[lg policy] Sweden: Language Policy for KTH 2010

[Harold Schiffman]

Language Policy for KTH 2010
Dnr V-2009-0365, doss 10

1. Introduction

KTH is one of Sweden’s most international universities, with
operations that span the globe. KTH is also one of Sweden’s oldest
universities, cooperating closely and actively with Swedish society.
The University develops its national and international role with great
care and strives for active participation in the development of the
community.

KTH’s overarching goal and most powerful driving force is to attain
excellence in education and research. This goal requires KTH to act
wisely and with insight in all of its endeavours, whether it be at
local, national or international level. KTH aims to be an outstanding
Swedish and international university.

KTH has set up a number of goals, several of which have a direct
bearing on language use. Some of these goals are explicitly
international, for example, that KTH is committed to being an
international university and to ensuring that its students will be
attractive on the international job market.

Within research, English is a lingua franca for communication between
people with different mother tongues. Most researchers at KTH use
English daily when working with international colleagues and when
publishing their findings. When working with Swedish colleagues,
native speakers of Swedish naturally use Swedish, as they do for
publishing in research areas where Swedish is the language of
publication.

Within education, KTH uses mainly Swedish for the first three years of
study. In order to adapt the education to the Bologna process and to
promote internationalisation, tuition during the subsequent two years
is mainly in English.

The demand for KTH to live up to its role as both a national and an
international university, where Swedish and English are used in
parallel, focuses on the importance of language ability. The interest
among staff and students to be active on a national and international
level means that language competence in Swedish and English is
developed even without measures initiated by the university. There
are, however, certain situations and issues that require linguistic
skills to be the subject of policy in order to clarify the principles
and rules according to which language is used and promoted at KTH.

The current policy stresses parallel language skill in KTH activity as
a rule. International students in KTH educations at advanced and
research education levels are not embraced by the policy if no special
agreements have been made.

2. The Five Aspects of the Language Policy
In the Language Policy, overarching goals are drawn up and commitments
are made that take into account and promote the following five
important aspects.

2.1 KTH in the World
Education and research at KTH is highly internationalised. The
internationalisation of the education is in itself a quality factor
that contributes to the personal development and employability of the
students. KTH receives many students from abroad. This creates
multicultural student groups, contributing to internationalisation at
home. KTH strives to be an attractive environment for distinguished
researchers and teachers from all over the world.

When working with internationalisation in education, it is important
to strike a correct linguistic balance between the needs of the
various student groups. By creating good opportunities for staff and
students to be able to express themselves in both Swedish and English
within science and technology, KTH will be able to contribute to
internationalisation through more effective learning and
communication, greater understanding for science and technology in the
community, a more positive image among teachers and teenagers at
school, better opportunities for researchers to take part in public
discussion of social issues and better opportunities to utilise
research findings in the community. A prerequisite for KTH to continue
to offer its education to international students is that they are also
offered education in English.


2.2 KTH and Quality in Education
Since education at KTH contains elements of both Swedish and English,
students with Swedish as their mother tongue will acquire certain
passive language knowledge, for instance in English, certain
specialist terminology, and correspondingly, international students
will come into contact with Swedish.

KTH presupposes, however, that course aims are best achieved if the
students assume a depth-oriented approach to their learning, which is
supported by, among other things, good linguistic communication among
students and between students and teachers. A more conscious use of
Swedish and English can, therefore, improve the efficiency not only of
the teaching, but also of other in-house communication at KTH.

However, one should be aware that some studies have shown
communication in another language than one’s mother tongue to be less
effective and to result in inferior understanding than communication
in the mother tongue. As a consequence of the increasingly
international labour market it is a strict quality requirement that
graduated engineers and architects should be able to use English as a
work language.


