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Babes-Bolyai University. Its multilingual profile Stefan Oltean Universitatea Babes-Bolyai stoltean@lett.ubbcluj.ro.

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  1. Babes-Bolyai University.Its multilingual profileStefan OlteanUniversitatea Babes-Bolyaistoltean@lett.ubbcluj.ro

  2. Only by adopting a “multilingual ethos” and language policies can universities carry out their roles as institutions in the European Higher Education Area (Wolfgang Mackiewicz 2002)

  3. Aims • to describe • BBU’slanguage policy • BBU’s LSP and CLIL practices; • BBU’s multilingual structure; and • BBU’s participations in multilingual projects

  4. Documents • J.A. van EkObjectives for foreign language learning I Scope (1986); II Levels (1987), Council of Europe Press • EU Commission, The European Language Portfolio, (Brussels 2000) • Mackiewicz, Wolfgang, The Bologna Process and the Issue of Languages. A note from the Conseil Européen pour les Langue/European Language Council for the attention of the authorities and organizations carrying forward the Bologna Process. Brussels: CEL/ELC (2002) • Multilingualism and New Learning Environments (Berlin, 2001) • The Berlin Declaration (2001) • The Bologna Process and the Issue of Languages. A note from the Conseil Européen pour les Langue/European Language Council for the attention of the authorities and organizations carrying forward the Bologna Process (Brussels, 2002) • Universitatea Babeş-Bolyai. 2000. Carta Universităţii Babeş-Bolyai (“Charter of Babeş-Bolyai University”),(Cluj-Napoca, 2000) • Universitatea Babeş-Bolyai, Pentru o politica lingvistica europeana in Universitatea Babeş-Bolyai. (“For a European Language Policy at Babeş-Bolyai University”), (Cluj-Napoca, 2001) • Universitatea Babeş-Bolyai, Hotarâre privind reactualizarea politicii lingvistice a UBB (“Resolution for updating BBU’s language policy”),(Cluj-Napoca 2006) • Babeş-Bolyai University, The Multicultural Profile. A new and open system(Cluj-Napoca, 2007)

  5. The European Context • These documents highlight the importance of languages in European HE: • the need toimprove student mobility, teaching staff mobility, mobility of researchers; • the need to promote the European dimension of HE through interinstitutional cooperation, curricular development and joint degrees; and • the need to create HE programs that enhance employability on the European labour market.

  6. Guidelines for a language policy • teaching foreign languages at BA level and MA level; • teaching specialized topics in foreign languages (Content and language integrated learning - CLIL ); • Teaching the official language of the state to international students; • The formula recommended to HEI’s: 1 + 2 (language A [mother tongue]+ language B and C)

  7. The Romanian Context • Romanian = a “small” language • language policy at national level provided by Romanian legislation: ► two modern languages in schools in addition to the state language or mother tongue; ► one or two languages at the university. • multilingual and multicultural traditions in Transilvania (Romanian, Hungarian and German)

  8. The regional context • BBU embodies the academic traditions of Transylvania: ►is one of Romania’s largest and oldest universities ► it has more than 50,000 BA, MA and doctoral students, enrolled in 21 faculties; ► organizes programs along three study-lines (Romanian, Hungarian, German) and defines itself as a multilingual and multicultural HEI;

  9. BBU’s Language Policy • BBU language policy (2001) – the first in a Romanian HEI –Pentru o politica lingvistica europeana în Universitatea Babes-Bolyai (“For a European Language Policy at Babeş-Bolyai University”). • 1 + 2 formula (mother tongue + two modern languages);

  10. BBU’s Language Policy • First foreign language (Language B): English, French, German, Italian, Spanish or Russian; • sets level B1 upon entrance to the university; • sets level B2 (20 points out of 30) as the proficiency level for acceptance to the BA exam; • sets European type language certificates foradmission to MA and doctoral programs, for tenure and for promotions at BBU, as well as for mobility grants abroad

  11. BBU’s Language Policy • Second foreign language (Language C): any foreign language (including non-European languages) • Is obligatory at MA level • Is obligatory at some faculties • Sets the level of 15 points out of 30

  12. BBU’s Language Policy • It contains provisions for the development of communicational competences and (inter)cultural competences; • It makes references to foreign languages for special purposes (LSP).

  13. BBU’s Language Policy • It defines the activity of the Alpha and Lingua language centers of BBU; they shall • carry out language testing and issue language proficiency certificates: theAlpha and Lingua language certificates • teach foreign language classes for various purposes: ►reach the proficiency level for BA exam: B2: (min. 20/30p) ►improve proficiency level ►develop speaking skills ►culture and civilization, etc.

