NEOLAIA European University - University language policies

One of the aims of the European university alliance NEOLAIA , which promotes a policy of diversity and inclusion, is to draw up a common charter regarding the multilingual and intercultural language policies of its partner universities, as well as an accreditation certificate for multilingual and intercultural teaching. As part of this mission, carried out by the universities of Jaén and Tours, a symposium on university language policies will be held in Tours in October 2024. The aim is to create a forum for reflection on the internationalization of universities that takes seriously the challenges of linguistic and cultural diversity in a training context, going beyond a purely technical and economic vision of language management in higher education, and in line with the main linguistic and cultural policies already implemented by the European Union and the Council of Europe . The linguistic questions explored in this symposium will thus be considered through the prism of a reflection on their role in the learning/appropriation/teaching of academic disciplines and the development of sciences, and not only for the added value they can represent on the study and job markets in a globalized context. Ultimately, the collaborative work carried out in this symposium will establish the basis for the development of a joint Charter on the linguistic and intercultural policies of the partner universities. Aware of the sometimes excessively prescriptive effects that this type of document can produce, it will be important to ensure that these recommendations are formulated in a sufficiently open manner. It will also be necessary to clarify this linguistic policy to ensure that it does not necessarily lead to an implicit Anglicization of higher education. It will also be necessary to harmonize the basic requirements that academic and administrative staff will have to meet to participate in the plurilingual programs set up in each partner university (this is the purpose of the Accreditation Certificate, which will be set up in this European project as a complement to the Charter).