Dear Professor Seaton, Professor Martindale, Professor Dale, Professor van Blerk, Professor Blackford, Professor McCrimmon, Dr. Davies, Professor Petrie, Ms. Sveinsdottir, Ms. Campbell, Ms. Mahmoud and Mr. Hamill, 

As Chair of BALEAP (the British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes) and on behalf of the BALEAP Executive Committee, I am writing to express my deepest concern following the recent announcement of proposals to dismantle the ‘English for International Students’ (EIS) provision at the University of Dundee. Cutting this critical service would not only jeopardise the academic success and wellbeing of Dundee’s international student community but also undermine your university's commitment to inclusivity, academic standards and global engagement.

As the professional body providing accreditation to EIS, BALEAP advocates for urgent reconsideration of these proposals to cut English for Academic Purposes (EAP) provision, noting that the most recent accreditation report highlights the critical role that EIS plays in maintaining academic standards and supporting the success of international and domestic students. 

EIS is central to Dundee's academic infrastructure. Its research informed and quality-assured EAP provision ensures that students’ linguistic and literacies readiness are supported not as a one-time requirement, but as a continuous developmental trajectory. By collaborating closely with a wide range of academic departments, EIS integrates language and learning support into core learning, fostering a holistic educational environment where both domestic and international students thrive. As our most recent accreditation report shows, EIS in-sessional support has been shown to enhance academic performance significantly. Students participating in EIS programmes often achieve higher grades, with lower rates of resits and academic misconduct, and improved retention rates, contributing to overall academic success. Student satisfaction scores on EIS courses are also a clear indication of the value of this provision.

The link to retention rates in particular should sound an alarm bell for Dundee. As you will be aware, the government’s ‘basic compliance assessment’ requires higher education providers to report course completion rates, and in order to receive a ‘green’ rating, completion must be over a certain percentage. Language centres are a fundamental part of a university’s strategy to achieve this compliance. Institutions who fail to meet this threshold risk restrictions on their ability to recruit international students or may even have their sponsor license revoked. 

Cuts to EAP therefore not only risk the academic success and wellbeing of current and future international student communities at Dundee but threaten the sustainability of the entire institution in a highly internationalised and highly regulated recruitment market.

Through its in-sessional and pre-sessional provisions, EIS offers well-designed high-quality learning to significantly close equity gaps and support success and belonging, providing invaluable support in breaking down linguistic barriers, enabling students to participate fully in academic life. Outsourced or AI-generated English language provision are extremely unlikely to match its standards in terms of quality assurance, research-informed practice, and highly qualified EAP professionals with the expertise to help students transition into and through the linguistic and cultural expectations of their studies. 

We urge you to reconsider the proposals to cut these essential programmes given the implications for student success, compliance and the long-term sustainability of your institution. Investing in EIS is not only about supporting individual students but also about upholding the academic integrity and global standing of the University of Dundee.

Language is not an optional extra. It is the medium through which knowledge is accessed, communicated and constructed. By championing these programmes, the University of Dundee has an opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and academic excellence.

Sincerely,

Hannah Jones, BALEAP Chair, on behalf of the BALEAP Executive Committee