In creating a solid partnership between education, government and business to advance language education in the United States, The Language Flagship has undertaken one of the most systematic efforts, to date, to assess and understand the needs for global skills in business.  Over the past three years, this effort engaged over 100 business leaders to identify the role and value of languages and cultural skills to business’ bottom line.  Equally important it identified potential roles for business as an integral part of a dynamic that will bring significant change to language education in the United States.  The resulting report, “What Business Wants:  Language Needs in the 21st Century” summarizes the findings that companies do need language and cultural skills on their staff for improving global business practices and for serving a domestically based multi-lingual workforce and clientele.

The call for action from that report has inspired a number of businesspeople to engage as Business Champions for The Language Flagship.  These experienced members of the corporate sector are lending their time and expertise to help engage, further, the private sector in this dynamic partnership to support language education throughout the United States.  

Businesses and individuals may support the Flagship Movement by offering:

• internships for Flagship students;

• support for scholarships;

• and by broadening the awareness of the role and value of languages for our economic well-being.

We welcome the engagement of the business sector in helping to shape the educational landscape which will produce the next generation of global professionals in the U.S.

For further information, please contact Dr. Susan J. Duggan, Senior Strategist, The Language Flagship:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it