up at schools and universities. New tourism action plan for London21 August 2009 The London Development Agency launched the London Tourism Action Plan 2009-2013 on 13 August 2009, following a two month consultation with the capital's tourism industry earlier in the year. Priorities within the plan include supporting jobs in London's tourism businesses; delivering and promoting a world class sense of 'Welcome' throughout the visitor experience; and capitalising on the exposure that the 2012 Games and Cultural Olympiad provides to ensure London maintains its position as a leading destination for international leisure and business tourism. You can find out how RLN London is playing its part in improving the visitor experience through its Welcoming the World programme. 12,000 additional 'City Volunteers' for the 2012 Games19 August 2009 The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson has announced plans to recruit a new army of volunteers to greet and assist the thousands of visitors arriving in London for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. The Mayor wants approximately 12,000 new City Volunteers to complement the work of the estimated 70,000 London 2012 volunteers and ensure visitors receive the warmest of welcomes and first class advice on getting around the capital and to London 2012 events. Language knowledge is likely to be a real advantage in these roles - visit our volunteering area for advice on volunteering and the 2012 Games. Mayor Johnson speaks out for languages30 June 2009 Pledging his support for RLN London and our Welcoming the World programme, Boris Johnson explained the importance of welcoming overseas visitors to our Capital: "As the most diverse city on earth, where more than 300 languages are spoken on our streets, London is superbly placed to welcome the world both now, in the run up to and beyond the 2012 Games. It is, therefore, vital that we get to know the hundreds of different nationalities who will inevitably visit and do business with our city during and after the Games. To win business and attract visitors ... means more than offering a warm welcome. We must also demonstrate that we are first rate communicators, to show we understand and empathise with their different needs." The statement from the London Development Agency (LDA) drew attention to the training opportunities available to businesses across London, as well as the online resources hosted on the RLN London website. Find out more about the Welcoming the World programme and our range of downloadable resources. Languages and Film Talent Awards - LAFTAs20 June 2009 Young people from universities, colleges and schools across the UK are competing to make the most creative two minute clip on the importance of languages. Co-ordinated annually by CILT, the National Centre for Languages, this year's LAFTAs promise to be bigger than ever. The awards have the support of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory actor Freddie Highmore, and Lord Coe is judging a special London 2012 award category supported by the 2012 Games Organising Committee. Review of languages in higher education11 June 2009 England's higher education funding council HEFCE has confirmed it will examine modern foreign language provision amid concern about university budget cuts. Several departments have had reduced funding for languages following an assessment of research by the funding council. The review, led by Professor Michael Worton of University College London, will look at whether languages need to become more closely linked to research in other subjects. Professor Worton will make recommendations on "the long-term sustainability and vitality of modern foreign languages" and report to government and the HEFCE board. More languages at tube ticket machines6 June 2009 London Underground (LU) has upgraded touch screen ticket machines at its stations so they now feature 17 languages, making life easier for the capital's Tube travellers. Some machines already had six languages - English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. The latest upgrade means all touch screen machines in every station will also offer Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Polish, Punjabi, Tamil, Turkish and Urdu. Recent research for LU by RLN London had highlighted the importance of a wide range of languages to London's visitors and residents, and Director Jane Collis welcomed the upgrade. "As we look ahead to the 2012 Games, RLN London is delighted to see LU taking the initiative to make sure that it is easy for people to use and understand their network." European Commissioner for Multilingualism visits London14 May 2009 European Commissioner for Multilingualism Leonard Orban arrives in London on Tuesday 19 May to make the case for English not being enough. Commissioner Orban will first visit and talk to students at Woodside High School in Tottenham - where 64 languages are spoken. On Wednesday 20 May he is scheduled to visit Lambeth Academy, a school involved in the Arsenal Double Club project of which he is patron (see our Business Language Champions case study for more information. The Commissioner is also making time to speak to delegates on the subject of multilingualism at the London School of Economics (LSE) on the evening of 19 May; and along with Jane Collis of RLN London will be involved in a roundtable discussion at the University of Westminster on 20 May, focusing on the shortage of English mother tongue interpreters. For more information about the Commissioner's visit, or to receive a transcript of his speech at LSE, please contact Emilia Hinkkanen at the European Commission press office on Emilia.HINKKANEN@ec.europa.eu. UK firms place a premium on staff with a foreign language5 May 2009 The recently released CBI Education and Skills Survey 2009 shows that UK firms value staff who can communicate in a foreign language and who show an understanding of different cultures and business environments. 74% of employers interviewed in the survey are looking for candidates with conversational language skills rather than full fluency, as linguistic proficiency helps to build relationships. 'Companies value an employee's ability to communicate conversationally with potential business partners, customers or clients in their own language,' said a spokesperson for CBI. 'This can help break the ice, deepen cultural understanding, and open business access to new markets.' Consultation on London Tourism Action Plan (2009 - 2013)28 April 2009 The London Development Agency (LDA) would like to hear your thoughts on what you consider should be the priorities for London in the current economic downturn and in the years running up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. London's visitor economy is currently facing great challenges, but there are many new opportunities. Setting out a clear and coordinated direction for the city's visitor economy is more important than ever. The consultation on the action plan is now open and will last until 19th May. Survey of language businesses2 April 2009 On behalf of the European Commission, the Language Technology Centre is carrying out a study aimed at understanding the size of the language industry in the 27 European Union Member States, in terms of economic value, structure and main drivers. Contributions are needed by UK businesses, combined with those of numerous other European participants, to provide a significant new insight into the industry. London needs to speak every language23 March 2009 Writing in the Evening Standard, Yasmine Alibhai-Brown explains the value of the language skills that so many of our Capital's young people have inherited. "Last week I chaired an event in Shoreditch Town Hall organised by the Design Museum, asking why London attracts so many creative people. More than 600 young Londoners came to praise their city; they spoke dozens of languages between them. Likewise everyone on the panel, including designer and artist Hussein Chalayan, Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic, architect Farshid Moussavi and playwright Bola Agbaje, were all at least bilingual." European Commission faces shortage of interpreters24 February 2009 The European Commission's interpreting service faces a potential succession crisis of linguists with English as a native language, according to a recent statement. Without an increase in the number of qualified graduates, the EU Institutions are set to lose at least one third of their English language interpreters by 2015 due to retirement. David Smith, Head of the EC's interpreting unit said: 'We are facing a severe shortage of English mother tongue interpreters. One of the reasons is the growing demand for interpreters, along with the fact that a good number of our staff are reaching retirement age.' MP uses French during surgery21 February 2009 MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch Meg Hillier has put her language skills to good use during local surgeries, where many constituents originally from French-speaking Africa are more comfortable speaking French. Hackney is one of the most ethnically diverse boroughs in the UK, with a third of residents saying they spoke a language other than English at home, according to the most recent survey. There are also large Orthodox Jewish, Turkish and Kurdish populations, and around 100 languages are spoken in the borough. Britain needs language skills in a recession21 February 2009 In a leading article, The Times suggests that monolingual British citizens will struggle to compete with their multilingual continental European rivals in the current job market: "It is clearer than ever that British workers' inability to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the world's largest single labour market - the EU - stems in large part from longstanding reluctance to make more than a token effort with foreign languages." Student from North London school wins best young translator prize21 February 2009 Sabrina Vashisht is the best young translator in Britain after winning a prestigious prize from the European Commission. Sabrina, who attends the North London Collegiate School in Edgware, is one of 27 winners of the Juvenes Translatores competition across Europe. She was among 2,247 pupils from 593 schools in the EU taking part. Entrants were given two hours to translate a text on the topic of multilingualism from one of the 23 official languages of the EU into another official language of their choice. London businesses show increasing need for language skills21 February 2009 The latest survey published by the CBI in London shows increasing demand for foreign language skills - up from 21% in 2007 to 26% in December 2008. As many as 51% of businesses rely on recruiting staff from overseas, and two thirds of businesses expect the 2012 Games to give a major boost to London's international profile. 106 businesses took part in the research, representing over half a million employees in London. You can find more facts and figures about language skills in our resources area. European Award for Languages7 January 2009 CILT, the National Centre for Languages is inviting anyone running an innovative language project to nominate their project for a prestigious European Award for Languages by Friday 30 January. The Award is presented each year to schools, colleges, universities, businesses, community groups and other institutions who have demonstrated creativity, resourcefulness and success in their language learning initiatives. As well as the prestigious European Award label, winners receive books, teaching resources or vouchers from a range of sponsors. CILT's patron Sir Trevor McDonald will present the prizes at an awards ceremony in the summer. World class customer service for 2012 and beyond22 December 2008 A consortium of Sector Skills Councils, led by People 1st and commissioned by the London Development Agency and London Learning and Skills Council, has published a report which makes recommendations for raising customer service standards across the visitor economy in advance of the London 2012 Games. It illustrates how intercultural skills can become a part of customer service training and identifies clearly the importance of language and cultural skills, highlighting RLN London's Welcoming the World programme. Visit our 2012 Games area to find out more about languages, culture and the Games.
