Making Languages Research Accessible to Policymakers
Barbara Burns talks to Dr Olivia (Liv) Glaze, MHRA Languages and Policy Postdoctoral Researcher, and her Cambridge-based mentors Professor Wendy Ayres-Bennett and Professor Charles Forsdick.
BB. Wendy, Charles, this postdoctoral research project was set up to take forward recommendations from the Languages and Policy: Building Collaborations between Academics and Policymakers report. Can you explain what this report was about?
WA-B. The report stemmed from conversations I had over a number of years with academics on the one hand and policymakers on the other. Each side expressed frustration over the difficulties of getting research-informed evidence on languages into government and of establishing good channels of communication. The creation of an academic subgroup of the Cross-Government Languages Group on which I sit provided an opportunity to collaborate on these issues.
The report offers information about some of the ways academics can engage both with civil servants, for instance through the Areas of Research Interest published by each government department, and with the UK and devolved parliaments. Finally, the report makes several recommendations as to how further engagement might be facilitated to strengthen the input of languages research in the evidence-informed policy system. One of the key recommendations for researchers is that they should produce short, readable summaries and digests of their work in layperson’s terms to make their research more accessible to policymakers who simply do not have the time to read academic books and articles when formulating policy.
CF. In this way, the report and the project both address a fundamental translational problem. We know from REF and other forms of assessment that language-related research in the UK is exceptionally innovative and that much of it has direct policy relevance. The traditional forms in which it is disseminated are often not, however, easily accessible by policymakers. The hope that the summaries and digests, developed through consultation with policymakers, will help researchers in languages understand better how to share their work more effectively.
BB. Wendy, Charles, what are the current challenges and opportunities facing Modern Languages as a discipline, and why is it so important to engage with policymakers?
WA-B. Over the past twenty years, we have seen a steep decline in the number of students taking languages at GCSE- and A-Level, especially in French and German. Whilst there was a small uptick in numbers in 2024, issues of recruitment are feeding through to university admissions. With universities under financial pressure, the difficulty of student recruitment to languages degrees has meant that certain university departments have come under threat of reduction or indeed complete closure. The fall in numbers taking language degrees in turn feeds through to PGCE admissions and severe teacher shortages in schools. In other words, there are issues at all points of the pipeline.
Despite this, I remain optimistic for a number of reasons. First, languages are vital for most of the new government’s five missions, including kickstarting economic growth and breaking down barriers to opportunity. If we engage with the government constructively, we can make a strong case for funding languages. Second, universities are responding to the challenges with curriculum reform and reinvigorated teaching practices. Colleagues are increasingly motivated to demonstrate the impact of their research and Early Career Researchers in particular are keen to explore potential policy dimensions to their research.
CF. As Wendy makes clear, these are turbulent times for those in languages education, as we navigate the ongoing political situation (not least those relating to the UK’s withdrawal from Erasmus+), seek to understand the impact of new technologies including AI, and reflect on what a languages curriculum – ranging from primary to Higher Education – might look like that is fit for the challenges of the twenty-first century. What is promising about work on language policy is that, on the one hand, it allows us to bridge the gap between education and skills and broader societal concerns, demonstrating how successful delivery of the former can play a key role in addressing the latter, and, on the other, it allows us to bring together a broad range of stakeholders with an interest in delivering lasting solutions.
BB. Wendy, Charles, what are some of things that can be done, or already are being done, to promote the value of languages in society?
CF. In 2020, a group of organisations with an interest in languages policy – the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the Association of School and College Leaders, the British Council, and Universities UK – published a document called Towards a National Languages Strategy. This provides a blueprint for enhancing languages provision across the educational pipeline, beginning by addressing the delivery of languages in primary schools, reflecting on the transition from primary to secondary, encouraging Ofqual to address issues of severe grading, and also seeking policies that ensure that a variety of language degrees are maintained at university level. Central to the document was a commitment to promoting an understanding of the importance of languages among multiple audiences, an ambition that has been addressed by the development of the Languages Gateway, a resource that presents itself as a ‘one-stop shop for all things languages in the UK’, facilitating links between all those interested in languages: learners, families, community groups, teachers, school leaders, academics, policymakers, subject associations…
The work begun by Towards a National Languages Strategy has permitted a more nuanced understanding of languages across educational sectors, including in Further Education where languages are often undervalued by leadership teams and there is a lack of strategic direction concerning their integration and delivery. We are seeing increasing consensus around policy initiatives across organisations involved in languages education, as recent responses to the DfE Curriculum and Assessment Review make clear. There is also increasing commitment – in the spirit of the policy work funded by MHRA – to consider how languages are essential to effective policymaking in a broad range of sectors, something we would like to see reflected in a new National Languages Strategy.
