“There is no coordinated, national strategy to support and enhance Asia literacy, including Asian languages and Asian Studies, across all levels of education”
Edward Aspinall (ANU) and Melissa Crouch (UNSW) set out national failings in a new report for the Asia Studies Association of Australia, HERE.
how come? “Periods of support for Asia literacy have been punctuated by inaction, retreat, and complacency, giving rise to significant policy inconsistency and discontinuity.”
This results from “cues, signals, and/or policies” involving government, universities, and students
“University leaders” growing emphasis on market mechanisms over recent decades, itself a product of government policy, has put pressure on small-enrolment courses and led to greater casualisation of the workforce”
Governments and universities alike have put greater emphasis on STEM disciplines, often to the detriment of HASS”
“Teaching of Teaching of Asian languages at universities is also affected by wider social trends, with Australian students spending less time learning a second language than students in other OECD countries Asian languages at universities is also affected by wider social trends, with Australian students learning a second language than students in other OECD countries”
the results are
languages: while demand for those of North Asia have “increased significantly” (“sustained interest from international and heritage students”), “the teaching of Indonesian has declined precipitously. South Asian languages are virtually absent.”
teaching and research: “a gap is emerging between a small number of Asia-focused universities (most of which are large research-intensive universities) and the majority of universities where Asia content is minimal and/or in decline.”
engagement: “programmes are often disconnected from the goal of promoting advanced language skills based on long-term study of a language and culture.”
what is to be done?
“the ability and will of Australian universities to offer Asian Studies programme depends to a significant degree on coordinated federal and state/territory government support generating initiatives and structures across all levels of education to create a pipeline of students from high schools who are interested in Asia, and keen to advance their Asia literacy skills, including language skills.”
And so the Feds need to fund a new “strategy on Asia literacy,” school and tertiary language study and Asia research.
They also suggest a range of university commitments including;
“ Given that many international students are from Asia and some Asian language programmes receive high international student enrolment, universities should invest a proportion of these funds back into ensuring sustainable Asian Studies and Asian language programs prosper. Asian countries should be viewed as partners, not merely as revenue sources.”