Charles De Gaulle Bursary Scheme19 December 2008 The Charles de Gaulle Bursary Scheme is managed by the British Council and provides funding of up to £1000 for individual students, aged 17 to 19, to undertake a four-week study project in France. The project can relate to any aspect of the French language or culture. Applicants can choose a subject matter that is not necessarily academic but that is of interest to them. The closing date for the receipt of applications is 31 January 2009. BA and Dormers Wells High School scoop national award12 December 2008
The award was presented by Kathryn Board OBE, Chief Executive of CILT, the National Centre for Languages to Grace Dawson and Margaret Aylott from Dormers Wells High School, and to Kath Curry from BA. RLN London's Business Language Champions organiser Pinky Sidhu accompanies them on the photo. New Standards promote intercultural skills at work12 December 2008 The first ever National Occupational Standards for Intercultural Working - aimed at businesses working with people from different countries and cultures - have been launched by CILT, the National Centre for Languages. The new Standards provide a quality benchmark for building mutual respect, improving communication and workforce relations, and reducing racism. They can be used to inform policy and procedures, provide good practice guide for human resources professionals, and identify training needs to promote social and community cohesion. Language learning trends in secondary schools12 December 2008 The results of the 2008 Language Trends survey on languages at Key Stage 4 show that the decline in participation in language learning has been halted, although there is as yet little sign of any overall increase in numbers. Diversification of languages taught is another striking feature of this year's results, with Spanish, Italian and Mandarin continuing to rise in popularity. The survey of 2,000 secondary schools in England, coordinated by CILT, the National Centre for Languages, showed that languages are now optional in 78% of maintained schools, compared to 77% in 2007, suggesting a levelling out in the decline seen in previous years. Do you want to take the language challenge?17 November 2008 For one week, millions of young people around the world will join a growing movement of entrepreneurial people to generate new ideas and to seek better ways of doing things. Dozens of countries are coming together for the first time to host Global Entrepreneurship Week, starting on 17 November. RLN London is making its mark by offering two challenges to young entrepreneurs in London and around the world. Firstly, in what ways can language skills and services help us to 'welcome the world' to London? And secondly, how can we encourage more young people to learn languages? You can read about how RLN London is helping businesses to welcome international visitors through our 'Welcoming the World' programme. Community languages at work12 November 2008 With more than 300 languages spoken in London alone, the potential is there for people who are fluent in one or more of these languages as well as English to make a significant contribution to our economy and society. Kate Hilpern explores this in an article for the Independent, interviewing a range of people who have found their community language skills useful at work. How speaking languages can boost your career12 November 2008 In the multilingual, globalised workplace, knowledge of another language can provide a wealth of opportunities - and boost your salary by as much as 20 per cent. In an article for The Independent, Dominic Luddy tells you what you need to know about your career options with languages. For careers advice from RLN London, visit our careers and learning area. Diploma in Languages - final consultation12 November 2008 The Diploma in Languages is an exciting new qualification for students aged 14 to 19, due to be launched in schools from 2011. Four consultation events are taking place in February, with one held in London on 9 February 2009. These events follow on from previous consultation events and give a final opportunity for those in business, schools, higher education, further education and others to feed back on the proposed learning in the Diploma. You can find out more about the Diploma in Languages at www.diploma-in-languages.co.uk. Register
for invites to the events (click on 'Register your interest'
in the left hand column) European number one for languages23 October 2008 The latest European Cities Monitor 2008 has ranked London as the top European city in which to locate a business for the 19th consecutive year. It is ranked as the number one city in half of the 12 major areas, including languages spoken. The European Cities Monitor is the annual location survey of Europe's leading companies. It is based on interviews with senior managers and board directors in charge of location of 500 top European companies. 52% of adults say languages are important for a career23 October 2008 A poll for language software specialists Rosetta Stone has found that more than half of the 1000 respondents (52%) said languages were important to a career. A third of those polled who speak languages (34%) said that their skills have given them opportunities to travel and work abroad. And more than two thirds (69%) said they were jealous of people who were able to speak another language fluently. New presentation to promote language careers23 October 2008 CILT, the National Centre for Languages has launched a new PowerPoint presentation as part of its successful Languages Work campaign. 'Languages and careers: 10 questions you always wanted to ask' collects the latest facts and figures and highlights the best places to go for more information. The slide show is ideal for teachers or anyone else promoting or providing guidance on careers with languages. Diploma in Languages - consultation3 October 2008 A new Diploma in Languages will be available to learners aged 14-19 from 2011, bringing the total of 14-19 Diploma qualifications to seventeen. It is a broad qualification which aims to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to prepare learners for further study, work and life. The Diploma development process for the Diploma in Languages is being led by the Sector Skills Council GoSkills, working in partnership with CILT, the National Centre for Languages and the Centre for Education and Industry (CEI). Your views are needed during the consultation stages, and an initial consultation questionnaire is now online. The closing date is Friday 17 October. HSBC survey reports language and cultural barriers3 October 2008 A report titled 'Business without Boundaries' by HSBC Commercial Banking, which surveyed over 5,300 UK businesses, has revealed that 46 per cent believe they will need to trade internationally to make that a reality. Not that they expect it all to be plain sailing - 8 out of 10 businesses trading abroad agree that it is the differences in culture and etiquette in foreign countries that makes international trade more challenging. The language barrier is also a problem for almost two thirds of businesses. Award-winning Japanese project18th Septenber 2008 The School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS) has won a European Award for Languages with its 'Jinrikisha' project - which uses audio recordings and podcasts to encourage adults to learn Japanese. The project, which also received the Routledge Adult Education prize, has effectively created a community of learners who rarely get the opportunity to meet. The European Awards for Languages are supported by the European Commission and co-ordinated by CILT, the National Centre for Languages in the UK. Try life in another language16 September 2008 The Government has launched a high profile campaign encouraging teenagers to 'try life in another language' - and improve GCSE languages take-up which has fallen in recent years. The latest push includes sponsorship of a T4 show and a series of cutting edge TV adverts. The DCSF-sponsored TV show, 'Je suis un rockstar', follows three chosen candidates as they join a successful Indie band - The Wombats - on tour through Europe . Each of the young people will use their language skills to make sure everything runs smoothly in one European city on the tour itinerary. Positive signs for language take-up in schools2 September 2008 A Level languages results published for England , Wales and Northern Ireland show more stable take-up and success rates than in recent years. Students taking languages this year were amongst the highest achievers of all entrants, with greater proportions of pupils gaining A grades than in most other subjects. GCSE languages are still in decline, although the downward trend is less steep than last year. Latest report makes recommendations on a languages strategy for 201219 August 2008 How can language services enhance London and the rest of the UK's image for international visitors and provide a cultural, educational, economic and social legacy for London 2012? These are some of the questions addressed by the research report, 'Languages and International Events' funded by Routes into Languages. The report makes a number of recommendations for the Games, demonstrating the need for early planning to create a successful language strategy and world-class language provision. Consultation on Qualification Strategy for Languages, Intercultural Skills, Translation and Interpreting24 July 2008 CILT, the National Centre for Languages has recently published a qualifications strategy to create a system for qualifications and training provision that is highly relevant for both its sub-sectors and cross-sector applications in each and every UK nation. It has been developed to address the issues that were highlighted by employers in the labour market research project carried out since November 2007. The consultation on the Strategy is open until Tuesday 29 July 2008. New inspiration for businesses to champion language learning across London9 July 2008