WA-B. I think this is an important future development. Towards a National Languages Strategy is an excellent document, but it is limited to education and skills. We now need to emphasise the contribution of languages across a range of government portfolios, from health and wellbeing, to social and community cohesion, diplomacy and soft power, defence and national security. We have an excellent partnership with the Cross-Government Languages Group and there is real potential to move forward with this broader vision.
BB. Liv, you have a doctorate from Oxford in contemporary Lusophone literature and culture, and began work on this current project in October. Can you tell us a bit about your research background, and how you became interested in policy-related work?
OG. Absolutely. My primary research focuses on contemporary Portuguese women’s life-writing and film, particularly within post-colonial contexts. More recently, I have been exploring how these areas intersect with the Medical Humanities, particularly around trauma, illness, and disability.
When it comes to policy work, my interest is two-fold. First, I am highly aware of the current challenges facing language academics and departments, particularly the need to demonstrate the relevance and impact of our research beyond academia. As Wendy and Charles have explained, there is a gap in understanding how language and cultural studies can address key societal issues. I am keen to use my position as an academic to bridge this gap and to help strengthen our relationship with policymakers – this role offers me that opportunity. Second, my work in the Medical Humanities has deepened my interest in integrating policy into my own research. I believe literary and cultural studies can offer valuable insights and tools to improve health, wellbeing, and social cohesion. By engaging with policy, I hope to highlight the practical applications of humanities research and contribute to meaningful societal change.
BB. Liv, what is your role on the project, and how have things been going so far?
OG. My role involves developing a database of concise, accessible summaries of language research specifically designed for policymakers. As part of this, I’ve created a template, a collection of summary examples, and guidelines to help academics complete summaries of their own research in a format that is useful and engaging for policy audiences. A key part of this process was consulting with civil servants and policy stakeholders to understand their needs and the kind of information they find most valuable. This was one of the most enjoyable aspects of the project – it was fascinating to see just how relevant language research is to multiple government departments and how much appetite policymakers have to collaborate and engage with academics more effectively.
I have really enjoyed the opportunity to help bridge the gap between research and real-world application. In particular, it has been incredibly motivating to know that this project is helping to create a framework for more effective communication between researchers and policymakers. One of the biggest challenges has been adapting my writing style. As we know, academic writing tends to be quite dense and nuanced, whereas policymakers need clear, direct, and actionable summaries. Learning how to refine complex ideas into concise, policy-relevant language has been a steep learning curve!
BB. Liv, which aspects of being part of the broader academic and policymaking community through this project are most useful to you in terms of training and career development? Are you involved in initiatives such as workshops or external consultation events?
OG. I’ve been fortunate to have several opportunities that have significantly contributed to my professional development. One of the most valuable has been being invited to participate in the Modern Languages All-Party Parliamentary Group at the House of Commons. I’ve also contributed to the x-Government Languages Group’s sub-group on Academic Engagement. These government-facing activities have provided me with incredible access to the policymaking community, and I plan to build on these connections in my future research.
I am also leading a seminar called ‘Developing the Policy Dimensions of Research’ as part of the Institute of Languages, Cultures, and Societies’ Thinking Strategically Seminar Series on the 2nd of May. I will be delivering a similar presentation at the University of Exeter on the 7th of May. In both, I’ll be discussing the link between policy and research within the Modern Languages field, focusing on how researchers can consider the policy implications of their work. These opportunities allow me to share insights from the current project and contribute to a broader conversation about the role of academic research in policymaking.
BB. What are your final thoughts on the importance of this work?
CF. The MHRA-funded work has enabled us to identify some of the most important and impactful languages research conducted in recent years, and to draw on this to develop a set of materials that will allow others to see the potential relevance of their findings for policymakers – and crucially to translate this into a form that might be used in a broad range of policy contexts. We hope that this intervention will influence activity among languages scholars, bridging the gap between research and policy in ways that are mutually beneficial – but also of benefit for society more broadly as it navigates the challenges of multilingualism at home and of cross-cultural communication in more global frames.
WA-B. We’d like to finish by thanking the MHRA for funding this important work. In addition to the benefits Charles has mentioned, it has provided an excellent development and training opportunity for Liv, who has proved herself to be an outstanding appointment.
OG. As Charles mentioned, the project plays a key role as a knowledge broker – not only between academics and policymakers, but also among academics themselves. It allows researchers to see how policy has been integrated into other projects and draw inspiration for their own work. Finally, I think including an ECR position in this project is especially important, as it shows that it’s possible to develop policy-related skills early in your career. I also want to echo Wendy’s thanks to the MHRA for funding my role and give particular thanks to both Wendy and Charles for their support throughout the project.
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