2.3 KTH and the Language of Science
The role of the university as a conveyor of knowledge requires a good
command of language from those who are to present and conduct
discussions on this knowledge. With increasing technical possibilities
for communication, higher demands are placed on those who are to reach
out to the community and represent KTH, as staff or as present or
former students. Good language skills provide an edge in competing for
attention. If the University and its representatives are to
participate satisfactorily in public discussions, simple, clear
language is a prerequisite. Graduates from KTH, therefore, need to
master their subjects both in Swedish and English, in other words,
have parallel language competence.

Research at KTH normally uses English as the language of publication
and often as the working language. This is a necessary condition for
internationalising science and technology, and good knowledge of
English is thus essential for staff and students alike. However, good
knowledge of Swedish is also needed in day-to-day work, in education
and in contacts with the surrounding community. The University should
not contribute towards Swedish becoming a low language and English a
high language. Both languages are needed.

Both students and teachers may exhibit deficiencies in the general
technical vocabulary and the patterns of construction, sentence
structure and style of scientific Swedish. This may lead to an
inability to conduct a discussion even on the level of popular science
in Swedish. Such domain losses for Swedish may have serious
consequences for the universities’ contacts, for the standard of
general education and, by extension, for democracy. They may also
affect the training of teachers in the school system. To counteract
such a development, KTH should draw attention to the question of
scientific Swedish in its education and promote the development of
Swedish terminology in its areas of activity.


2.4 KTH and Diversity
The increased diversity in KTH is positive from social, cultural and
operational points of view. At the same time, the language sets
limitations on integration between Swedish-speaking and
non-Swedish-speaking staff. Many international doctoral students,
post-docs and guest researchers may feel excluded, with few social
contacts in the workplace beyond their closest colleagues. Teachers
who do not know Swedish find it difficult to meet the requirements for
promotion and are normally not considered for leadership assignments.
KTH can counteract this by lowering the barriers raised by the
language.

Integration is also a matter of integration into Swedish society and
the Swedish job market. To address this, KTH will facilitate the
process for international students, doctoral students, teachers and
researchers to acquire the language prerequisites necessary for them
to settle permanently in Sweden. It is even more important that the
level of ambition of all employees is high with regard to reception
and integration into the activities of the University.


2.5 KTH and the Language Act
As of 1 July 2009, a new Language Act is in force. Among other things,
it lays down that Swedish is the main language in Sweden, that the
language of official business must be Swedish and that it must be
clear, carefully worded, correct, simple and understandable. Moreover,
authorities have a particular responsibility to ensure that Swedish
terminology in their various specialist areas is available, used and
developed. KTH will naturally observe the Language Act. It is the
opinion of KTH that the Language Policy is an aid both to meeting the
requirements of the Language Act and to developing into a multilingual
university.

3. Overarching Goals
The Language Policy of KTH will increase awareness of language among
students and employees alike at KTH and will aid KTH in its efforts to
develop into a multilingual university.

3.1 High linguistic quality
KTH’s contacts with students, researchers and the surrounding
community are to maintain high linguistic quality.

3.2 Language competence of the students
3.2.1 Studies at undergraduate level

When KTH students graduate with their first degree (Bachelors level,
including Bachelor of Science in Engineering) they will have developed
a certain degree of competence in specialist language in Swedish and
passive specialist language competence in English. Exemptions may be
made for programs taught in English at basic level.

3.2.2 Studies at advanced level

The ambition is that engineering and architect graduates will have
developed specialist language competence in both Swedish and English,
in other words, will have parallel language competence. Students who
have been admitted after having obtained exemption from the
requirement for Swedish will have developed specialist language
competence in English. Depending on the education language they will
also have acquired a certain degree of specialist language competence
in Swedish.

3.2.3 Studies at research level

When research students graduate, they normally must master their
subject both in Swedish and English. Exceptions may be made for
research students who have been admitted after having been exempted
from the requirement for Swedish must master their subject in English.

3.3 Linguistic competence of teachers and researchers
In their teaching, KTH’s teachers must be able to communicate
effectively and at a high level in speaking and writing in either
Swedish or English and preferably both. A good comprehension of both
spoken and written Swedish will facilitate taking part in the work of
the university and enable a dialogue with the surrounding community.
Likewise, a good understanding of English is a precondition for
participating in the scientific community.

