Since Joseph Nye introduced the concept of "Soft power" in his 1991 book, "Bound to Lead: The Changing Nature of American Power", analysts have discussed states' efforts to exercise their influence by attracting and co-opting rather than coercing or using force. This paper will examine enrolments trends in Indonesian language…

Discussion about how to monitor and increase participation in languages study is gaining relevance in the UK, the US and Australia across various sectors, but particularly in higher education. In recent times levels of enrolment in modern languages at universities around the world have been described in terms of "crisis" or even…

"New Courses 2012" refers to a new course structure adopted by the University of Western Australia, which has established a three-year general Bachelor degree followed by professional degrees. Since its introduction, enrolments in languages have increased, in a context in which languages across Australia have found themselves "under…

In a period of renewed efforts to encourage language study in Australia, with a particular view to increasing the number of students completing secondary school and studying a language, consideration of the reasons behind retention and attrition of students becomes paramount. In this preliminary study, which surveyed nearly 200 students entering…

Comprehensive statistical data about foreign language instruction in Queensland, Australia, secondary schools are presented in 63 tables and figures. The purpose of the report is to provide an overview of recent trends in foreign language enrollments, distribution of foreign language teachers, school foreign language course offerings, and…

Reasons that foreign languages have both cultural and pragmatic-vocational contributions are discussed. Reasons for the decline in foreign language study in Australia and ways to reverse the present trends are presented. (SW)

Extracts are given from the 78-page survey which deals with the changing pattern of enrollments in university language courses and with changes in range, structure and orientation of university language courses. An address from which the full report may be obtained is given. (RM)