The UK has a problem: languages. And while we could talk about that problem in many ways, I'm going to talk about one specific aspect of that problem i.e. languages in Higher Education. Basically, while graduates of other countries are likely to speak their native tongue and (at least) English, that is not the case here. Certainly people who are studying for a language degree will speak languages here, but people doing Engineering, say, or History, will more often that not have no foreign language ability. And this is problematic, in many ways.

Firstly, it means that graduates here are unlikely to be able to move abroad, or worse, have much idea of what goes on abroad.

Secondly, when graduates come to apply for research degrees (Ph.Ds or otherwise) they are not only limited in terms of which country and institution they can study at, but crucially, they are unable to study Spanish History, or French Politics, because they do not speak the language. This leads to two issues: a weakening of previously strong departments and a lack of new areas of interest (Arabic/Chinese) and the obvious recourse to employing those from abroad who do speak the languages.

However, while a mixture of both domestic and foreign is best, the UK at the moment cannot provide even a semblance of research students who have the necessary languages.

But what can we do?

Well, on paper it's rather easy. You take language learning earlier (primary school), you make it fun and use immersion, and you make sure that universities relish languages and encourage them as GCSEs and A Levels. Other things could be done too, but the problem is that nothing of note is being done.

So what's gonna happen?

The truth is, nobody knows.