[Ura-list] Finland threatens to cut the support of Finnish studies abroad

[Johanna Laakso]

Dear colleagues,

yes, as you can read on https://www.kotikielenseura.fi/vetoomus-sen-puolesta-ettei-ulkomaisten-yliopistojen-suomen-kielen-ja-kulttuurin-opetuksen-tukea-lopeteta/ (in Finnish), the Finnish government plants to stop its support to the teaching of Finnish studies abroad, in ca. 60 universities around the world. This support has had diverse forms: maintaining cooperation networks, organizing conferences for teachers, providing consultation, summer courses and trainee positions in Finland, also funding visiting lecturers of Finnish (currently 11 in total). Among other things, this has been a very efficient form of cultural diplomacy and nation branding.

The petition now online pleads – in the name of "us, the undersigned experts of Finnish language and culture" – to reconsider this rash and poorly founded decision. On the page linked above, there is also a link to a list of signatures. If you identify as an expert of Finnish language and culture, in whatever sense, please feel free to sign.

Best
jl
--
Univ.Prof. Dr. Johanna Laakso
Universität Wien, Institut für Europäische und Vergleichende Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft (EVSL)
Abteilung Finno-Ugristik
Campus AAKH Spitalgasse 2-4 Hof 7
A-1090 Wien
johanna.laakso at univie.ac.at • http://homepage.univie.ac.at/Johanna.Laakso/

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ura-list/attachments/20260317/5fa9d041/attachment.htm>