Universities will have to tell the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), which distributes public money to higher education, if they plan to axe a language course.
The SFC would then decide whether the closure harmed the overall provision and range of languages taught in Scotland.
If it deemed that it did, considering factors such as potential economic impact, the council would try to resolve the matter with the university in question – although it has no power to overturn its decision.
Hugh McMahon, former Labour MEP and a campaigner for languages at both secondary and higher levels, said: “It is a step forward, but protected funding, as they have in England and Wales, is the only long-term solution that will make a difference.”
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