This online event, was hosted by the Department of Linguistics, the Centre for Multilingualism of the University of Konstanz, in Germany, and by the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA) on 28-29 June 2021. Members of the ECSPM constituency, the  CURUM alliance, who have taken part in organising this annual symposium, discussed the role of English in HE, linked to the internationalisation and commercialisation of European universities. Invited speakers with research and academic experiences in Europe and other continents presented their views and research results regarding the monolingual ethos and colonisation of curricular knowledge in HE but also moved beyond critique to constructive proposals.

As previous ECSPM annual symposia, this event was not held as a conference based on an open call for papers, but an occasion for reflection and discussion among the invited speakers and the CURUM members, with a view to an interdisciplinary project leading to recommendations for practices in European academic institutions and to research-based policies to be submitted to European authorities.

Presentations

Click on title for access to pdf.

Introduction to the theme “Multilingualism in Higher Education (HE) in Europe”
Prof. Bessie Dendrinos, ECSPM President

Multilingualism as a resource of the sustainable university
Keynote speaker: Prof. Ingrid Gogolin, Universität Hamburg
Discussant: Prof. Tanja Rinker, Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt

Englishisation at a bilingual university: curriculum internationalisation, plurilingual praxis and intercultural academic identities
Speaker: Assoc. Prof. Maria Sabaté-Dalmau, Universitat de Lleida
Discussant: Prof. Luisa Martín-Rojo, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

Monolingual academia in multilingual societies: the case of Switzerland
Speaker: Dr Martina Zimmermann, Pädagogische Hochschule, Luzern
Discussant: Assoc. Prof. Massimiliano Spotti, Tilburg University

Multilingual education for social justice: the need for linguistically inclusive HE
Speaker: Prof. Eva Vetter, Universität Wien
Discussant: Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Slavkov, University of Ottawa

Researching multilingually: perspectives on/from researcher education in UK universities
Speakers: Assoc. Prof. Jane Andrews University of the West of England, Bristol & Dr Richard Fay University of Manchester
Discussant: Prof. George Androulakis University of Thessaly, GR

Multilingualism, English and HE: dominance, hegemony and inequality
International speaker 1: Prof. Ajit Mohanty, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), India
Discussant: Prof. Ianthi Tsimpli, University of Cambridge

The role of language centres at universities
Speaker: Dr Andreas Hettiger, Technische Universtität Braunschweig
Discussant: Prof. Carmen Argondizzo, Università della Calabria

The relationship between language proficiency and academic achievement in HE
Speaker: Assoc. Prof. Danijela Trenkic, University of York
Discussant: Prof. Jeanine Treffers-Daller, University of Reading

Multilingual pedagogies, action research and decolonial policy intervention in Higher Education
International speaker 2: Assoc. Prof. Kathleen Heugh, University of South Australia
Discussant: Prof. Piet Van Avermaet, Universiteit Gent

Discussion around issues raised during the symposium presentations
Coordinator: Dr Linda Fisher

Panel 1: Language policies and practices in European universities
Coordinator and discussant: Prof. Andrea Young
Multilingualism and international policy at the Université de Strasbourg, Prof. Irini Tsamadou-Jacoberger Université de Strasbourg
The Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and role of Welsh in Universities, Dr Jonathan Morris, Prifysgol Caerdydd/University of Cardiff
Languages and the academy in Italian universities and multilingualism at the UNISTRASI, Siena, Prof. Monica Barni Università per Stranieri di Siena

Panel 2: Multilingual policies and practices of European university alliances
Special panel discussion organised by the ERUA (European Reform University Alliance) consortium, represented by Prof. Theodoros Marinis, who is also coordinator of this panel with representatives of four other consortia:
Anouk Tso M.A. On European multilingualism as a priority and enabler for the EPICUR University Alliance & introduction to the FOREU group
Prof. Olaf Bärenfänger, Multilingual Policy development at the ARQUS University Alliance
Assoc. Prof. Evdokia Karavas, Is multilingualism a commitment in the European Civic University? (CIVIS)
Dr Tamás Péter Szabó, Approaches to multilingualism in the FORTHEM Alliance

Update on ECSPM’s involvement in ELE – the European Language Equality Project
Presenter: Guðrún Gísladóttir, ECSPM General Secretary and project LEAR