ASMCF activities during the Covid-19 pandemic

ASMCF activities during the Covid-19 pandemic

We are conscious that many of our members will have been experiencing very difficult and trying conditions over the past few days, and that the current situation is likely to continue for some time. The ASMCF remains committed to supporting our members in these unusual times, while acknowledging that many of our traditional activities may be disrupted.

At present, we have no plans to cancel our annual conference, at the University of Leeds, scheduled for 10-12 September 2020. We are in continual communication with colleagues at Leeds and we will review the advisability of running our annual conference as events unfold. In terms of our funding initiatives, we understand that colleagues who have been awarded funding in support of events, and those who are the recipients of our annual Prizes, may need to postpone or reschedule their plans and would like to assure them that we will work with them to support any changes required.

In common with fellow learned societies in the broad field of French Studies, we will shortly be signposting members and colleagues to some online resources to support students of French at university and indeed secondary education levels. We are particularly keen to support the transition of students of French from A-Level (or Highers) to university level and will be signposting members to suitable online resources in the next few weeks .

We wish all of our members well in efforts to develop online teaching and learning and indeed online examinations and assessment in their home institutions and remain on hand to promote the activities of our members and the wider field of French Studies at this very difficult time.

Prof Chris Tinker (Hon. President) and Dr Fiona Barclay (Hon. Secretary), ASMCF