Modern Languages and Linguistics: an overview The Modern Languages and Linguistics Unit conducts research in the fields of Irish & Celtic Studies, Linguistics, Modern Languages, and Languages and Heritage. Irish & Celtic Studies Formerly Research Institute in Irish and Celtic Studies since its merger with other centres of excellence in Linguistics and Modern Languages at Ulster, research group in Irish and Celtic Studies has enjoined international reputation in the discipline which has been at the heart of the University’s mission since its foundation. In REF 2014, 100% of our research impact was assessed as internationally excellent or worldleading with 66% of our overall research profile judged to be in these highest categories. Researchers in Irish and Celtic Studies carry out individual research across the breadth of the discipline, in particular Early and Modern Irish Literature, Celtic Philology and Linguistics, Irish and European Ethnology and Folklore, Manuscript and Textual Studies and Revivalism. Irish & Celtic Studies staff regularly host international conferences and our researchers sit on a wide range of national and international bodies, edit a variety of scholarly journals and direct a number of international research networks. The unit hosts two annual conferences in Irish language and literature, Éigse Cholm Cille which takes place on the Magee Campus in early March and Éigse Loch Lao which is held on the Belfast Campus at the beginning of October/November. Linguistics Linguistics at Ulster University spans a wide range of areas in the discipline. Particular strengths are in the areas of syntax, language acquisition, bilingualism, language processing, historical linguistics, discourse analysis and language planning. Members of the unit have several on-going collaborations with colleagues in various institutions and centres of excellence in linguistic research in the UK, Europe, and US. The overarching objectives of research in linguistics are to produce internationally excellent and world-leading research that offers new insights in language, which are directly relevant both globally and to the immediate environment in which we exist. This includes core theoretical issues in linguistics, and their application to multilingualism, language variation and language status. This agenda has driven the group to establish UCoM, the Ulster Centre on Multilingualism, which aims to educate and inform the public on the benefits and advantages of bringing up children to be multilingual. The group also organises a series of research seminars in language and linguistics which takes place on Friday afternoons. These are informal meetings which give the opportunity to staff, students and guests to discuss their ongoing research. Modern Languages Research in Modern Languages is conducted by staff at the School of Education, primarily in French and Chinese languages, with a focus on Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) methodologies. This is an interdisciplinary collaboration as it entails working in tandem with colleagues in Education, Language Teaching and Pedagogy. Languages and Heritage Research in the area of Languages and Heritage focuses on the relationship between the state and minority groups – especially linguistic minorities. A focus has been in the area of language policy and planning for (and by) migrant communities. Equally, we supervise projects in the area of Irish culture and heritage, with a focus on both its tangible and intangible aspects, such as the contemporary oral Modern Irish tradition, maritime heritage, and others. These interdisciplinary collaborations bring our specialists to work with colleagues from Social Work and Social Policy research unit as well as with those from Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts and Film and Screen Studies.