Queen's Award for Enterprise24 June 2008 The application process for the Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2009 has started. The Queen's Award for Enterprise is recognised and respected as a mark of quality and success by businesses in the UK and overseas. To help you see whether you might like to enter your business for the award, UK Trade & Investment in partnership with the London Development Agency is holding a free evening seminar and networking event in conjunction with The Queen's Awards Office on Wednesday 16 July at The Inner Temple.
The event will offer an opportunity to hear from past winners about the application process and the commercial benefits of holding the Award. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions about the Awards Scheme from members of The Queen's Awards Office. Whether you can attend the event or not, the closing date for applications is 31 October 2008. Enjoy a Capital Stay in London11 June 2008 Hotels and B&Bs in London can now benefit from a new online package which gives practical advice on improving quality of service, making the most of the 2012 Games and tapping into new markets. The London Development Agency's (LDA) Capital Stay 'e-book' is part of its commitment to improving the quality of accommodation in the capital. Available at www.lda.gov.uk/getgraded, Capital Stay is a one stop online package of advice, worksheets and video clips to help accommodation businesses in the capital stay a step ahead. It offers advice and useful tips including examples of language use on websites and in direct customer contact. You might like to learn more about our own Welcoming the World programme, which aims to help Londoners in frontline roles give great customer service to visitors. Business Opportunities Plan for 2012 Games11 June 2008 A major piece of work over the past year for Podium, the Further and Higher Education unit for the 2012 Games, has been to produce a 'Business Opportunities Plan', the formulation of which involved large numbers of people from both education sectors and a number of key stakeholders. Podium would like your view on the plan, to assess how it can be developed into fundable projects which support the Games. Magic numbers11 June 2008 8 signifies abundance of wealth. 9 means forever. If you're considering doing business in China, it pays to consider the cultural significance of different numbers - for example when choosing a launch date or a brand name. An article posted by Jason Yu, a Los Angeles-based research analyst with six years' experience in the localisation industry, investigates the connotations for a variety of numbers in China . 'Doing Business Abroad' - survey by Kwintessential11 June 2008 Kwintessential's latest online survey asks the question: "If you have worked abroad before, do you think cultural training would have helped?" The cultural training business is trying to get a better understanding of people's views on the importance of cultural awareness training. Do people see and feel cultural differences when working abroad? Mastering languages for business11 June 2008 In emerging economies such as Russia , China and South America, English is not widely spoken and managers who can communicate with the local people in these countries will have an edge. So, should students learn a second language on their MBA programme so they can offer a well-rounded set of management skills? At Cranfield School of Management, a working knowledge of a second language is compulsory for all MBA students. Sean Rickard, director of the full-time MBA programme, says, "We made it a requirement because we believe that in an increasingly global world we should encourage our students to communicate in at least one language other than their own." Win a language learning pack!3 June 2008 CILT, the National Centre for Languages has teamed up with publishers Routledge to celebrate Adult Learners' Week and give away five 'Colloquial' language learning packs. You just need to answer a few questions... the closing date is 13 June. Call for papers: ITI International Conference 200923 May 2008 ITI will be holding an International Conference over the weekend of 16 and 17 May 2009 themed broadly around sustainability. If you would like to submit a paper on themes with or without a sustainability angle, contact the ITI. Please also contact the ITI if you wish to put forward a suitable topic for a poster session or conference workshop. Contributions are welcomed from ITI members and non-members. Favourable consideration will be given to responses received before 20 June 2008. Government consultation: 'Higher Education at Work - High Skills: High Value'23 May 2008 The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills published on 14 April their high level skills strategy 'Higher Education at Work - High Skills: High Value'. Through this they will consult employers, learners and higher education providers on what more we need to do to equip the workforce with the skills required for an innovative and competitive economy. Languages are acknowledged as being of value - see section 5 - and the consultation asks 'What more can we do to provide more graduates with the language skills and cultural awareness to thrive in a global marketplace?' If you wish to respond, the deadline is 7 July 2008. London is the number one choice for international students23 May 2008 International students now account for 23% of the total London student population. There were 89,955 international students studying in London during 2006/07 according to the latest HESA statistics. This represents a 5% increase in the capital in the last academic year. London has more international students than both New York (65,885) and Sydney (37,515). RLN London has highlighted how these students can bring their valuable language skills into the workplace on graduation in their 'World in one city' report The Study London campaign aims to bring even more overseas students to London, attracting almost 100,000 students to its website this academic year. Oriental language challenge for French teacher23 May 2008 At Deptford Green school in London, Tommy, a year 11 Vietnamese student, has been smarting over his identification in the press as a grade F candidate for a French GCSE this summer. He had said he would only work to improve his French if his teacher, who had boasted it was possible to learn a language in three months, took up Vietnamese. London opportunities abound for German companies ahead of 2012 games23 May 2008 Think London, the foreign direct investment agency for London, in partnership with the British Chamber of Commerce in Germany, hosted a seminar in London to promote business opportunities for German companies around the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 'Maximising opportunities around the 2012 Games' was hosted at Think London's offices in Canary Wharf on 14th May. Brendan Dineen, Director, 2012 Games at Think London said, "Trade between the UK and Germany is the largest of all EU member countries and totals over $95 billion. Inward investment is also significant with over 3,000 German-owned companies operating in the UK creating over 400,000 jobs." German language skills are widespread in London. Recent research by RLN London showed that according to Reed, the national recruitment agency, almost a third of fluent German speakers are London-based. London attracts more than 11 per cent of all Chinese Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Europe20 April 2008 Think London , the foreign direct investment agency for London, has revealed inward Chinese FDI in London has doubled in the last 12 months. The rapid growth of the Chinese economy in recent years has seen many Chinese companies entering international markets, and London is reaping the rewards. London brings in more FDI projects from China than any other location in Europe , approximately 11 per cent of all Chinese FDI projects to the continent. London emerges clear winner as 'European City Of The Future'20 April 2008 London has swept the board and emerged as this year's number one European location in fDi magazine's 2008 Cities of the Future shortlist, published by the Financial Times. Cities and regions were asked to provide information in areas such as economic potential, volume and number of investment projects. Mayor of London , Ken Livingstone said: " London is the international city of the world not only in terms of the business it conducts but also with more nationalities in the capital than any other place on the planet." Adults regret their lack of language skills20 April 2008 Research released this week by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) showed that not learning a foreign language remains the biggest regret from British people's school days. More than one in four adults (27%) regret dropping a language at school, putting