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Linguistic Diversity among Students in Higher Education: A Resource in a Multilingual Language Strategy?

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Transcultural Interaction and Linguistic Diversity in Higher Education

Abstract

The University of Copenhagen (UCPH) has recently launched a new language strategy, according to which the integration of language components in different academic studies should be encouraged. This strategy of More Languages for More Students has been developed as part of the UCPH language policy, which is referred to as a policy of parallel language use. This policy mainly deals with the balance between Danish and English in research and study programmes. However, with the new strategy, more languages are seen as resources for students — especially when academic language skills can be combined with content areas for purposes of studies, mobility or future employment. UCPH is not only a multilingual learning space through its language teaching, but also through the linguistic diversity which is brought into the academic learning environment with the language background and experience of the students. This chapter is based on a literature study of student perspectives on language issues, and particularly on the role which different groups of multilingual students ascribe to language in their academic learning experience. The chapter starts with a general background on the role of languages in public universities, such as UCPH, which may be characterized by internationalization as well as wider participation among the students.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Copenhagen, Denmark

    Anne Holmen

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  1. Anne Holmen
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  1. Roskilde University, Denmark

    Anne H. Fabricius  & Bent Preisler  & 

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© 2015 Anne Holmen

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Holmen, A. (2015). Linguistic Diversity among Students in Higher Education: A Resource in a Multilingual Language Strategy?. In: Fabricius, A.H., Preisler, B. (eds) Transcultural Interaction and Linguistic Diversity in Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137397478_6

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