On 2 and 3 July, the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) hosted the international seminar Multilingualism and Language Policies, organised by ERUA’s ILaP-EMEIM research cluster. The event, dedicated to inclusive language policies, multilingualism and interculturalism in higher education, brought together researchers from ERUA universities and other international institutions to share experiences and discuss the role of languages in the university context.
The programme included a range of presentations and discussion sessions addressing issues relating to the role of multilingualism in universities’ internationalisation strategies, the use of English as a language of instruction in multilingual settings (English as a Medium of Instruction, EMI), and the relationship between multilingual education and social inclusion. A session was also devoted to educational innovation and teacher training in these contexts.
The sessions provided an opportunity to share experiences from different contexts and to analyse some of the challenges posed by the management of linguistic diversity in universities.
Among the seminar’s key takeaways was the need to move from theoretical reflection to concrete tools for institutions and teaching staff. In this vein, the cluster approved its Strategic Action Plan 2026–2028 in July, during its face-to-face meetings at the ULPGC. The plan is organised into four areas of work: inclusive language policies; languages for specific purposes in professional settings and the institutional use of languages; multilingual repertoires, multiliteracies and linguistic landscapes, including the use of artificial intelligence tools; and motivation, wellbeing and learning. Expected outcomes include guidelines on multilingual teaching for teaching staff, a comparative report on the language policies of the alliance’s universities, an open-access multilingual terminology database and a series of recommendations that will inform the review of the ERUA Language Policy Declaration.
Collaborations both within and outside the alliance were also strengthened. The cluster will continue to work with MULTICOM (Mykolas Romeris University) and aims to launch a new collaboration with Afro_Com (Università di Macerata), with webinars, seminars for lecturers and researchers, and joint publications in the pipeline. Furthermore, the network is expanding to include new members from various ERUA universities and external partners such as the University of Edinburgh, Penn State and the Universidad Andrés Bello, and is bringing on board six early-career researchers. Upcoming steps include the launch of several surveys on the institutional use of languages and multilingual resources at ERUA universities, and a training programme, scheduled for 2027, aimed at those with no previous experience in teaching Spanish to migrant populations, through the REMMA Network.
Watch the full seminar
The full video of the ERUA international seminar on multilingualism and language policies, organised by the ILaP-EMEIM research cluster, is now available.
ILaP-EMEIM International Research Seminar – Full Video
The event forms part of ERUA’s work on multilingualism and language policies, and builds on the collaboration between the research teams at the alliance’s universities.
You can find out more about the work, research areas and activities of the ILaP-EMEIM cluster on the ERUA website.
