We are pleased to announce that Marcela Cazzoli has been elected as our new Vice Chair Languages and Intercultural Education, following elections held by UCFL in which our member institutions and associations were invited to vote. Marcela is taking over from Vicky Wright, who we would like to sincerely thank for her attention to the role and her commitment to the field over the past few years.
Marcela Cazzoli is Professor of Spanish and Applied Linguistics at the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at Durham University, where she has been the Director of Undergraduate Education for the last three years. Marcela’s BA is in English Language and Linguistics and her MA and PhD in second language learning (English-Spanish). Her research interests include language learning & teaching and the sociolinguistic outcomes of language use in transnational contexts. Marcela was the Durham lead for Routes into Languages North East and led an OWRI outreach project on sociolinguistic awareness in secondary education. She has been Honorary Secretary of UCFL and of the International Association for the Study of Spanish in Society (SIS). She is also a member of Council and the Educational Trust Board at the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL).
You can read Marcela’s nomination statement below:
“The trends in this year’s examination results and applications to university reveal a mixed picture in terms of language learning. Recent government funding has been very encouraging but the fact remains that there is a language learning crisis in the UK, which has exposed social inequalities and a shortage of skills. Making the case for language and intercultural learning remains a crucial challenge after Brexit so it is essential to continue engaging with schools, universities, and policy makers, and for universities to be guiding discussions. My experience in national (Honorary Secretary of UCFL, member of CIOL’s Council and ETB) and institutional roles (Director of UG Education, Routes into Languages Lead, Outreach Coordinator, etc.) have given me the experience to work strategically with stakeholders, facilitating debates and feeding into national policy. If elected, I would use this experience to further the influence of UCFL and continue the work discussed in my article.”