The international dimension of higher education is therefore something in which the Committee considers to be of great value, and to be encouraged. The Committee is concerned at the lack of coordination of the United Kingdom's strategy towards Socrates-Erasmus . The Committee believes that a more coherent strategy is a necessary step in redressing the imbalance of flow by encouraging British students to take part in the programme. We therefore recommend that the Government should discuss with the CVCP and the UK Socrates-Erasmus Council how such coordination might best be achieved, and that they should then act on the outcome of such discussions in order to ensure a more positive and strategic approach to the programmes within the United Kingdom. The Committee is concerned about the imbalance of flow of Erasmus students in and out of the United Kingdom only insofar as that imbalance reflects a reluctance on the part of British students to take part in the programmes.
British universities are fortunate to attract a high number of incoming Erasmus students.
The Committee recommends that action be taken to address the issues which prevent the United Kingdom from sending a similar number of students abroad under the programme. In particular, the Committee recommends that urgent action be taken to improve language teaching in schools and universities. We note with concern the falling number of foreign language assistants in state schools in recent years. We recommend that the Government should take immediate steps to find ways to improve the teaching of all major foreign languages in secondary schools, and to encourage the use of language assistants in the state sector. In addition, we call upon the Government to give further consideration to the teaching of languages in primary schools.