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CEO speaks: Benefits of learning a foreign language

CEO speaks: Benefits of learning a foreign language
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We have just observed International Mother Language Day on February 21. On this day, we celebrate linguistic and cultural diversity across the world as well as promote multilingualism and language preservation. It provides an opportunity to recognise the importance of one’s mother tongue while appreciating the value of learning foreign languages.

Learning a foreign language has numerous benefits in the increasingly globalised world that we are living in — particularly for high school, undergraduate and even postgraduate students. Not only does it open up new opportunities for higher education and career choices, but it also enhances cognitive skills and cultural awareness: traits that are vital to becoming successful global citizens.

In my view, there are two distinct types of individuals who take up the study of foreign languages — those who wish to pursue careers based on their love for languages and their chosen foreign language proficiency overseas; and secondly, those who wish to augment their career opportunities in their chosen fields of specialisation, for example, engineering, in foreign shores.

The first group of individuals may be interested in working as translators, interpreters, language teachers or in fields such as international business, diplomacy or tourism. They may have a passion for languages or may recognise the growing demand for bilingual or multilingual employees in today’s global economy.

A person who has a degree in French may work as a French language teacher in a foreign country or work for a French company that has operations in multiple countries. Similarly, a person who is fluent in Mandarin may end up working as a translator or interpreter for a company that does business in China or with Chinese partners. Even the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) gives preference to candidates who have foreign language proficiencies while recruiting for their respective country desks.

The second group is made up of individuals who wish to pursue career opportunities in their chosen line of specialisation, such as nursing, hospitality, liberal arts, medicine or engineering, in foreign countries. These individuals may be interested in studying and working abroad to gain exposure to new technologies, techniques, or business practices, or to seek better career opportunities in their respective fields.

For example, an Indian engineering graduate who is proficient in German may apply for a master’s programme in engineering in Germany to gain exposure to advanced research and development in the field. Very often, especially in STEM-related disciplines, generous scholarships are also available to candidates who display advanced language proficiency in the native language of the country of application. Plus, there is an added advantage of adapting to their new country and syllabus much faster than their less prepared peers!

Perhaps a personal anecdote will help drive home my point more eloquently. When I joined the University of Bonn as a postdoctoral fellow, I did not understand German at all. In order to accelerate this process, my mentor sent me to a small village near Freiburg where no one spoke English and all signs were in German. I reached there on a late Friday afternoon — only to be told that I had just one hour to shop for food and supplies before all shops were shut for the weekend! I somehow managed to locate a shop and buy some supplies — and the fish-loving Bengali in me jumped with joy to have found some canned tuna. However, to my dismay, when I opened the cans, I found them to be cat tuna!

Notwithstanding surviving the weekend on cat food, the time I spent there was a very rewarding crash course in German language and culture. In my view, spending six months in a setting like this in any country shall be a great opportunity to learn the native language and culture. Anyone who comes across this kind of opportunity should readily take it up as a challenge — the rewards shall be well worth the effort!

For more conventional courses in foreign languages, there are multiple institutes for consideration. Some of the prominent ones are:

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, is one of the most prominent institutions for language education in India. It offers courses in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Russian, and Spanish.

The English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Hyderabad is a prominent institution for language education and offers courses in English, Arabic, French, German, Spanish, and Russian.

Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Kolkata, offers courses in various foreign languages such as Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. It offers both short-term and long-term courses.

Country-specific cultural organisations such as Alliance Française (French), Goethe Institut (German), Instituto Cervantes (Spanish) and Confucius Institute (Mandarin).

Learning a foreign language is an excellent investment for students. It offers diverse career choices, opportunities for higher education, and the possibility of working and settling overseas. So, if you are a student, it is never too late to start learning a new language, and the perks will undoubtedly be quite rewarding.

Dr Sanku Bose, Group CEO

(Techno India Group)

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