Language research to address regional and global challenges

Language@Leeds will host its first ever public showcase in spring 2025, bringing together University of Leeds academics and professionals from across the private and public sector to explore how innovative language research can inform and inspire solutions to pressing societal issues.

Agenda

16:00 Registration

16:15 Welcome from Prof Nick Plant, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation

16:20 Introduction from Director of Language@Leeds

16:30 Accessible language and inclusive societies in the modern world. Lightning talks:

• Early education for deaf children in low resourced contexts. Ruth Swanwick (Education)
• AI for more inclusive democratic spaces. Serge Sharoff and Carlo Eugeni (Centre for Translation and Interpreting Studies)
• Ethical ways of engaging with the language of others. Maggie Kubanyiova (Education)
• Towards an oracy entitlement for every child. Stephen Coleman (Media and Communication).

16:45 Reducing inequities through education in West Yorkshire. Paula Clarke,  (Education), Cécile De Cat (Linguistics), Cat Davies (Linguistics), Hannah Nash (Psychology), Amanda Waterman (Psychology).

16:55 Panel: How can we collaborate across sectors to address these challenges? Chaired by Cat Davies, Professor of Language Development and Dean for Research Culture.

Panellists include Kate Fellows (Head of Learning and Access at Leeds Museums and Galleries), Sarah Dirrane (Co-Founder and Research Director at Cosmos), Kate Welsh (PProgramme Lead Education and Skills, Bradford Metropolitan District Council), and Sadiya Samil (Partnership Development Coordinator, Child Friendly Leeds, Leeds City Council).

17:15 Posters and networking session. Wine reception.

18:30 Close

Registration

The event is free to attend but places are limited. Please register via Eventbrite.

Poster submission

All researchers and scholars working on language-related projects at the University of Leeds are invited to submit a poster (deadline 3 March).