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Evolution of Language Department at Nottingham Trent University: A Journey Through the Decades

Discover the transformation of the Languages and EFL department at Nottingham Trent University from the prosperous 1990s to the challenging new millennium. Explore the impact of restructuring, changing research cultures, and the pursuit of cost-effective language provision. Unveil the responses of staff, the management's role, and the evolving academic landscape in this academic narrative.

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Evolution of Language Department at Nottingham Trent University: A Journey Through the Decades

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Presentation Transcript

  1. To sink or swim: Nottingham Trent University

  2. The Golden Age (1990s) • One department: Languages, EFL, and language centre • Two campuses, two cultures • Successful IWLP and languages degree • Small-scale EFL • Strong research culture

  3. Work as a hobby (1990s) • Amateur budgeting and information systems • Light staff timetables • Supply-led • Staff expertise not aligned with demand

  4. Chilly winds (new millennium) • Overspending faculty • Overstaffing • Need for cost-effective provision • National situation in languages • University restructuring • Subject review

  5. We live in a rational world, don’t we? Responses (Pre-university restructuring) • Develop research profile • Add new languages and subjects • Personal touch in admissions • Develop EFL

  6. Woke up this morning, baby, my dept was gone….. • Total culture change • Schools instead of Faculties • Teams instead of Departments • Languages and EFL split • Change in research culture • Separation of administrative from academic

  7. OK, they’re serious! Responses (Post-university restructuring) • Develop research profile but research imperatives now changing • Add new languages and subjects but national decline in all languages • Personal touch in admissions but centralisation of admissions • Develop EFL but separation of FL and MFL

  8. Brave new world • New systems of budget management • Auditing of staff workloads • Need for cost-effective provision • Transparency of recruitment statistics • Close scrutiny • Competing priorities • “Less administration” (ho-ho-ho)

  9. Good job we did that then! • Develop research profile Enables transfer to other teams • Add new languages and subjects Needed by IWLP • Centralised admissions More staff time freed up • Develop EFL Basis of commercial EFL questioned

  10. Was it just an accident? Action responses • Networking • Internal redeployment • Brain-drain • Self-reprofiling • Skill changes • Efficiency gains

  11. We’re all human! Staff responses • Leading by example • Denial of situation • Resentment • Opportunism • Realism • Engagement

  12. So everything’s alright then? Challenges remaining • Square pegs in round holes • Academic profiles OK, but who does the admin-related jobs no-one wants to do? • Non-replacement of core skills

  13. Navel-gazing Manager’s role • Advocate for realistic speed of change • Advocate against short-term fixes • Mediating with other teams • Getting out of the silo • Seizing moments • Silver linings

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