HL Deb 05 December 2002 vol 641 cc124-5WA
Lord Harrison

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What increase in student numbers for courses devoted to European studies there have been in Britain's higher education institutions over the past (a) five years and (b) 10 years; and whether they will consider widening grants to higher education institutions to promote European studies, similar to the 7.2 million euro given to the European Research Institute at Birmingham University. [HL113]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland)

Data are not held centrally for courses on European studies. The table shows the number of students on courses covering European languages, literature and culture. Higher education institutions in England receive recurrent public support in the form of a block grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Institutions set their

Numbers for students engaged in courses in European languages, literature and culture (UK)
1994–95 1996–97 2001–02
Post graduate Under graduate Total Post graduate Under graduate Total Post graduate Under graduate Total
French 445 5,624 6,069 431 6,546 6,977 403 5,218 5,621
German 253 2,582 2,835 274 2,444 2,718 267 2,225 2,492
Italian 65 712 777 87 1,191 1,278 136 1,557 1,693
Spanish 172 1,639 1,811 200 2,299 2,499 218 3,025 3,243
Portuguese 12 83 95 11 153 164 12 132 144
Scandinavian 11 395 406 10 437 447 15 462 477
Russian 104 914 1,018 134 755 889 134 525 659
Slavonic and East-European 31 338 369 50 395 445 48 317 365
Other European 603 4,154 4,757 640 4,100 4,740 491 2,610 3,101
Total 1,696 16,441 18,137 1,837 18,320 20,157 1,724 16,071 17,795

Source

Higher Education Statistics Agency data.