Position of language in higher education: the policy level

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Muriel Marsh
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1 Position of language in higher education: the policy level Taina Saarinen University of Jyväskylä, Centre for Applied Language Studies

2 Purpose Language is not presented as significant to the success of higher education internationalization on the policy level, while on the grassroots level of institutions and students it attracts attention and poses problems. This apparent mismatch implies interesting possible problematizations of the position of languages in higher education internationalization

students it attracts attention and poses problems.

3 Purpose The purpose of this session is 1. to present current research on language aspects of higher education internationalization, and, 2. to present commentaries and questions from the national level (CIMO) and the institutional level (Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences). 3. Offer opportunities for a dialogue of researchers and actors in HE internationalisation

4 Historical overview (Saarinen 2012) Language of tuition c l. Latin Latin Language of internationalization c l. (national awakening) Swedish, Finnish Latin=> German l. (language feuds) l. (regional policy) 1990 (internationalization) Finnish, Swedish Finnish, Swedish Finnish, Swedish, (English) German English English

(national awakening) Swedish, Finnish Latin=> German 1900-1930-40-l.

5 Why should higher education policy researchers and actors care? Two major trends in recent higher education policies call for attention to language Internationalisation / globalisation Knowledge society / knowledge economy => highly language intensive activities

attention to language Internationalisation / globalisation

6 Anglophone asymmetry (Hughes 2008) non-english speaking countries respond by offering English language study programs, in order to deal with the Anglophone asymmetry (Hughes 2008): Four English speaking countries produce 50 per cent of programmes involving study abroad; 70 per cent of Asian students studying abroad do so in Australia, United Kingdom or the United States of America (Hughes 2008, 111). Grin estimates the value of the English language to the UK economy around billion euros annually (cited in Williams 2010, 213). Students flowing towards high-fee charging English speaking countries=> internationalization a major global industry.

so in Australia, United Kingdom or the United States of America (Hughes 2008, 111).

7 Invisibility of language Both Internationalisation and knowledge society highly language intensive activities but language politically invisible in Finnish higher education Invisibility of language noticed also on other sectors: Pratt held a plenary titled Why Don't Theories of Globalization Think About Language? in the 2011 AAAL conference Pyykkö (2011, 26) writes about the invisibility of language in Finnish Innovation policy: language hidden behind words like co-operation, interaction and communication.

titled Why Don't Theories of Globalization Think About Language?

8 Why is invisibility politically intersting? Invisibility a strong pragmatic device: Implicitnes is a form of ideological persuasion, a form of governance by making something self-evident Making language invisible hides potential conflicts within national / international and the knowledge society: whose language, who gets to decide How does language become visible? When does language become visible? Invisibility might be just Indication of non-importance of language; Coincidental attempt at keeping attention away from English

self-evident Making language invisible hides potential conflicts within national / international and the knowledge society: whose

9 Hidden languages The first internationalisation strategy in 1987 language was still heavily and explicitly included in the goal settings; concrete suggestions for universities on how to improve their language provision Explicit mention made of languages other than Finnish, Swedish and English

suggestions for universities on how to improve their language provision

10 Hidden languages The next internationalization strategy for higher education was published in 2001 (Ministry of Education 2001) made specific reference to the competitive edge offered by English; the competitiveness was both implicitly and explicitly economic in nature. English language programs were also referred to, but mostly reference was made to Foreign language programs.

English; the competitiveness was both implicitly and explicitly economic in nature.

11 Foreign = English The latest internationalization strategy for higher education was accepted in 2009 (Ministry of Education 2009). Also the latest (2009) document refers systematically to foreign language teaching, when, in fact, English is meant. English is, in other words, clearly conflated (or euphemized even, as Lehikoinen, 2004, indirectly suggests) into foreign : The higher education institutions offer high-quality education focused on their fields of expertise, given in foreign languages. (Ministry of Education 2009, 26)

English is, in other words, clearly conflated (or euphemized even, as Lehikoinen, 2004, indirectly suggests) into foreign : The

12 Is language becoming visible and what does that mean? In early 2009, a (Finnish) student filed a formal complaint to the Office of the Chancellor of Justice about English language tuition, appealing to his/her constitutional right to receive tuition in his or her mother tongue. The Office ruled against the student (OKV/1001/1/2009), but the issue alone indicates that language is becoming visible again.

Justice about English language tuition, appealing to his/her constitutional right to receive tuition

13 How does language become visible? Modern late modern high modern Through language we see the continuation of high-modern nation state in conflict with late-modern realities (Blommaert & al. 2012) What does the political invisibility of language mean from the point of view of language practices of internationalisation?

high-modern nation state in conflict with late-modern realities (Blommaert & al.

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