A call for comprehensive language education by the Australian Academy of the Humanities

As part of an 8 point plan to Humanise the Future for Australia, the Australian Academy of the Humanities has called on the next government of Australia to:

• Point 7: Invest in intercultural capability through comprehensive language education

The national deficit in language capability is one of Australia’s great unrecognised skills shortages. Australia’s national effort in sustaining language learning has faltered. This is a result of policy failure, not lack of demand. The ability to communicate, engage and build trust across cultures at local, regional and global levels is as urgent as ever before. A nationally coordinated approach that balances the maintenance of Australia’s community and Indigenous language skills with acquisition of strategic language capabilities is urgently required to support the full range of Australia’s cross-cultural engagements, both at home and abroad.

For a full copy of their plan see: http://www.humanities.org.au/advice/2019election/