3.4 Multilingual education
KTH must offer a balance between Swedish-language and English-language
courses and degree programmes. Furthermore, students are to be
encouraged to learn other foreign languages.

3.5 Swedish and English specialist language
Swedish specialist language is to be created and maintained within all
research and education areas at KTH, alongside the English specialist
language.

4. Commitments and Plan of Action
4.1 Administrative language
The administrative language of KTH is Swedish. The work is controlled
by laws and regulations in Swedish, and all local decisions should be
worded in Swedish. KTH endeavours to ensure that English translations
of all important strategic and legally binding documents are
available. These documents are to be regarded as translations without
legal status.

4.2 High linguistic quality
KTH’s main language goal, high linguistic quality, is to be achieved
as an integrated part of all education and to be taken into account
continuously in all work. It is to be related and adapted to every
educational programme. KTH will encourage a continuing discussion of
language issues within the University. KTH’s contacts with the
surrounding community (appearances in the media, talks, popular
science articles) are to be carried out in clear, simple and
understandable language.

4.3 Conscious language choice
KTH’s choice of language in its work is to be related to the intended
target group. In communication with Swedish-speaking people and
Swedish authorities outside the University, Swedish should be used.
Information addressed to both Swedish-speaking and
non-Swedish-speaking people should be available in Swedish and English
(and preferably in other languages). KTH should establish methods for
proofreading and translation of Swedish and English texts and, if
possible, earmark resources for this work.

Technical equipment and web-based platforms for teaching should be
adapted for both Swedish and English. KTH’s websites are to provide
basic information in both Swedish and English and additionally in
other languages if possible, and are to be programmed to enable an
interactive choice of language on multilingual websites.


4.4 The students’ parallel language competence
Students’ language competence is important both for understanding and
for exchange of ideas. By parallel use of Swedish and English in
undergraduate education, the students strengthen their knowledge of
English, and this is necessary. At the same time, they acquire good
Swedish terminology, which is a precondition for being able to
communicate in the subject in Swedish. KTH should, therefore,
endeavour to ensure that there are both Swedish and English components
in courses at different levels. In research education, there must be
components in both languages to an extent that allows the goal to be
fulfilled.

4.5 The students’ communicative competence
Students at all levels must be given the opportunity to systematically
practise written and oral communication, in both Swedish and English,
with teacher feedback that also concerns language. To ensure that the
feedback to the students maintains high quality, teachers are to be
offered in-service training in language evaluation

4.6 Language workshop
To reach the language goal above, a language support activity is
needed. Resources should be set aside for a language workshop which
provides assistance with reports and oral presentations, for example.

4.7 Bilingual education
During undergraduate education to the Bachelor level, the greater part
of the teaching should be in Swedish, with components in English or
another language (e.g., occasional lectures, textbooks) to prepare the
students for larger English components later in their education.

Education at advanced level should normally be taught in English.
Students at advanced level and also at research level, who do not
speak Swedish should be given the opportunity to learn Swedish in
parallel with their subject studies.


4.8 Examination
Examination constitutes an exercise of public authority. Therefore,
students must always have the right to hand in their answers to an
examination in Swedish, unless the test concerns knowledge of language
and linguistic terminology, irrespective of which language is mainly
used in the teaching.

In research the common language is English and dissertations at KTH
will normally be written in English. Dissertation Acts will therefore
also normally be conducted in the English language.


4.9 Language competence of the employees
Language competence is an important factor in communicative ability.
It is KTH’s ambition that all permanent employees will be able to
understand Swedish sufficiently well to acquaint themselves with
decisions and information and to participate in the in-house work; it
is also self-evident that all teachers and researchers must master
English sufficiently well to be able to participate in scientific
communication. Newly employed staff who do not master the Swedish
language are to be offered training in Swedish.