languages far ahead of other subjects they wish they had mastered. According to the survey, which sampled over 1,500 adults, the biggest reason for regretting a lack of languages is their usefulness whilst abroad. Over a third of those who completed the survey (39%) believe that having a language would boost their career prospects. The rise of .cn20 April 2008 China has gone from 2 million registrations to 10 million registrations in just 12 months, on course to become the most popular 'country code top-level domain' - surpassing .de. By comparison, this month marks the two-year anniversary of Europe's .eu domain, which now stands at 2.8 million registrations. While .eu has averaged 1.4 million registrations per year, China has averaged 1 million registrations per month. If you are interested in web localisation - adapting your site for international business - you can find out more here. Free publications from the CILT on-line shop27 February 2008 The online shop of CILT, the National Centre for Languages has been updated to allow orders of Talking World Class, Talking World Class key facts and Positively Plurilingual - helping education providers and language service providers promote and make the case for languages. You can also order Languages Work careers materials and European Day of Languages materials from the same shop - all free of charge. Every Language Matters27 February 2008 Ofsted marked International Mother Language Day (21 February) with the release of a new report, Every Language Matters, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of initial teacher training in languages other than French, German, Irish, Spanish and Welsh. The education watchdog said that languages such as Arabic, Bengali and Mandarin should be given higher status in England 's schools to give more pupils the opportunity to learn them. Blended language learning project27 February 2008 The Autonomous Language Learning (ALL) project is building blended language learning courses in four European languages (Turkish, Romanian, Bulgarian and Lithuanian). The results of the project are expected to be relevant for language teachers and learners of any language, not only the target languages The project co-ordinators are looking for assistance in terms of telling other language professionals about this project, and completing a survey on the teaching and learning of European languages. You can also subscribe to a project newsletter. London on top of the tourist world27 February 2008 London has been voted the greatest holiday destination worldwide in the World Travel Awards, considered to be the most comprehensive and prestigious in the industry, recognising excellence in travel and tourism. Last year, London welcomed a record 15.6 million overseas tourists, up more than 12 per cent on 2005. Tourist spending equals about £15 billion a year. If you'd like to find out how your business can take advantage of foreign visitors, visit our employers area. Shortage of English mother tongue interpreters27 February 2008 Demand is increasing for EU interpreters, but young blood is sorely lacking. The average age of the interpreters working at the European commission in Brussels, for instance, is now over 58, and this at a time when the numbers of languages spoken at meetings there has reached 23. The biggest demand is for interpreters who have English as their first language and fluency in two others. To find out more language services in London, including interpreting, visit our Private providers area. London 2012 Business Network launched27 February 2008 A new business 'dating agency' helping companies across the UK to compete for London 2012 business opportunities was launched at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium in January. The Business Network will help companies compete for Games-related business opportunities either directly with London 2012 or with other suppliers in the chain. RLN London's 2012 Games area can also give you business advice on making the most of the Games. Funding for aspiring interpreters27 February 2008 Deadline: Early April for interviews (although programme is ongoing) 'Interpreting Skills for hospitality' is a thirteen-week programme funded by the London Development Agency, lasting from 22 April to 3 July 2008. It will take place on Mondays and Thursdays in Stratford, recruitment is taking place now with final interviews being held in early April. This programme is aimed at bilingual people who wish to learn the skills needed for interpreting in the hospitality, leisure and tourism sectors, as well as gain other qualifications that will be useful for work in those sectors. Find out
more about the programme If you'd like to learn more about RLN London's support for language services, visit our private providers area. Think London welcomes Mexican investment27 February 2008 Think London is rolling out its business incubator service, Touchdown London, to Mexican companies looking to invest in London. The joint initiative is a partnership with Avanta, the serviced office company, to help businesses establish themselves in London, and includes subsidised office space and support services. After English and Chinese, Spanish is the most widely spoken language in the world. Latin American businesses can look to benefit from significant native speaker communities across the capital as well a significant upsurge in Spanish language study. Museum celebrates the English language27 February 2008 The English language is the means by which two billion people communicate in a first or second language. Now its story is to be told in the world's first museum dedicated to a language. The English Project - which is due to open in 2012, as part of the Games cultural programme, with support from the British Library and the BBC among others - will aim to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the richness of the English language. The museum will be built in Winchester - the city of King Alfred, who promoted Old English as a language of learning, literature and law. ESOL funding consultation24 January 2008 The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) is currently consulting on targeted funding to foster community cohesion and integration. It recognises that there are still too many long-term residents committed to making a contribution to Britain who cannot engage with other people in their neighbourhoods - or play an active role in their communities - simply because their lack of English prevents it. ‘Focusing English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) on Community Cohesion’ (published in January 2008 by DIUS) sets out the aim that ESOL funding should be more specifically targeted towards cohesion and integration. The closing date for the consultation on this document is Friday 4 April 2008 . British bosses see need for cultural awareness24 January 2008 The majority of British bosses (97 percent) taking part in a recent survey by executive communications consultancy, The Aziz Corporation, think that they should make an effort to learn about business etiquette in other countries when travelling abroad. Over two thirds (68 percent) are embarrassed by their lack of knowledge of other cultures. Most of the 205 senior managers and directors of major companies based across the United Kingdom who completed the survey (96 percent) rely on the fact that most people in business can speak English, with only 21 percent able to use another language. Consultation on draft criteria for new language provision within Diploma23 January 2008 QCA has developed draft criteria for new applied language units and qualifications following research into existing provision and employer and learner requirements. This research showed strong support for the inclusion of languages delivered in an applied context within the Additional and Specialist Learning (ASL) component of the Diploma. It also identified the need to complement existing qualifications with new provision that could be delivered in any language and in any context. QCA is now inviting comments on draft accreditation criteria for new applied language units and qualifications for inclusion within the Diploma ASL catalogue. Response to ‘Skills and Employment in London: Proposals for the London Skills and Employment Board’s Strategy’14 January 2008 RLN London has submitted a response to the London Skills and Employment Board (LSEB), commenting on its draft strategy which was published in October 2007. We have outlined our commitment to plans for a new framework to support businesses and individuals in London, and highlighted where language and cultural skills can play a part. If you would like to provide your own response in support of language and cultural skills, visit the LSEB website. Final deadline is 21 January 2008. Ten web globalisation predictions!14 January 2008 Global by Design, a company that specialises in web localisation (the rendering local of a website, taking into account a wide range of cultural and linguistic factors) has published ten predictions for 2008 connected with globalisation - from Chinese language domain names to multilingual corporate blogs. So let’s see what 2008 will really hold for the world wide web... London pupils with English as a second language on the increase14 January 2008 The proportion of primary school pupils in England with English as a second language has risen by 73% in a decade. Across the country the proportion is 13.5% - up