Background

Bilingualism Matters (BM) was established in 2008 at the University of Edinburgh as an information service for parents. In 2014 it became a Research and Information Centre. Since then, the model of public engagement developed in Edinburgh has been replicated in multiple Bilingualism Matters centres across the world, carrying out similar work in their own communities. All centres of Bilingualism Matters are members of the BM International Network.

Collectively, Bilingualism Matters is creating a new generation of researchers for whom public engagement becomes essential rather than an additional part of their work.

Social Enterprise

In 2022, Bilingualism Matters launched as a spin-out social enterprise from our original home at the University of Edinburgh. This new structure enables BM as an organisation to better serve the international network of research centres and further our collective mission to communicate research findings on bilingualism and language learning to the wider public.

Read more about the new Bilingualism Matters social enterprise.

Our values

We believe it is important that people make decisions about bilingualism and language learning based on the best available evidence.

To make the evidence available and accessible members of the Bilingualism Matters Network:

  • engage in collaborative projects to carry out research, or to explore how best to apply research findings in the real world
  • provide advice for families, individuals, and professionals from health, education, and policy who are multilingual or work with multilingual communities
  • offer tailored information sessions, workshops, and training

Get in touch with the branch most relevant to you - visit the BM Network page.