2. Minutes of the Last Meeting and Matters Arising
UCML Executive
Meeting on 22 October 2010
CILT
Present
Pam Moores (Chair), Elizabeth Andersen, Mary Anne Ansell, Uwe Baumann, Jonathan Bunt, Lucille Cairns, Daniella La Penna, Teresa MacKinnon, Annie Morgan James, Nebosja Radic, Tony Shannon-Little, Paul Starkey, Matthew Treherne, Carol Tully, Cai Wilkinson, Jocelyn Wyburd, Liz Hudswell (Minutes)
1. Apologies
Kris Spelman Miller, Terry Lamb, Raquel de Pedro Ricoy, Michael Kelly, Peter Davies
2. Minutes of the last meeting and matters arising
These were approved as a true record of proceedings though it was noted that there needed to be a correction to the wording in the item on the REF to state that nominees would be seeking support from subject associations.
EJH agreed to check whether AMG has contacted the National Networks for Translation and Interpreting to see if they would like representation for translation and interpreting on the executive.
Action EJH
3. Officer’s business
Chair
PM noted that a number of major events have taken place recently, notably the Browne review and the Comprehensive Spending Review, which will have a significant impact on the future of languages. The CSR does not mention languages, but Browne specifically does mention languages as well as STEM as being subjects of strategic importance. There was some concern about the interpretation of ‘strategically important languages’. Although the use of the expression is ambiguous, this special mention is positive and it was suggested that we should take advantage of any ambiguity to promote all languages.
Worton Forum
This met for the first time just before the General Election. There was uncertainty as to whether it would continue. Kate Board, CEO of CILT had since secured agreement that the Forum would go forward and would be chaired in future by Colin Riordan, VC of Essex and a Germanist. The second meeting was held on 12 October. Ministers and the most senior civil servants participating in the previous meeting were not present but there was representation from HEFCE, BIS, DfE and also from the British Academy, AHRC, UCML, CILT and LLAS and other stakeholder groups. There was discussion about positive initiatives which could promote languages. Colin Riordan had agreed to chair a second meeting in late spring/early summer when the implications of the Browne review and CSR are clearer. Mike Kelly from LLAS presented the work of the Speak to the Future Steering Group which was very positively received.
Speak to the Future
PM outlined the aims of this 5 year campaign to increase public understanding of the value of languages over the lifetime of the current parliament. It intends to draw the attention of policy makers in government and senior figures in business. The 5 broad headings are:
· Every child at primary school should have a broad language education including second language experience
· Every school leaver should have a basic working knowledge of a second language
· Every graduate should be qualified in a second language
· More graduates should become specialist linguists
· There should be support for languages spoken across UK communities (this last point may become an underlying theme of the introduction to the campaign)
PM reported that the Speak to the Future campaign, though separate from the post Worton HEFCE funded project ‘Shaping the Future of Languages in HE’ (see below), complements and provides a broader framework and context for the HE-specific project, and they will contribute to one another’s activities and impact. It was agreed that the relationship between the two should be constructively articulated so that the various contributors work in parallel.
EJH agreed to ask Jane Collis what messages can be sent out now or when something coherent can be sent out to colleagues within universities, businesses etc. about Speak to the Future.
Action EJH
I have discussed this with Mike Kelly. The final version of the Speak to the Future document is being finalised but should be available shortly.
PM reported that organisations might be asked if they were willing to subscribe to the campaign by contributing funding. It was agreed that this must be an agenda item for the next UCML Executive meeting. First response to the general notion of UCML making a financial contribution was positive.
Action EJH/JW
NB It may be that we are asked for funding before then.
EA suggested that individual schools in HEIs or Subject Associations could be asked to contribute as this could be written into their strategic plans.
FCO Communicating EU Careers to Students
PM reported on an event at the Foreign and Commonwealth office attended by a significant number of HE senior managers, Heads of Languages and Careers Officers. William Hague and the Minister for Europe David Lidington addressed the meeting. FCO are concerned that British citizens are poorly represented in the offices of the EU and that few British graduates put themselves forward for the exams. Universities were encouraged to engage with the FCO and promote the career openings. The FCO were piloting an ambassador scheme with six institutions (one further HEI was added after the meeting following consultation with PM). The slides from the presentation will be put on the UCML website. It was agreed that this had been an unprecedented meeting and a highly positive opportunity which should be built upon to engage with policy makers and the general public. Action PM/EJH
APPG
PM also reported on the All Party Parliamentary Group on Languages (APPG). There are up to 20 places available on a first come first served basis (booking essential) to attend meetings of this group in the House of Lords. Meetings regularly have a presentation from a key invited speaker followed by discussion of the themes raised. Executive members were invited to contact Giulietta Driver at CILT (insert email address) to ask to be put on the circulation list for dates of meetings.
Action all executive members
PM reported that the British Academy continues to be keenly interested in languages. She had attended a meeting about promotion of research across Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and would be attending a further meeting on 27 October.
There is also a further British Academy meeting specifically focused on China-India in November. JB to consult colleagues in Manchester to see if anybody is interested in attending.