from 7.8% in 1997. Behind the headline national increase is a more complex picture of big regional differences in how demographic changes are affecting schools around England . Across the 14 boroughs of inner London a majority of pupils in primary school - 53% - are classified as having English as a second language. In Tower Hamlets this rises to 76% and in Newham 72%. The Independent publishes lead article on decline in language learning14 January 2008 A leading article, 'Monoglots in a globalising world' was published by The Independent in December 2007. Lamenting the drop of 30 per cent in pupils taking one foreign language at GCSE, the article focuses in particular on the decline in inner city schools - which it says could lead to foreign languages ‘becoming the preserve of the public schools and suburban secondaries’. The point is also made that more effort could be put into the development inner city pupils’ competence in the languages they speak at home. European Award for Languages 2008 - deadline for nominations14 January 2008 The Award is part of a Europe-wide scheme supported by the European Commission, with CILT, the National Centre for Languages as the UK co-ordinator. Applications are invited from primary schools, secondary schools, colleges, universities, businesses and all other institutions engaged in innovative and effective foreign language teaching. The deadline for this year's Award is 1 February 2008 . The most innovative language initiatives will receive one of the prestigious awards, which recognise creativity in a range of contexts. Special additional awards of £1,000 are on offer for the Euro London Appointments Business Language Prize, and for the Albatross Travel Group Community Languages Prize. New careers factsheets show that Languages Work14 January 2008 CILT, the National Centre for Languages has made a range of new ‘Languages Work’ factsheets available to complement the upcoming 14-19 Diplomas in the Built Environment and Engineering, where languages are a study option. Alongside these, they have also recently published a factsheet on careers in translation and interpreting. If you’d like to learn more about career options using your language skills, visit our careers area. London with a Capital L!9 December 2007 We are pleased to announce the successful bid by a consortium of eight London higher education institutions titled 'Capital L' to join the nationwide Routes into Languages programme. Together with the expertise of regional partners including the Regional Language Network London, they will work over the next three years to deliver activities and programmes to engage young people and showcase the personal and professional opportunities that language study can offer. The London Consortium comprises the School of Oriental and African Studies, London Metropolitan University , University College London, London School of Economics, Birkbeck University of London, University of Westminster , Goldsmiths University of London and Open University London Region. You can find out more about languages in higher education here Taster of the London 2012 education programme9 December 2007 A webcast on 6 December gave a taster of the London 2012 education programme, which launches in 2008 after the Beijing Games. It will encourage students to realise their potential - and engage with other students across the UK and around the world. A particular focus is on celebrating the handover at the end of the Games in China , and 'One Planet Education' which includes an international citizenship programme being developed in conjunction with broadcasters and charities. These will be complemented by a domestic education programme which provides every young person at school and college in the UK with a chance to get involved in the Games. Bromley school wins European prize for Community Languages project9 December 2007 An innovative language project in Downderry Primary School , Bromley has been awarded a European Award for Languages. The initiative effectively engages parents to foster language learning and social integration within the school. The project works with recently arrived Tamil speaking parents who develop their English and IT skills while the children learn Tamil. The scheme has helped raise the status of Tamil to that of other languages in the school and enabled the children to develop their skills and take pride in them. Draft strategy for skills and employment in London9 December 2007 The London Skills and Employment Board has released 'Skills and Employment in London : Proposals for the London Skills and Employment Board's Strategy' for public consultation. If you, like RLN London, would like to highlight the crucial role that language and cultural skills can play in London's future economic prosperity, you can find out more about the strategy on the Board's website. The consultation deadline is 21 January. Consultation on Standards for Intercultural Working9 December 2007 The National Occupational Standards for Intercultural Working identify the skills and knowledge required for working both in multicultural UK and internationally. The benefits are:
CILT, the National Centre for Languages is developing these new Standards on behalf of the Sector Skills Development Agency. It is currently consulting on the draft Standards, so that they are relevant and valuable to all sectors, whether private, public, voluntary and community. To find out more about a consultation event on 23 January, visit our Events area. Find out more about the consultation on CILT's website (deadline 18 January) Billionaires raise London's international profile27 November 2007 London's position as a global business centre is being reinforced by an influx of wealthy individuals. As new multimillionaires are minted in Russia, India, the Middle East and Europe, many are coming to London, drawn by a combination of low taxes, historical ties and a geographical location that makes the city attractive for people doing business in Eastern Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Ajay Goyal is an Indian multimillionaire who lives here but has homes in several cities including in Washington, D.C., Delhi, and Moscow."For Indians, West India and much of Africa, London is a natural destination because of the historical and colonial connection". Read the article in the Wall Street Journal Read articles from thelondonpaper on foreign entrepreneurs in London Lack of investment in language learning costs billions27 November 2007 Billions of pounds are lost to the economy each year because of a lack of investment in language learning, according to a Welsh academic. A report by Professor James Foreman-Peck, of Cardiff Business School, said that investing more in teaching foreign languages to improve people's ability to speak French, Spanish or German would save businesses £9bn a year. Transversal: funding opportunities27 November 2007 The Transversal programme is a new funding programme running from 2007 - 2013. It is part of the European Commission's Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) and focuses on four key areas: Languages; The Transversal programme aims to support European co-operation in education and training of all kinds and to promote the quality and transparency of education and training systems across Europe. New Diploma in Languages27 November 2007 RLN London welcomes the announcement of a Diploma in Languages to be available to young people from September 2011. The case for improving the position of languages in Key Stage 4 and through into higher education and employment is incontestable, and a subject-based Diploma in languages will help build a wider range of options for fourteen to nineteen-year-olds, as recommended in Lord Dearing's Languages Review earlier this year. Lingua Connections: promoting languages27 November 2007 The Lingua Connections guide - available in hard copy and on-line - is a great resource giving tips to maximise the successful promotion of your language project. Examples of success stories from over 35 EC funded language projects are included. Proposal for bilingual French school in London27 November 2007 A west London comprehensive could be turned into a bi-lingual school, partly-funded by the French government. This would see the school using both the French and English languages and both their national curricula. Hammersmith and Fulham council says it is "very interested" in proposals to revitalise Hurlingham and Chelsea school in Fulham. Tourism benefits from the Games estimated at £2.1 billion29 October 2007 The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games could bring a step change in London and Britain's success in attracting visitors from emerging tourist markets such as India, China and Russia, according to new research published by Visit London and VisitBritain. Marylebone hotel puts languages in the limelight29 October 2007 Hotel La Place, featured in our Business Language Champions programme, has recently enjoyed publicity in the local 'Marylebone Journal' - with an article focusing on the wide-ranging language skills employed by staff. As hotel manager Hal Jaffer says, "If you can even just say hello or a few words in their language, you will have a friend for life." The article is a great example of how supporting language skills - and in Hotel La Place's case, working with a local school to show them languages in use in the workplace - can help generate excellent PR for a