Professionalising multilingualism in higher education

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On December 19, 2011 organisers of the 4 previous conferences on multilingual universities – the universities of Fribourg, Helsinik, Bozen, Luxembourg – met in Barcelona discussing potentials of the 5th conference of multilingual universities. More information as regards the outcome of the meeting will be published here.

University of Luxembourg hosts international conference in Grand Duchy

Conference on multilingual universities:

“Professionalising multilingualism in higher education”

Morning lecture in English, lunch in German, afternoon seminar in French, laboratory sessions in any of the scientific languages available – these terms describe the daily life in a multilingual university. The University of Luxembourg is one of about 30 bi- or multilingual institutions of higher education worldwide. The multilingual face of the University of Luxembourg marks everyday experiences on campus and is tangible in lectures, research activities, management and administration.

Following the previous conferences held in Freiburg (Switzerland), Helsinki (Finland) and Bolzano (Italy), the University of Luxembourg will host the fourth scientific conference on Multilingual Universities from the 4^th to the 6^th February 2010 within the multilingual landscape of the officially trilingual Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The scientific contributions will discuss, examine and analyse how to further professionalise multilingualism in higher education. Contributors will present different perspectives on a variety of topics, ranging from policy issues to economics and biographical aspects of the multilingual individual (student, administrative assistant, lecturer, etc.).

Seven years after the creation of the University of Luxembourg, the 2010 conference marks the increasing international recognition of one of Europe’s youngest Universities. 250 experts from more than 30 countries will meet for the occasion, at the cultural centre Abbey Neumünster, in the historical old city. The conference agenda present research results together with round tables on political and practical issues regarding the implementation of multilingualism in higher education. The three-days gathering will cover a broad range of international realities of multilingual (higher) education by focusing on forms and techniques of becoming a plurilingual professional in a multilingual world, the importance of multilingualism for economic advancement, and the value of linguistic competencies within the academic and professional world. As a whole, the conference will discuss the potentials of multilingual universities for being models for higher education institutions of the future.