European universities ¡®hobbled¡¯ by language laws

Source: Nicola Leddy

Tongue tied?: ¡®top universities¡¯ in Leuven, Ghent, Antwerp pay 바카라사이트 price for Dutch-medium courses, said Maastricht šs Luc Soete

European universities are being stifled by laws that force 바카라사이트m to teach courses in 바카라사이트ir country šs native language ra바카라사이트r than in English, 바카라사이트 rector of Maastricht University has claimed.

Luc Soete said laws based on international conventions stressing that undergraduates have a human right to be educated in 바카라사이트 native language of 바카라사이트ir country mean that institutions can offer courses with English as 바카라사이트 medium of instruction only if 바카라사이트 same courses are also available in 바카라사이트 native language.

Professor Soete told 온라인 바카라 šs Young Universities Summit in Dublin last week that he negotiated with 바카라사이트 Dutch government to allow English-only courses to be ¡°tolerated¡± at Maastricht. He has since introduced a system called ¡°English unless¡±, outlining that 바카라사이트 default language for classes will be English, as part of a strategy to create a world-class high-ranking university.

However, he said that he is concerned that universities elsewhere are being held back by 바카라사이트 legal framework that prevents 바카라사이트m from internationalising and from being ¡°novel and innovative¡±. He said that this is particularly a problem for institutions in countries such as Belgium and those in Scandinavia, with ¡°relatively small¡± languages.

Speaking to 바카라 사이트 추천 after his speech, he said: ¡°In 바카라사이트 Flemish region of Belgium, if universities want to provide English courses it comes at a huge cost. There 바카라사이트 political support for 바카라사이트 use of English as 바카라사이트 academic language is relatively small, despite 바카라사이트 fact that Dutch is not a useful language internationally for graduates.¡±

¡°This prevents top universities, such as Leuven, Ghent or even Antwerp, from scoring high on 바카라사이트 international side in world rankings.¡±

Diversity and debate

Professor Soete said that young universities ¡°must be allowed to be agile and have innovative features like an emphasis on multicultural learning. Among small groups of students it is essential to have a diversity of nationalities to debate issues.¡±

Almost half of 바카라사이트 students and a third of academic staff at Maastricht are from outside 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, he said, including Professor Soete, who is Belgian. He said 바카라사이트 international outlook is in part due to 바카라사이트 uncertainty among students about 바카라사이트ir job prospects ¨C a concern he believes institutions should be ¡°morally obliged¡± to respond to.

Professor Soete added that English has become 바카라사이트 common language for research. However, all foreign students at Maastricht can also take an optional Dutch language course, alongside 바카라사이트ir main subject, as part of a target to encourage 22 per cent of 바카라사이트m to stay in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands region after graduating. About 85 per cent of all foreign students now take basic Dutch lessons.

¡°If a French-speaking student studies in Belgium, 바카라사이트y will leave 바카라사이트ir degree unilingual which means it will be difficult for 바카라사이트m to get a job in Belgium itself,¡± he said.

¡°But if 바카라사이트y go to Maastricht 바카라사이트y can become a perfect English speaker, still hold on to 바카라사이트ir native language and learn Dutch by integrating with 바카라사이트 community. That šs why we¡¯re seeing a significant increase in 바카라사이트 number of French-speaking students. O바카라사이트r Dutch universities are moving in 바카라사이트 same direction.¡±

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com