2 Oct 2026 

The School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences hosted the launch of the new research report Motivations and Pathways in Higher Education Language Learning: Evidence to Inform the Next Phase of Languages Connect at the Trinity Long Room Hub on Friday, 2 October 2026. The research was funded by Post-Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI), on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth, through the PPLI Higher Education Institution Funding Call 2025–2026. 

Professor Nathan Hill, Head of the School, opened the event, followed by guest remarks from Karen Ruddock, Director of PPLI. The launch brought together representatives from the Department of Education and Youth and the diplomatic community, as well as language educators and researchers from Irish higher education institutions and beyond. 

The research was led by Hongfei Wang and Rowland Imperial of Trinity College Dublin, and Erin McNamara Cullen of South East Technological University. This mixed-methods study examined students’ experiences of language learning in higher education, with a particular focus on motivation, participation and continuity. The findings reveal strong student motivation alongside structural barriers to participation, highlighting the need for more flexible and connected pathways across different stages of education. The study also considers continuity across the wider language-learning continuum, from early education to higher education and lifelong learning, as well as the role of artificial intelligence in language education, and positions language learning as a wider strategic capacity for higher education and beyond. 

The launch concluded with the official release of the report and a reception at the Trinity Long Room Hub, providing an opportunity for policymakers, researchers and language educators to continue discussions on the future of language education in Ireland. 

The full report is available here. https://doi.org/10.25546/113177