Students Explore Their ‘Passport to Possibility’, in Inspiring GM Higher MFL Workshop ( Published: 20/05/2026)
GM Higher is a collaborative network of universities and colleges across Greater Manchester that provides outreach programmes, workshops, and guidance to help young people explore higher education and make informed decisions about their future.
The session, titled ‘Your Passport to Possibility’, introduced students to the incredible opportunities that studying languages can open up – from university pathways to international careers, global travel, and cross cultural connections.
Throughout the workshop, pupils explored the 7,000+ languages spoken worldwide and learned that over 150 languages are spoken right here in Greater Manchester. They also discussed the role languages play in fields such as medicine, journalism, international politics, technology, tourism, social work and the charity sector. Many students were surprised to discover how often languages are combined with other subjects at university, including business, STEM, law, and creative fields.
A highlight of the workshop was an interactive idioms activity, where students matched colourful expressions from languages such as Japanese, German, Korean, Spanish, Arabic, Welsh, Dutch and Brazilian Portuguese with their literal meanings. This sparked plenty of curiosity about how cultures express ideas differently.
The session also gave students an insight into what studying languages at university is really like, including joint honours degrees, new language options, and the chance to spend a year abroad studying, working, or becoming an English Language Assistant through the British Council. Students were especially interested in hearing about real-life experiences of university study and time abroad in countries such as Spain, Portugal, France and Brazil.
The workshop left many students feeling inspired and more confident about the possibilities that studying languages can bring.
At TEMA, we are proud to give our students opportunities that enhance their cultural awareness, global understanding, and future aspirations. Huge thanks to GM Higher for delivering such an informative and motivating session and for showing our young linguists that languages truly are a passport to the world.
I had a wonderful time speaking with the students at TEMA about my experience studying languages at GCSE level and beyond, and the opportunities that they can open up for the future. I was especially impressed by their knowledge of idioms and related career paths. They were also intrigued by the possibility of combining a language with a different subject at university, something that many students don’t realise is an option at this stage. It was a real pleasure!
Hannah Conway, Greater Manchester Higher
