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Article published In: Language Problems and Language Planning
Vol. 46:3 (2022) ► pp.231–255

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Language policy in Italian universities

Navigating the language ambiguities of higher education internationalisation

ORCiD logo with link | Stockholm UniversityStockholm | University of Roma Tre
 | Stockholm UniversityStockholm
 | Stockholm UniversityStockholm
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Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Open Access publication of this article was funded through a Transformative Agreement with Stockholm University.

Published online: 14 July 2022
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https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.21029.zua
Abstract
In recent years, the significant expansion of English-medium instruction (EMI) programmes across higher education institutions outside English-speaking contexts has brought with it an inherent set of language-related tensions and ambiguities. In this article, we explore how a selection of Italian universities have tackled these tensions. Via a content analysis of university policy documents, we investigate the key language-related themes in them, and the orientations to language that these themes entail. The results show that English is seen as necessary for and almost synonymous to internationalisation, as well as a language that can bring benefits to both institutions and individuals. However, a commitment to multilingualism and to the promotion of Italian from a non-protectionist stance is apparent in the documents analysed. This finding, we argue, puts the Italian context apart from other settings that have been previously investigated (e.g. the Nordic countries), and points to an original way in which universities can navigate the language ambiguities that come with the process of higher education internationalisation.
Sommario
Negli ultimi anni la significativa diffusione di corsi English-medium instruction (EMI) in contesti non anglofoni è stata accompagnata da tensioni e ambiguità riguardo l’uso della lingua nelle università. Tramite un’analisi dei contenuti dei documenti di politica istituzionale, questo articolo esplora il modo in cui un gruppo di università italiane ha affrontato tali questioni. L’articolo identifica i temi chiave in ambito di politica linguistica, analizzandone le implicazioni ideologiche. I risultati mostrano la concettualizzazione della lingua inglese come strumento necessario e quasi sinonimo di internazionalizzazione, con percepiti benefici tanto per gli atenei che per i singoli. Allo stesso tempo, ad emergere dai risultati è anche un impegno verso il multilinguismo e la promozione della lingua italiana. Quest’ultimo aspetto distingue l’Italia da altri contesti precedentemente analizzati (e.g. i Paesi nordeuropei), rivelando una modalità alternativa di navigazione delle ambiguità linguistiche insorte col processo di internazionalizzazione dell’istruzione universitaria.
Resumo
Lastatempe, la signifa disvastiĝo de programoj de perangla instruado (EMI) tra institucioj de supera edukado ekster anglalingvaj kuntekstoj kunportis propran aron da lingvorilataj streĉitecoj kaj ambiguoj. Ĉi-artikole, ni esploras kiel selektitaj italaj universitatoj frontis tiujn streĉitecojn. Pere de enhavanalizo de universitataj politikodokumentoj, ni esploras la tieajn ŝlosilajn lingvorilatajn temojn kaj la prilingvajn orientiĝojn kiujn tiuj temoj kuntrenas. La rezultoj montras, ke la angla estas konsiderata kiel necesa por, kaj preskaŭ sinonima kun, internaciigo, kaj krome kiel lingvon kiu povas alporti avantaĝojn same al institucioj kiel al individuoj. Tamen, devontigo al multlingvismo kaj al antaŭenigo de la itala el neprotektisma starpunkto estas evidenta en la analizitaj dokumentoj. Tiu eltrovo, laŭ nia argumento, apartigas la italan kuntekston disde aliaj jam esploritaj medioj (ekzemple la nordiaj landoj) kaj montras al originala vojo per kiu universitatoj povas navigi la lingvajn ambiguojn kiuj akompanas la internaciigan procedon en supera edukado.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Internationalisation and language policy in Italian HE
  • Data and methodology
  • Results
  • Discussion of results
    • Orientation 1: English as a desired/desirable language for institutions and individuals
    • Orientation 2: English as a synonym of internationalisation
    • Orientation 3: Multilingualism as a key strategic goal
  • Conclusions
  • References
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