Action JB
PM noted that this would be her last executive meeting. She reported that a number of people had expressed an interested in being Chair of UCML, but after consultation with colleagues in their HEI had then felt that they might not be in a position to manage all the demands of the role in view of the time commitment involved. This underlined the importance of reviewing the way in which the Executive has been operating, with excessive dependence on the Chair.
ELQ and translation studies
PM reported that she had received a request about whether we should campaign on ELQ. It was agreed that the time was not right to campaign on this issue, but that it should be kept under review and discussed at future meetings if relevant.
Secretary
JW reported that Cai Wilkinson had been nominated by BASEES to represent Slavonic Studies. Lucille Cairns had joined the Executive as representative for French studies. Tony Chafer would continue on the Executive to September 2011 and Bob Gould to July 2011. Kris Spelman Miller and Liz Andersen would continue to December 2011.
Election for Chair
JW reported that the deadline for call for nominations for Chair was Friday 29 October. One nomination had been received so far. Ballot papers would be sent to the representative of each institution/organisation. A list of these representatives would be placed on the UCML website. All those on the plenary mailing list would be informed of this and could check who was casting the vote on behalf of their institution/organisation. Representatives would be encouraged to consult within their institution. It was agreed that there would be a box on the ballot paper for people to tick to say that they have consulted colleagues before voting.
JW stated that PM has been leading on the Shaping the Future project and asked for approval for her to remain on the Executive until the Shaping the Future project was completed. This was agreed.
There was some discussion as to whether minutes of meetings should go on the website. It was agreed that both plenary and executive minutes would go on the website with a confidential ‘reserved business’ section for both sets of minutes which would not be posted on the website.
JW requested that executive members contact all subject association in our constituency to inform them as to when the minutes are on the website.
JW asked if the LLAS web team could create a ‘web banner’ (200 pixel logo with a link built into it) which could go on subject association websites or departmental websites if they paid the subscription. EJH agreed to discuss this with the LLAS web team
Action EJH
NB This has been discussed and is possible.
Treasurer
TSL reported that UCML recorded a deficit of £580 in the 2009-10 year. This was not a problem as the reserve account had a reasonable amount of funding.
Income from membership fees last year was £13,400.
EJH reminded executive members to book train/flight tickets as far in advance as possible in order to benefit fully from cheap travel options.
Action all exec members
It was agreed that the subscription did not need to be raised this year as some of the expenditure incurred last year would not recur this year.
It was noted that UCML pays a subscription to the European Language Council. EJH agreed to ask Mike Kelly what UCML might be getting for its membership so that the executive could consider whether payment to ELC should continue.
It was also agreed that organising online meetings may be considered as more practical and cost-effective for some future meetings.
It was agreed that, when the list of members of UCML was posted on the website for the election to the Chair, all UCML members should scrutinise the list and identify any further institutions/organisations who should be encouraged to join UCML.
Action All Exec members
4. Wales
CT reported on the varying current position of language departments in institutions in Wales and also reported that the Routes into Languages Wales Programme is going extremely well. Currently student ambassadors are being trained.
In discussion of the general theme of departments under threat across the country, it was noted that regional collaboration is likely to be a key strategy for guaranteeing adequate postgraduate provision across all languages.
It was also suggested that technology and the use of blended learning models needed to be embraced more widely.
5. Review of UCML organisation and operation
JW outlined the outcomes of discussions at the last plenary meeting. Two models for the future development of the UCML executive were proposed to help make the work of the executive more effective and less dependent on the efforts of the Chair.
The first model proposed an executive of nine people: 3 officers, representatives from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and three representatives for schools liaison, research and employability.
The second model proposed an executive of 6 people comprising a Strategic Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and three Vice Chairs for research, education and engagement.
This smaller executive (whichever model was chosen) would meet three times a year, sometimes virtually. The wider executive would join the group once a year. They would receive written reports from the small executive group and would also be prepared to raise issues from the subject associations which they represent.
It was suggested that the second model might be preferable though a mechanism would need to be in place to ensure that issues arising in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were not overlooked. Agreed that it would be part of the remit of the Chair to liaise with them.
It was agreed that representation in the smaller executive group needed to cover all university types so that all parts of the community felt that their interests were being represented by UCML.
Also agreed that it was equally vital to ensure that research issues were fully addressed by UCML. This had possibly been neglected in the recent past and had led to disengagement from UCML by some parts of the HE languages community.
It was suggested that the incoming Chair of UCML should be consulted about any changes to the structure of the executive. PM suggested that she and JW would meet with the new chair, once elected, in November or December to discuss the proposals for restructuring. JW noted that any changes of this kind would need to be drafted in writing and disseminated widely to a plenary meeting where there would need to be a vote to approve the proposals.
Action: A small working group comprising JW, UB, NR and LC would be convened to discuss the proposals further to ensure adequate representation of all interests in a newly structured executive.
6. Research
PM reported that there was no existing mechanism for consulting UCML members if the Chair was approached to support applications for panel members or chairs of REF panels. When PM was approached, she gathered intelligence from relevant UCML colleagues and also considered if there was a history of engagement with UCML. PM reported that UCML had only given support to Pol O Dochartaigh as a REF panel member. She had written a number of letters of endorsement for applications for panel chairs, copies of which were held on file at LLAS. She was happy to pass on information to Executive colleagues on a one to one basis rather than disseminating individual endorsements widely.