Plurilingualism in Higher Education – Opportunities and Challenges Waldemar Martyniuk Language Policy Division Council of Europe Strasbourg, France

Council of Europe intergovernmental organisation set up 1949 by 10 member states in August 2005, the Council of Europe has 46 member states based in Strasbourg, France main bodies: –Committee of Ministers –Parliamentary Assembly –Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe –European Court of Human Rights. Guiding principles: democracy, human rights and rule of law.

How it works? Dialogue between its main bodies Secretariat is divided into directorates covering main activities Results take many forms: conventions, recommendations, conferences or reports CONGRESS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES OF EUROPE 800 MILLION EUROPEANS PARLIAMENTSGOVERNMENTS LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS RECOMMENDATIONS DECISIONS CONVENTIONS CONSULTATIONS SECRETARIAT RESULTS RECOMMENDATIONS CONSULTATIONS

Council of Europe and Education Directorate General IV: Education, Culture and Heritage, Youth and Sport 2001: European Year of Languages 26 September: European Day of Languages 2005: European Year of Citizenship through Education

Council of Europe and Higher Education The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) Recognition of qualifications Higher Education governance Public responsibility for higher education Bilateral and regional cooperation

Council of Europe and the EHEA European Cultural Convention of adopted as geographical framework for the EHEA Lisbon Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in European Region (1997) Consultative member of the Bologna Follow-Up Group „a bridge” between „Bologna” and „non- Bologna” countries

Council of Europe and Languages : Unit-credit scheme Language for Communication : Language learning for European Citizenship : Plurilingual Education in Europe European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages (1992) Language Policy Forum (2004): Global Approaches to Plurilingual Education

Council of Europe Language Education Policies aim to promote: plurilingualism linguistic diversity mutual understanding democratic citizenship social cohesion

Guiding principles for language learning Language learning is for all Language learning is for the learner Language learning is for intercultural communication Language learning is for life

Guiding principles for language teaching Language teaching is co-ordinated Language teaching is coherent and transparent Language learning and teaching are dynamic lifelong processes

A plurilingual person living in a multilingual society is able to draw on: a repertoire of languages and language varieties competences of different kinds and levels within the repertoire

Plurilingual education promotes: An awareness of why and how one learns the language one has chosen An awareness of and the ability to use transferable skills in language learning A respect for the plurilingualism of others and the value of languages and varieties irrespective of their perceived status in society

Plurilingual education promotes: A respect for the cultures embodied in languages and the cultural identities of others An ability to perceive and mediate the relationships which exist among languages and cultures A global integrated approach to language education in the curriculum

Recommendations to the member states (1998): Encourage all Europeans to achieve a degree of communicative ability in a number of languages Diversify the languages on offer and set objectives appropriate to each language Encourage teaching programmes at all levels that use flexible approach and give them appropriate recognition in national qualification systems

Recommendations to the member states (1998): Encourage the use of foreign languages in the teaching of non-linguistic subjects Support the application of communication and information technologies to disseminate teaching and learning materials for all European national and regional languages

Recommendations to the member states (1998): Support the development of links and exchanges with institutions and persons at all levels of education to offer the possibility of authentic experience of the language and culture of others Facilitate lifelong learning of languages

Institutions Language Policy Division (Strasbourg, France) European Centre for Modern Languages (Graz, Austria)

Policy instruments and initiatives Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Reference Level Descriptions for national/regional languages Manual for Relating Language Examinations to the CEFR European Language Portfolio (ELP) Guide for the Development of Language Education Policies + studies Language Education Policy Profiles

Implementing plurilingualism in Higher Education means to: Raise awareness of the value of being plurilingual in a multilingual European society Encourage all students and staff to learn languages Encourage students and staff to learn a variety of languages Use strategic planning and adopt a global, coherent language policy

Implementing plurilingualism in Higher Education means to: Promote and support intercultural mobility of students and staff Attract and integrate international students Provide good quality CLIL in a variety of languages Encourage and educate both language teachers and language students to become plurilingual – not just bi-lingual

Implementing plurilingualism in Higher Education means to: Secure good quality of language instruction Increase the number of languages on offer Support independent learning Support co-operative learning Make wise use of technology and media

Implementing plurilingualism in Higher Education means to: Cater for individual needs Adopt a „positive”, „added value” approach Integrate out-of-school experience and proficiency Teach how to learn languages Support learner autonomy

Implementing plurilingualism in Higher Education means to: Provide fair and transparent assessment Secure comparability and compatibility of outcomes Use a common framework of reference Set clear and achievable objectives Value all linguistic and intercultural competences, even at modest level

More information on the Council of Europe language education policies, initiatives and instruments: Thank you for your kind attention!