AULC conference 2014

So the AULC conference 'Shaping change in language learning: looking back to move forward was held at University College Dublin applied language centre
If you have... 5 minutes... if you only have five minutes because you are busy teaching: the most interesting was the work that Cambridge University Language Centre has done on open courseware (Chinese, French, German, Italian and Russian). And you could also check out goanimate or similar websites that allow the making of digital stories.
10 minutes... you could check what my colleague Carolin Schneider has written on her blog
... if you have more time... this is the longer version:

• "Babel or Whitsun: the future of multilingualism in academic and the new role of language centres", Professor Thomas Vogel, Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt where he spoke of the importance of the university to take multilingualism into account: there are many multilingual students and immigrant students AND ERASMUS students too. We should also take into account the personality factor of language learning: language does shape personality. Also knowledge is available in a variety of languages, not only English. And studying abroad is seen as an asset for employers.
• Open Educational Resources to support the development of reading skills for postgraduates, Jocelyn Wyburd, director of the language centre, Cambridge University (mentioned above: open courseware)
• John Trim, the Council of Europe and university language centres, Professor David Little, Trinity College Dublin which was about the legacy of John Trim (it's worth noting that Cambridge University Language Centre has its centre for self learning named after him). Can Web 2.0 be adapted to language centres?

• Expanding the scope of a French language elective using digital storytelling and the flipped classroom model, Lucy Parkin, Carolin Schneider and Amanda Deacon, University of Leeds The students are making digital stories as part of their assessment in order to show what they have learned so far. They are using goanimate for schools.
• Models of large scale language learning in higher education-addressing issues of transition, Dr Anna Nunan, UCD Intellectual affective and social development factor as well as language learning as well as a cultural aspect! She argues that all teaching is language teaching.
• Preparing for Asia in the new age of globalisation. Professor George X Zhang, Richmond University. Difference in numbers between languages spoken in the world and languages used on internet. Demands for Asian languages increasing. Cantonese Chinese japanese Korean hard to learn for English speakers. CEFR benchmark for Chinese: EBCL.
• Future events: speak to the future campaign festival of languages March 2014, HEA new to teaching free event , LLAS languages in higher education conference, CercleS conference. Current events: Catalyst bids for HEFCE funding, European profiling grid
• CercleS update, Professor Gillian Mansfield, president. New website where you can add your language centre profile. CercleS promotes staff exchange between language centres. Journal language learning in higher education
• Report on IWLP (Institution Wide Language Programme) survey results 2013 Data collected from 65 HEI in UK 23 of which Russell group universities. 60% studying for credit. Main languages studied: Spanish French German Chinese (though chinese might be higher as Confucius Institutes not contacted) Japanese Italian Arabic Russian Portuguese BSL Korean Dutch. Huge growth of Chinese taught in institutions 20 % of institutions offering BSL 16% of institutions offering Korean. Increase of demands for German, Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, Japanese. Decrease for Italian. Quality assurance scheme desired by staff: Initial training/induction programme, staff development programme.
• Shaping change in language learning, Professor Ray Satchell, University of SussexLC Sussex. The program runs from calendar year not just only term. English also MA in English teaching. New course in BSL. Also a library (though the name library is not mentioned. ..). Lots of income making ventures (Saudi Arabia ...)