News and Events

Upcoming Events

• 2011 Symposium

Shifting sands: Perspectives on the changing face of languages education in the Asia-Pacific region

14 - 15 November 2011 

The continuing globalisation of education, in tandem with migration trends and significant socio-economic developments in the Asia-Pacific region that have changed the geopolitical landscape, gives pause for thought concerning the evolving role of languages education in this part of the world. In particular, these things raise questions about how and on what basis governments and educational institutions are promoting both languages in general as well as specific languages, the degree of uptake by students, the way in which educators think about languages and design and deliver language curricula, and how languages taught in the region sit in relation to one another - and, most intriguingly perhaps, the role of English in relation to that of Asian languages.

This year's Symposium, then, has a distinctly regional focus and its three sub-themes have been chosen to allow for an expansive discussion of key issues and debates. As such it promises to be a particularly relevant and engaging event for those of us involved in languages education in the Asia-Pacific region.

Click here to download the flyer.

Places are limited and will be allocated to those who register first. Please email kate.loechel@unisa.edu.au  for a registration form. Please note that there is no registration fee and lunches and refreshments will be provided. Participants will need to make their own arrangements for travel and accommodation.

• Public Forum
  

Languages in flux: the place of Chinese and English in the Asia-Pacific region

14 November 2011
5.00 - 6.30 pm
Sir Hans Heysen Building room HH3-08
UniSA, City West

The Research Centre for Languages and Cultures (RCLC) is privileged to present a seminar featuring distinguished scholars of international renown who will offer individual perspectives and insights on the status and roles of the Chinese and English languages, particularly in the context of China as the emerging economic and political superpower in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Among other things, the discussion promises to provoke questions around notions of language and power, the nature of the relationship between English and Chinese, and whether and under what circumstances English might be usurped by Chinese as the world's lingua franca.

The discussion promises to be of interest to all those involved in language, languages education, language change and the social, political and economic forces that govern the perception and influence of languages.

Click here to download the flyer.

Click here to download the abstracts.

Please email kate.loechel@unisa.edu.au to register.

• Research Seminars

All seminars are held 4pm-5pm in room C1-41 on the Magill Campus of the University of South Australia. All are welcome to attend. If you would like to receive a weekly reminder of the upcoming seminar, send an email to Tim.Curnow@unisa.edu.au.

Click here to download the seminar program for study period 5.

The Italian Ambassador to Australia attended a two-day symposium hosted by the Research Centre for Languages and Cultures. The symposium explored new ideas around the teaching and learning of Italian language and culture. Click here to read the full story.