If you ask Year 12 graduates who are about to sit their Italian examinations for the HSC, none have any idea that there are now very few opportunities left for them to advance in learning the language once they leave high school. Macquarie University’s closure of its Italian program has sent shockwaves through the community, leaving educators and the community alike grappling with the diminishing presence of Italian language courses in higher education across Australia.
“Having left the grave task of defending language courses in universities to individuals who nobody knows and who are out of touch with the reality of language learning in the secondary setting has been misguided and ineffective,” said Anna Romiti, a concerned community language teacher.
“These individuals have failed to understand the importance of bringing the professional community and the community at large to campaign for continuity in language education, from high school through to university, focusing instead on the same old rhetoric of business, diplomacy, and academia.
At best, we were asked to sign a petition that nobody reads. This tokenistic response to the crisis of languages has barred students from pursuing their passion for languages, ultimately threatening the cultural diversity and linguistic richness of our society.”
The closure of Macquarie University’s Italian program is not an isolated incident. Across Australia, language programs are being cut from university curricula, leaving a void in the academic landscape. This trend is alarming, as it not only affects current students but also impacts future generations who might never have the chance to study languages like Italian at a higher level. Over the last decade, little has been done to preserve language programs in tertiary institutions, including almost no collaboration with high schools to create pathways for students who wish to continue their language studies.
Community involvement and support from government bodies to ensure the sustainability of tertiary language programs have been trivial at best, with entities such as Comites NSW, a body of 12 members elected according to an overseas Italian law that claims to represent Italians locally but which is afforded no more recognition by the NSW Government than a negligible lobby group.
In the face of these challenges, the Italian community has been left impotent and unable to provide alternative avenues for language practice and immersion. While efforts by individual organisations heavily invested in language education remain commendable, they cannot fully replace the comprehensive and grassroots campaign to safeguard language education offered through university programs.
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