4.10 Abstracts of dissertations and theses
Every Master’s dissertation, licenciate thesis and doctoral thesis
that is written in English is to include a Swedish Abstract.
Similarly, every dissertation or thesis written in Swedish is to have
an English Abstract.

4.11 Trial lectures for appointment as a docent
To promote the development and spread of Swedish terminology and to
give Swedish-speaking researchers practice in presenting their
research in Swedish, they are recommended to give their trial lecture
for appointment as a docent in Swedish, unless there are reasons for
using some other language.

4.12 Swedish specialist language
KTH’s responsibility for Swedish special terms being created and
maintained is shared with all the other seats of learning in Sweden.
Through Swedish-language Abstracts of doctoral theses and trial
lectures for appointment as a docent held in Swedish, Swedish
terminology will be created, used and become known. KTH should support
the work on terminology that is being done on a national level in
Sweden. Teaching materials in Swedish are also important in creating
and upholding special terminology. In their teaching, teachers should
endeavour to use Swedish and to teach Swedish special terms, and in
cooperation with colleagues within and outside KTH, create Swedish
special terms for new phenomena.

Sources and References:

English in eight European countries: An investigation of youth’s
knowledge and perception of English in eight European countries,
Narional Education Agency, 2004

Halldin, Sven, Language Group at the Faculty of Science and Airey,
John, Science, Language, and Literacy: Case Studies of Learning in
Swedish University Physics, PhD dissertation, Uppsala University,
2009.

http://www.sprakforsvaret.se/sf/fileadmin/PDF/Airey.pdf Collection of
articles on Swedish and English as languages of science in Swedish
universities and university colleges


http://www.sprakforsvaret.se/sf/index.php?id=389 Education in English
more common in the Nordic Area than in Europe, Universitetsläraren, 9,
2009

http://www.sulf.se/templates/CopyrightPage.aspx?id=9437 Education in
English produces bad results, Forskning och framsteg, 8, 2008

http://www.fof.se/tidning/2008/8/undervisning-pa-engelska-ger-daliga-resultat
English – a user guide on knowledge, work practices and performance
assessment, National Authority for School Development, 2008

Technology, Uppsala University, Professor of Hydraulic Engineering
(personal communication)

Josephson, Olle, Former Director of the Language Council, Associate
Professor in Nordic Languages, Stockholm University (personal
communication)

Language plan of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Uppsala University, 2006


http://www.teknat.uu.se/sprakgrupp/Sprakplan-antagen-060207.pdf
Language policy for the Faculty of Engineering LTH, at Lund
University, 2009

http://www.lth.se/fileadmin/lth/english/internationella/filer/Spraakpolicy_SLTH.pdf
Language Policy for the University of Gothenburg, 2006

http://www.gu.se/digitalAssets/761/761268_sprakpolicy_gu06.pdf
Language Principles for Helsinki University, 2007

http://www.helsinki.fi/inbrief/strategy/HYn_kieliperiaatteet.pdf Lim
Falk, Maria, Swedish in English-language school environments.
Subject-related language use in two high school classes, PhD
dissertation, Stockholm University, 2008

http://www.sprakforsvaret.se/sf/fileadmin/PDF/Lim_Falk.pdf Mourad,
Alia-Maria, Pupils with other mother tongues than Swedish, Master of
Science thesis, Malmö University College, 2004

http://dspace.mah.se:8080/bitstream/2043/1624/1/Examensarbete.pdf
Scientific English – of Swedish quality? Swedish National Agency for
Higher Education and the Language Council (edited volume), 2008

The Language Act, 2009


http://www.sprakradet.se/4819 We must research more and whine less,
Universitetsläraren, 17, 2009

We must research more and whine less, Universitetsläraren, 17, 2009

http://intra.kth.se/regelverk/policyer/sprakpolicy-for-kth-2010-1.60909?l=en_UK

-- 
**************************************
N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to
its members
and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner
or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents.
Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal,
and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message.
 A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well.  (H. Schiffman,
Moderator)

For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to
https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/
listinfo/lgpolicy-list
*******************************************

_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list