  14. BBU’s Language Policy

  15. Web site: www.lett.ubbcluj.ro > Centrul de limbi moderne Alpha > modele de teste http://alpha.50webs.com

  16. BBU’s Language Policy • Defines the role of the specialized departments of the university in this language policy (teaching, testing) • The Department of Foreign Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP; culture, civilization); • The Department of Applied Modern Languages for Economics and Business Administration (LSP; culture, civilization); and • the foreign languages departments of the Faculty of Letters (language structure, literature, culture)

  17. BBU’s Language Policy • Romanian as a foreign language is taught by the Department of Romanian language, culture and civilization, and the Alpha language center: ►teaching intensive courses for EU translators and interpreters ►teaching Romanian language classes to foreign students

  18. BBU’s Language Policy

  19. Study-lines at BBU • BBU’s multilingual profile is defined in Carta Universitatii Babeş-Bolyai- “Babes-Bolyai University Charter” • The university is organized along three study-lines • Romanian, • Hungarian, and • German, in which complete educational programs at BA, MA and PhD levels are offered.

  20. Sudy-lines at BBU • each study-line • is headed by a vice-rector; • enjoys autonomy by making its own decisions with regard to human resources, research, publishing, international relations, development and study programs.

  21. Sudy-lines at BBU • German at BBU • It is a regional and • an international language, • since the German study-line is attended by native speakers as well as by students for whom German is a foreign language; this status is the result of the language policiy;

  22. Sudy-lines at BBU • Figures (2006) • 21 faculties, • 15 provide a curriculum in both Romanian and Hungarian, • 9 provide a curriculum in Romanian and in German, • 2 faculties (the Faculty of Reformed Theology and the Faculty of Roman-Catholic Theology) teach exclusively in Hungarian; • 172 programs (BA, MA, PhD) • 105 are in Romanian, • 52 full programs in Hungarian and • 13 full programs in German, at BA, MA or doctoral level. • students registered • 37,711 students in the Romanian study-line, • 6,672 in the Hungarian study-line, and • 1,779 in the German study-line (Babeş-Bolyai University. The multicultural character 2008).

  23. CLIL at BBU • BBU promotes programs in widely spoken languages – CLIL (English, French, German). BA programs in English (examples) • Computer Science; • Chemistry; • Physics; • American Studies; • Environmental Science; • Finances and Banks; • Political Science; • English Language and Literature;

  24. CLIL at BBU MA programs in English (selections) • “Carbonate Rocks: Facies and Technical Use” – Faculty of Biologyand Geology; • “Public Administration” – Faculty of Political Science • “Intercultural and Communication Philosophy” – Faculty of Political Science; • British Studies; • Irish Studies; • Current Trends in Linguistics; • Conference Interpreting – Faculty of Letters; (there are more than 50MA programs in English)

  25. CLIL at BBU Programs in French (selections) • Études europénnes comparées: L’Intelligence de l’Europe (MA) • Philosophie française (MA) • Langue et literature française • Belgian studies • Conference Interpreting (English, French, German) (MA) Programs in German: 13 full programs at BA, MA or doctoral level

  26. BBU’s language policy lives up to the requirements of bilingualism / multilingualism by promoting an education in (1) the national language, (2) a regional language, or (3) an international language.

  27. Participation in European Multulingual Research Projects • BBU is member of ELC/CEL • BBU is represented in the board of ELC/CEL • BBU participates/participated in European projects on multilingualism: • TNP2, TNP3, TNP3-D • DYLAN (“Language Dynamics and Management of Diversity”) – FP6 Project • LANQUA – EU project on quality in language teaching • MOLAN – EU project on motivation in language learning • MULTICOM – EU project on multilingual communicatin

  28. Participation in European Multulingual Research Projects • within DYLAN the BBU team has assessed attitudes, representations and multilingual practices at BBU, by • conducting interviews, • administering questionnaires and • video-taping activities in foreign languages

  29. Participation in European Multulingual Research Projects • Provisional findings: • Students, teaching staff and academic leadership endorse the multilingual and multicultural profile of the university; • English is at the top of preferences for LSP, followed by French and German (slim differences between French and German); • Spanish, Italian + Polish, Japanese and Norwegian are among the preferences

  30. Participation in European Multulingual Research Projects • English is at the top of preferences for CLIL specializations, followed by German and French. • impact of practices on language practices: • New LSP textbooks, usable for distance learning, too: http://granturi.ubbcluj.ro/autodidact; • new forms of language testing (constantly adjusted formulae for testing specialized language proficiency, or general language proficiency); • Updatings of the language policy (2006, 2008)

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