business. Find out more about our Business Language Champions programme Beijing ups the ante in the run-up to 200829 October 2007 Nearly 200,000 people in 11 business areas such as tourism have received some language training to improve service for the Olympics. A number of books on the English speaking during the Olympic Games and the volunteer service training have been published. The map of Beijing is also published in Chinese, English and French on the official website of the organizing committee for the Beijing Olympics. Skills strategy for the tourism sector in London29 October 2007 People 1st, the Sector Skills Council for Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism, has launched a skills strategy for the capital - which recognises clearly the part language and cultural skills have to play, especially with London 2012 on the horizon. MPs' review finds that university students fear languages29 October 2007 An MPs' review into financing of higher education in England has also found that UK students' lack of foreign language skills is contributing to a reluctance to spend part of their university studies abroad - and urged universities to provide intensive short language courses to encourage more students to do so. Economic impact of London's international students29 October 2007 IIn a recent report commissioned by London Higher, Oxford Economics estimated that the 86,000 international students in London contribute £1.5 billion to the economy and support 44,000 jobs in and around the capital. Their contribution to London's economy has doubled in the last five years and demonstrates the robust growth in the number of international students choosing to study in London. The overall impact of London's international students to the economy will be far wider as even the international students who return to their home countries will strengthen cultural and economic links wi London - and those that choose to stay in the UK offer strong language skills and cultural awareness, much needed by our businesses. Diplomatic language29 October 2007 Even senior diplomats can fall foul of language barriers - where use of idiom can create problems for the interpreter. Some amusing gaffes made by Australian politicians illustrate the point. Sharp rise in study of less widely-taught languages29 October 2007 Success for students of Portuguese, Turkish and Chinese in Greater London is on the up, according to exam board OCR. The number of qualifications issued by OCR to people in Greater London learning this trio of less widely-taught languages has risen sharply in the past two years. The capital is being identified as one of several hotspots for less commonly- taught languages in figures released by the exam board in September. OCR chief executive Greg Watson said: "Learning these languages has proved to be increasingly popular in London, wi more significant rises than the rest of the country. A Level and GCSE examination results30 August 2007 While hope has emerged for the advanced study of languages - with an upturn in take-up for A Levels and signs that university entries for languages are on the increase also - the picture for GCSE is steadily worsening. Entries for French GCSE have gone down by 8.2% and German by 10.2%. Although Spanish has risen 3% and other modern languages by 5.5%, overall numbers have decreased considerably. At A Level, 0.3% more students took a modern languages A Level, and 1.7% more entered at AS Level. Stakeholders in London are concerned that the discontinuity at GCSE level could cause UK plc to suffer on the global stage. Professor Tim Connell of City University and others commented in the Guardian on these trends. Read the Guardian article Beijing speaks foreign languages ...22 August 2007 The Beijing dining experience will be filled with surprises for many of the half-million visitors expected for the 2008 Games. As well as the standard pleasures to be had from a well-roasted Peking duck or a huge and cheap bowl of dumplings, they could be confronted with scorpion kebabs, starfish fluff, crispy silkworm grubs or any of number of other exotic temptations. Translating menus, and for that matter a huge range of other items like signs and tourist information, is a huge challenge for Beijing. Their 'Beijing Speaks Foreign Languages' programme is aiming to tackle the current shortcomings in time for the Games. Read the article Languages and the new Diplomas22 August 2007 Diplomas are the new qualifications for 14-19 year olds which herald the biggest change to the 14-19 curriculum for many years. Sitting alongside GCSEs and A Levels, they offer young people the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills within an applied, sector-focused context. All five of the Diplomas which come on stream in September 2008 - for Engineering, Construction, ICT, Society, Health and Development, and Creative and Media - include languages as an option. CILT, the National Centre for Languages is offering advice for schools and colleges delivering this new vocational curriculum on its 14-19 website. Vocational Turkish at College of North East London (CONEL)19 July 2007 As part of CILT's 14-19 learning networks project CONEL has developed a short Turkish language course (a 10 week course, including 15 guided learning hours) alongside a Health & Care programme, leading to a Certificate in Childcare & Education. There are 15 learners enrolled on this Turkish course and 15 learners enrolled on a similar Spanish course - 30 learners in total. The plan is then to roll out language courses across several vocational areas delivered by the College of North East London - and encourage other partners to do the same. Downing Street launches Arabic language website19 July 2007 Downing Street has launched an Arabic language version of its website in a fresh bid to win hearts and minds. The online guide boasts that it is "a place to find a lot of very interesting information about the British Prime Minister and how the British Government works". The Foreign Office already has Arabic and Urdu versions of its website, but it is a first for No 10, which has not until now had a foreign language version. A spokesman said: "We are always looking at ways to improve our service and we are considering adding other languages in the near future." Multilingual London may get languages museum19 July 2007 Language enthusiasts want to open a dedicated museum in London to coincide with the 2012 Olympics. Linguist David Crystal said the interactive museum would draw on high-tech gadgets to boost people's interest in languages - both foreign and their own - and would be the first of its kind in the country. A team including Crystal and Museum of London Director Jack Loman were waiting to see if the board for the 2012 Games will approve the idea, according to news agency Reuters. UN proclaims 2008 'International Year of Languages'19 July 2007 On May 16, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution proclaiming 2008 the 'International Year of Languages'. The proclamation is meant to highlight the fact 'that genuine multilingualism promotes unity in diversity and international understanding'. According to the Assembly recommendation, the organisation must avoid an over-reliance on English. Preserving linguistic diversity respects the cultural diversity that exists among UN nations and makes the harmonious work of the organisation possible. Language learning doesn't stop at school8 June 2007 Almost one in three people (30%) in the UK have learned languages as an adult compared to almost half (45%) who learned other languages - as well as their mother tongue - as a child. These are the headline findings of the 2007 NIACE survey on languages - 'Figures of Speech' - published for Adult Learners' Week (19 - 25 May 2007). Currently four per cent of adults are participating in language learning - roughly equivalent to two million adults in the UK. In addition one in three (31%) want to learn another language: the most popular languages being French, German, Spanish and Italian. Adults from minority ethnic groups (52%) are more likely to learn languages and these are predominantly non-European languages and English. European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 20088 June 2007 The European Commission has designated 2008 the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. The aim is to increase people's mutual understanding and appreciation of the many different cultures in Europe. In addition, the year aims to highlight the contribution of different cultures to the member states' heritage and way of life, and to recognise that intercultural dialogue is essential for learning to live together in harmony. Intercultural Dialogue events and activities can complement existing community programmes and raise awareness of these issues. Non-profit-making organisations are invited to apply for the limited EU funding available for eligible projects. Guidance on funding applications can be found on the EUCLID website. Deadlines for applications are 9 July 2007 for UK-focused projects and 31 July 2007 for trans-national projects. Further information about the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue can be found on the European Commission's Europa website. French business to use 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London as appetiser8 June 2007 Non-UK business should take the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London as