Language strategy at a standstill
In March of 2006, the university received a recommendation regarding language policy. Little has been done, and the responsibility is now being handed over to the next rectorate.
Should academic articles be published in English or Norwegian? And in which language should the syllabus be? The questions are numerous, but the University of Oslo (UiO) has no clear answers to offer. On Tuesday of last week, when the subject was on the university board’s agenda, it was decided that language strategy should be shelved until further notice, and therefore handed over to the next rectorate. The recommendations that UiO received in 2006, will be brought up again when the strategic plan for 2009-2013 is dealt with.
Helge Hveem, professor of Political Science, was leader of the committee that put forward the recommendation in 2006. He thinks that too little has been done, and that it has taken too much time.
– The rectorate has not focused enough on this subject. When the recommendation was put forward, it was noticed abroad, but in the matter that could have given UiO a leading role in language policy, we are now lagging behind. Other Scandinavian universities have done a better job at following up our suggestions than UiO has, he says.
– Due to bad times
The most important suggestion in the Hveem committee’s recommendation was the foundation of a language competence centre that would widen the linguistic horizons of students and staff, as well as aid international students learning Norwegian. This is still at the planning stage, but vice rector Inga Bostad believes that they are «well on the way».
Bostad understands Hveem’s frustration, and would also have preferred the process to have moved along more quickly, but states that much of the delay has been due to expensive measures and difficult times financially speaking.
– The Hveem committee’s recommendation came in a period when UiO was experiencing financial difficulties. No strategic plans were made, because the plans to found the language centre have been prioritized, she says.
Surprised
Jomar Talsnes Heggdal, student representative on the university board, believes that UiO’s efforts are not good enough.
– Language is too important to just be referred to briefly in a strategic plan. I am surprised that UiO has not yet formed any concrete plans for the development of a language strategy. A number of the measures that have been proposed would work, but they have just not been adopted, he says.
Heggdal also thinks that a lot of the less costly measures could have been carried out. He mentions discussions regarding which language one should use in academia, and how New Norwegian can be included as an academic language, as examples of less costly measures.
Bostad emphasizes that she thinks it is important to establish a language strategy for the university, despite the fact that the current rectorate has chosen to leave the matter to its successors.
– An institution of UiO’s size and importance should absolutely have a concrete language strategy, she says.
