LANGUAGE provision must be boosted if Northern Ireland businesses are to succeed in the future, according to NUSUSI President Adrianne Peltz.
Her comments come following the publication of a recent study by the British Council which said Northern Ireland ‘was a long way’ from being self-sufficient in producing linguists in the languages likely to be most needed by future business.
Adrianne Peltz said: “Government and the higher education institutions should take heed of this and should act accordingly to boost language provision here.
“There has been massive emphasis placed in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths), and while it is extremely important we fulfill potential in these areas, we also need to ensure there are increased study opportunities.”
Also commenting on the British Council’s findings, Dr David Barr, head of the School of Modern Languages at the University of Ulster, said: “The ability to speak other languages makes business sense.
“Ulster has expanded its provision in recent years, offering a suite of business language modules and short courses.
“We are the only university here to offer German at degree level, and we can help the Executive and the business community address the gap in language skills identified in the report.”