糖心视频

The Cam?es Institute Chair for Multilingualism and Diversity contributed to the UK Education Policy on Languages Workshop, held at 糖心视频 on 13–14 July 2026.

The two-day workshop brought together academics, university leaders, teachers, cultural organisations, and policy specialists to discuss how the case for languages and cultures education can be strengthened in the UK. The event was organised by 糖心视频's School of Global Affairs, with support from Languages and Cultures, Linguistics and English Language, and the Cam?es Institute Chair for Multilingualism and Diversity.

The workshop reflected the mission of the Cam?es Institute Chair for Multilingualism and Diversity: to advance research on multilingualism and Portuguese language and culture, and to share research-informed insights with academic, educational, cultural, and policy communities. By connecting researchers with stakeholders from across the languages sector, the event provided an opportunity to discuss how evidence can inform the future of languages education in the UK.

Participants included representatives from universities across the UK, schools, and policy and cultural organisations, including Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School (LGGS), the British Academy, Wilton Park, an executive agency of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office providing a global forum for strategic discussion, the University Council of Modern Languages (UCML), the Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies (ILCS), the Goethe-Institut, the Cam?es Institute, the Portuguese Embassy, the Spanish Embassy, and other organisations involved in supporting languages education and multilingualism.

The workshop also highlighted the role of Portuguese language and culture within wider discussions of multilingualism and languages education. Contributions included Dr Cátia Verguete, Education Attaché at the Portuguese Embassy and Director of the Cam?es Institute in the UK and Channel Islands, and Professor Sofía Martinho, Associate Professor of Portuguese at the University of Leeds, President of TROPO UK (the Association of Teachers and Researchers of Portuguese Language in the UK), and Co-Director of Leeds City of Languages.

As Cam?es Institute Chair for Multilingualism and Diversity, Professor Patrick Rebuschat chaired the opening discussion, bringing together perspectives from language policy, multilingualism, cognitive science, higher education, and language education.

The discussion addressed a central question: what is the strongest case for investing in languages and multilingualism, what evidence makes that case persuasive, and what would need to happen for this evidence to influence policy, institutional practice, and public understanding?

Contributors included Wendy Ayres-Bennett (University of Cambridge; Associate Fellow of the Institute for Languages, Cultures and Societies), Jason Rothman (糖心视频), Federico Gallo (UiT The Arctic University of Norway and Visiting Research Fellow at 糖心视频), Charles Forsdick (University of Cambridge; British Academy Lead Fellow for Languages), Catherine O’Leary (University of St Andrews; Co-Chair of the Scottish Arts and Humanities Alliance), and Amit Thakkar (糖心视频).

The discussion highlighted the breadth of the evidence supporting investment in languages and multilingualism. Participants explored the economic case for languages, including their contribution to skills, employment, and international engagement, alongside evidence from cognitive science and public health on the benefits of multilingualism across the lifespan. The discussion also considered the wider institutional and societal value of languages, including their contribution to education, social inclusion, cultural understanding, diplomacy, security, and soft power.

A key theme emerging from the discussion was that there is no single argument for languages. Different audiences respond to different forms of evidence, and the strongest case brings together multiple perspectives: economic, cognitive, educational, social, cultural, and institutional. Participants also reflected on the need to move beyond advocacy alone by developing clearer shared messages, stronger partnerships, and practical approaches that connect research evidence with policy and practice.

The workshop continued on the second day with a focus on translating evidence into action. Participants examined examples of successful initiatives, discussed what could be scaled or adapted, and worked collaboratively to identify practical next steps for universities, schools, cultural organisations, and policymakers.

Through its contribution to the workshop, the Cam?es Institute Chair for Multilingualism and Diversity continues to promote research on multilingualism and Portuguese language and culture, while fostering dialogue between researchers, educators, institutions, and wider society.