Language Matters at the Internationalised University: From Practice to Policy

When diverse students come together at the internationalised university as a result of an internationalisation strategy, the opportunities for intercultural learning, cross-cultural connections and promotion of world peace are endless. Informed by extensive research on student experience and identity, this book provides the expertise to develop a more linguistically just and equitable internationalised university.

Drawing on empirical evidence, global research and personal experience, the book argues that language can no longer be ignored at the internationalised university. Instead, plurilingualism should be celebrated, with plurilingual approaches employed, and language policy established to ensure language rights are upheld and languages are maintained. It offers a framework for conceptualising the role of language in the student experience at the internationalised university, as well as suggestions for how to manage language matters in different areas of the student experience, such as in social spaces, the classroom and academic work and group work.

This book is relevant to university leaders, staff, educators and academics aiming to translate internationalisation practice into policy for a successful student experience. It also provides important insights into why language matters when interacting, teaching and socialising in multilingual internationalised university contexts.