The Daily Illini – Matt Silich
“As globalization continues to escalate in the 21st century, everyone is realizing it’s more essential than ever to have the ability to speak multiple languages. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always seem to translate here; The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign needs to do a much better job of ensuring that its students are well prepared for today’s multicultural world…The United States has long been a step behind other countries, particularly those in Europe, in bilingualism. It’s been estimated that around 20 percent of Americans are comfortable speaking two languages. For Europeans, that number has been reported as high as 54 percent…The University’s commitment to widespread foreign language learning should match its commitment to a diverse student population that has made becoming bilingual so beneficial — more needs to be done to ensure that students are prepared for the global communication of today’s world.”(more)