an appetiser when assessing broader business opportunities and deciding to set up business in the city. This was the key message of Think London, the foreign direct investment agency for the capital, at a seminar in Paris dealing with business around the 2012 Games, hosted by Ubifrance. Think London's Director 2012 Games, Brendan Dineen, said 'When we distil the data, the Games are forecasted to create €5.8 billion of economic growth by 2012. And this does not take into account the legacy the Games will leave.' London is the most popular destination for French FDI projects in Europe and in 2006 the capital won a 6.4% share of all projects. One in four Eastern European migrants in the UK spends no time with British people8 June 2007 This was the headline finding from a Joseph Rowntree Foundation study into East European immigration and community cohesion, based around interviews with migrants in Brighton and Hove and the London boroughs of Hackney and Harrow. The study also found only 35% of recent arrivals said they felt "very strongly" or "fairly strongly" a sense of belonging in their neighbourhood - but this rose to 72% among long-term residents. More than two-thirds described their English skills as "none" or "basic" upon arrival in the UK. Lithuanian Laura Dzelzyte, 25, has lived in London for five years and works as a business consultant advising both British and Eastern European firms on overcoming cultural barriers in trade. She commented, "Ultimately, the key is language - when we can speak to each other, we realise we are all the same underneath." Read
the BBC news article including interviews with migrants Study of language provision in the further education system8 June 2007 The Department for Education and Skills has charged the Quality Improvement Agency with conducting a study of language provision in the further education system in England - which will be complemented by an employer survey currently being promoted through Sector Skills Councils. Consultants SQW have been commissioned to undertake a comprehensive study which explores how current language provision meets the needs of employers and learners. 'Routes into Languages' - Languages and International Events Research Project18 May 2007 This £40,000 research project has been awarded to Debra Kelly, Professor of French at the University of Westminster with Dr Alison Phipps, Director of the School for Education, University of Glasgow as consultant. It will result in a report to higher education (HE) modern languages departments on their potential contribution to high profile international and sporting events such as the 2012 Games. The main aims are to raise the profile of HE languages departments and to stimulate public and business interest in languages. A particular feature of the project is in making a connection between the formal Games support services - provided by professional bodies of translators and interpreters - and work with the wider community including both London's residents and international visitors, focusing on the multilingual information requirements and on the selection and training of Volunteer Languages Specialists drawn from the city's multilingual population. The Routes into Languages Programme is a HEFCE funded initiative to increase and widen participation in language study in higher education. For more information, visit the LLAS Subject Centre website. You can find out more about the 2012 Games on our website. London attracts 40% of Korean foreign direct investment projects into Europe9 May 2007 Over the past seven years, London has attracted 40 percent of all Korean foreign direct investment (FDI) projects into Europe, making the UK the most popular investment destination for Korean businesses in Europe in terms of FDI projects. The announcement was made at a Korean Business Reception, hosted by Think London. London offers a natural fit for Korean companies, and there are now over 120 Korean firms located in London. Michael Charlton, Chief Executive, Think London said: "London has seen an increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) from Korea in recent months ... and we expect this trend to continue over the coming years as London's vibrant Korean community continues to expand". London is home to the largest Korean population of any European city, now thought to number over 20,000 people. Students comprise a significant proportion of this population with 1,600 Koreans studying in the capital - 43% of all Korean students in the UK. Morgan Stanley can't bank on tongue-tied Brits24 April 2007 Demand for the graduate training scheme at Morgan Stanley is intense and much of the competition comes from the rest of Europe. "Because there's a greater need for languages in divisions such as investment banking and sales and trading, many of the new graduates joining these areas will be from other European countries," says Joanne Scott, head of European campus recruitment at the bank. New Japan scholarships at London Business School24 April 2007 Application deadline: 25 May 2007 The London Business School and the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation have announced the launch of new scholarships for outstanding Japanese students and outstanding British students with a keen interest in Japan. The scholarships involve a £10,000 contribution towards the tuition costs for a selected Japanese student and a selected British student each year, for an initial five year period. New Italian scholarship24 April 2007 Application deadline: 18 May 2006 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is offering scholarships of 38 months for British citizens who wish to spend time in Italy attending language courses, or carrying on studies and research at Universities or in various arts and education fields. Contact the Italian Cultural Institute in London for application forms and guidelines Think London brings leading Chinese publishing group to the capital24 April 2007 Think London, the foreign direct investment agency for London, welcomed the China Youth Publishing Group (CYPG) to the capital at a launch ceremony on April 17. CYPG, one of China's top publishing groups, opened their first global office in London as part of the company's international expansion plans. CYP International Ltd. will act as a global hub in the capital, helping the company gain international publishing information, publish books in the UK for distribution in the international market and bring foreign copyright and foreign language books to China. CYPI will provide training for publishing and design talent from China in the UK, and operate as an exhibition and copyright agency. BA plans growth at London City Airport24 April 2007 British Airways is launching an ambitious expansion at London City Airport. BA's initial plans are to extend its flights to Edinburgh to eight daily and fly to Glasgow four times a day. It is also launching to the Swiss business capital of Zurich and flying to other major European business centres in Frankfurt, Milan and Madrid. European Award for Languages - you could win £2,000 for your organisation!10 April 2007 The European Award for Languages recognises creative ways to improve the quality of language teaching, motivate students and make the best of available resources. If you are involved in an innovative language-learning project, which could benefit others, you may eligible for an Award. We're currently looking especially to profile businesses and how they are making best use of languages. The Award is supported by the European Commission and co-ordinated in the UK by CILT, the National Centre for Languages. All winners receive a certificate and prizes of books, vouchers or teaching materials from a range of sponsors. The award for the best project initiated by initial teacher trainees and for business languages this year each have a prize of £1,000. Every year one of the winning projects is selected by the Mary Glasgow Language Trust to receive its annual award (£2,000). Awards are to be presented this autumn by Sir Trevor McDonald at a special ceremony. The deadline this year is 30 April - so don't delay! Go to the CILT website to find out more - and find inspiration from previous winners. There are even tips on preparing your application, which is a straightforward process. Chinese media take their Olympic lead from the UK10 April 2007 Journalists and media managers from China have been studying at Luton University since 2003 in order to gain a better understanding of the media in the West - in time for an influx of journalists from across the world at Beijing 2008. The course is led by Garry Whannel, a professor of media cultures specialising in sports reporting. "Beijing are expecting up to 20,000 media workers, all arriving for the same three weeks," he explains. "It is a terrifying thought." Trends for language learning in schools10 April 2007 Following on from the 2003, 2004 and 2005 surveys of languages at Key Stage 4, CILT, the National Centre for Languages has expanded its language trends research. The Key Stage 4 survey itself has also been expanded to give a picture of languages in secondary education. The 2006 Language Trends Key Stage 4 survey highlighted the following key findings:
Why Try Harder?28 March 2007 Whether as an individual or a business, we may have asked ourselves this question when it comes to languages. With competition building from people, businesses and cities around the world capable of working in English and other languages besides, Regional Language Network London is challenging this mindset with its newly launched Language and Cultural Skills Strategy for London. Download a copy below or request a hard copy from info@rln-london.com. RLN London on the move!22 March 2007 We're very pleased to have received funding from London Development Agency to increase our activity further still over the coming year - thanks to all of our partners and colleagues whose support has enabled us to take this important step. Look out for regular news and event updates on this website, we'll be busy over the next few months. In the meantime, please note that we've moved to brand new offices on Tottenham Court Road. 94% of London employers make the case for languages2 February 2007 The fourth London Business Survey by CBI London highlights for the first time that foreign language skills are a key factor in business success - with 94% of employers believing that these skills are important for the London economy. Positively plurilingual6 November 2006 London is among the most multilingual cities in the world with
over 300 languages spoken. 75% of schoolchildren in Kensington
and Chelsea speak another language in addition to English. The UK has a major linguistic asset in its multicultural population which, if developed wisely and inclusively alongside English and other languages, has the potential to benefit society as a whole as well as improving the life chances of individual children. New report highlights lack of language skills hampering recruitment of UK graduates in the City17 October 2006 The report Graduate Skills and Recruitment in the City commissioned jointly by the City of London Corporation and the Financial Services Skills Council, examines the relationship between Financial and Related Business Services employers operating from the City of London and the UK's universities. Among the findings are concerns that employers in the sector believe that UK graduates do not compare favourably with their international counterparts in terms of language skills, international experience and cross-cultural awareness. The report concludes that students from UK Higher Education Institutions suffer from a lack of mobility and that British students' greatest problem in this respect is their consistent lack of language skills. Results of Language Trends 2005 community languages survey22 September 2006 This regional report for Central and Outer London is based on information gathered from local authority representatives. It is the result of collaboration between CILT, the National Centre for Languages, Scottish CILT and CILT Cymru to look at trends in community languages. The main findings are:
New characters to get UK talking on European Day of Languages
This year's A to Z highlights the range of fun activities where languages can be used and forms the basis of a range of resources to mark the European Day of Languages (EDL) on 26 September. The A to Z of activities, which has each character saying hello in a different language, is part of a national campaign to champion language diversity, encouraging schools, parents, employers, communities and specialist interest groups in the UK to join the celebrations taking place across Europe. The resources, produced by CILT, the National Centre for Languages, include free stickers and postergames as well as button badges and T-shirts and can be ordered from the CILT website (www.cilt.org.uk/edl). The 2006 EDL characters are joined by those featured in last year's A to Z of languages and careers on the postergame, a poster with a board game on the reverse. A suite of on-line resources will also be available for the Day. Isabella Moore, Director of CILT, the National Centre for Languages, said, 'We wanted to build on the popularity of the EDL characters to highlight the range of opportunities language skills offer. We hope these new characters will inspire people across the UK to try using another language whatever they're doing on 26 September.' The deadline for T-shirt and badge orders is Friday 30 June, bulk orders should also be received by the same date. Free stickers and postergames will be available while stocks last but early orders are encouraged to avoid disappointment. The new characters can be previewed here and images of the resources are available on request. Order your free resources from the CILT website here.
New report highlights London's need for language skills13 July 2006 A new report Talking World Class: The impact of language skills on the London economy released today by Regional Language Network London explains why the capital needs to make the most of language skills. It also identifies what further support is required for London to realise its future economic potential and ensure the success of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. Languages and culture play a part in the Mayor's plans for future tourism26 June 2006 Mayor Ken Livingstone's London Tourism Vision 2006-16 will be delivered through a series of three-year action plans, the first of which was published by the London Development Agency this month. Regional Language Network London is proud to be included as a partner in this strategy - which recognises the vital part that languages and culture can play in achieving the end goal. Languages taster classes help staff at Heathrow 'talk to the world'2 June 2006 In a project co-ordinated by Regional Language Network London over 60 employees in a range of companies at Heathrow airport were able to learn key phrases in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese and Arabic, in order to assist passengers in their own language. As part of the project a series of Talking to the world taster packs in six languages was developed by Thames Valley University. Read
the press release (PDF, 34 KB) View the taster packs: Talking
to the world in Arabic (PDF, 601 KB) FE Curriculum Conference: Realising and delivering employment potential for 20122 June 2006 Representatives of RLN London and CILT, the National Centre for Languages presented as 'expert witnesses' at the FE Curriculum Conference at Tower Hamlets College in April 2006. Around 70 representatives from London's FE colleges discussed the importance of language and cultural skills in the run-up to the Games. The conference led to a series of recommendations relating to languages and diversity for consideration by the Learning and Skills Council, London Development Agency and Association of Colleges London Region. London BLIS Professional features in Adult Learning Inspectorate report10 May 2006 A new report Languages for adults:overcoming the barriers looks at the barriers that exist to the success of the strategy in the adult learning and skills sector and suggests how they might be overcome, as well as examining good practice where it exists. In the introductory video, Peter Walser, Inspection Manager at the Adult Learning Inspectorate, gives the background to the report and outlines his concerns regarding the impact of the lack of progress on the UK economy. London BLIS Professional, City Lit, is featured as a good practice case study for its foreign language and British Sign Language provision. RLN London press release2 March 2006 RLN London website launched to help London businesses profit from languages China in London 20067 February 2006 China in London 2006 is the largest celebration of Chinese culture ever seen in the capital. Backed by the Mayor of London, it began with the switching on of specially designed Chinese lanterns at Oxford Circus on Thursday 26 January and the annual Chinese New Year parade and festival in central London on Sunday 29 January, marking the start of the Year of the Dog. China in London 2006 will run until the end of March and feature more than 100 events across the capital, including not only theatre, dance and a range of live performance, but also film, window displays, food tasting, and the promotion of Chinese literature and language. For more details see www.london.gov.uk/mayor/culture/china Website launch31 January 2006 The RLN London website was launched on 31 January 2006. We hope you enjoy browsing and find it useful and informative. Please contact us with any comments. Tuscan lower case face shift outline 23.0.4.04Tuscan lower case face shift outline asterisk aldine parenthesis text italic lapidary serif inscriptional geralde. Sans transitional typophile x height, old style ascender pica, legible typophile case ear typeface en dash punch baseline color sans serif em space. |
30 November 2009
25 November 2009
British Airways and Dormers Wells High School in West London
were delighted to pick up the national Business Language Champions
Partnership of the Year 2008 award at a gala dinner hosted
by the National Education Business Partnership Network in London,
having faced stiff competition from across the country. The
airline and the school are partners in RLN London's Business
Language Champions programme, which is inspiring students across
the Capital to continue with their language learning. BA has
worked with 33 schools across the country this year alone,
delivering its Language Flag award. 
Regional Language Network London has launched a 
Popular activities will feature in UK languages celebrations
this September as learners get to know 26 new characters each
with a favourite pastime, from acting and hopscotch to modelling,
texting and zodiac predictions. 
Back to latest news 