Teachers and students who have studied in Germany thanks to the British Council's 21st Century - Anglo-German Fellowships scheme are to spearhead an attempt to halt the decline in the study of German in schools here by promoting direct links between our schools and schools in Germany.

A conference to celebrate the achievements and collaborative work of the Fellows and to discuss their ideas was held at the German Embassy Information Centre in London on Monday 31st March. His Excellency, The German Ambassador and Baroness Ashton, Minister of State for Early Years will be presenting the Fellowships. Fellowships have been awarded to teachers and students from across the country.

It is the fruit of a successful collaboration between the Department for Education & Skills, who have provided generous funding, the German Embassy, the German Educational Exchange Service (Pädagogischer Austauschdienst), the Nuffield Languages Programme, the Centre for International Language Teaching, the Goethe Institute and the British Council.

The Fellowship programme was created amid growing concern about the decline of interest in foreign language learning among schoolchildren and students in England. Both the German and French Ambassadors have spoken out on the subject, noting that the levels of direct contact between schools on this island and schools on the continent - particularly German schools - were in decline.

Generous funding enables schools to release teachers and complete serious research, which will contribute to personal development and raise standards through the sharing of best practice. Primary school teachers are particularly welcome and will be responsible for introducing German into the curriculum.

Innovative curriculum projects have enabled schools to use established links to involve large numbers of pupils in collaborative visits to Germany, among them 53 students from Lambeth.

Student Fellowships are aimed at persuading pupils, including pupils who are not necessarily going to continue studying German at University, of the importance of language skills.

It is expected that more than 250 schools will participate in the scheme, with a high-profile communications strategy bringing the programme to the attention of all schools in England. It will compliment existing DfES campaigns in languages, as well as Excellence in Cities and EU partnership activity.

Peter Upton, British Council Director, Education said: "This partnership is concerned with building deep understanding through mutual understanding and language. It is a reflection both of the long-term commitment between England and Germany that is rooted in the future and not in the past. We believe that these Fellowships will support the National Language Strategy, build long-term curriculum partnerships and help break the cycle of myths that we hear too often. The British Council is delighted to be working with such powerful colleagues and this is a genuine celebration of collaboration".

Ute Paetzig, German Links Adviser said: "Apart from the obvious benefits of speaking German, these British Council Anglo-German Fellowships will make a serious contribution to breaking down the misunderstandings that have often prevented closer Anglo-German co-operation in the past".



The British Council
The British Council has offices in 218 towns and cities in 109 countries worldwide, and a staff of 7,300. Its work includes teaching English; running information centres; promoting British education and training; working closely with governments and NGOs on reform and good governance; and demonstrating the innovation, creativity and excellence of British science, arts, literature and design. Although the British Council earns most of its £430 million annual turnover through the teaching of English and international consultancy work, it receives an annual grant from Her Majesty's Government, which was £142 million in the financial year 2001/02. As a result of the 2002 Spending Review, this figure will rise to £185 million in 2005/06, which reflects the Government's commitment to public diplomacy and its recognition of the British Council's record.

For further information on this or other British Council stories, please contact:
Guy Roberts or Harry Cummins at the British Council Press Office, 10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN. Telephone: 020 7389 4872 or 020 7389 4268. Fax: 020 7389 4971
Email: guy.roberts@britishcouncil.org or harry.cummins@britishcouncil.org