Bilingualism Matters @ Luxembourg
The Bilingualism Matters branch located at the Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences brings together over 20 researchers and experts currently working in the field of multilingualism at the University of Luxembourg. The Luxembourg branch has been officially launched by the Minister of Education, Children and Youth Claude Meisch, the University of Luxembourg Vice-rector for academic affairs Prof. Catherine Léglu, the founding director of Bilingualism Matters from University of Edinburgh Prof. Antonella Sorace and the director of the new branch in Luxembourg Prof. Claudine Kirsch.
Research at the University of Luxembourg covers a vast variety of fields from the study of language development, language and literacy practices to the acquisition of one or several languages, literacy development and language disorders, and language policies and identity construction. Researchers involved have different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, come from different countries, and earned degrees in different disciplines such as sociolinguistics, linguistics, philology, education and psychology. Bilingualism matters is an exceptional opportunity to make our research more visible within the university and in society. It also facilitate research projects with members of other international branches.
A bridge builder between science and society
The newly created centre will provide scientific knowledge and advice on multilingualism to the public and act as bridge builder between science and society. Online resources will be made available to teachers, parents and professionals. Workshops, conferences, and lectures are in the making stages. Luxembourg with its three official languages and its multilingual education system is indeed the perfect ground for conducting research in multilingualism. The aim is to generate high-quality research that will not only be beneficial for learning and teaching but that also provides relevant insights to national policy-makers and industry professionals.
Objectives
- Provide scientific knowledge, information and advice to teachers, educators, university lecturers, parents, health and other professionals, managers in multilingual organizations, researchers, as well as policy-makers
- Inform attitudes towards multilingualism of parents and professionals in education and public sectors (e.g. the health sector)
- Promote multilingual education at home as well as in formal and non-formal education sectors
- Facilitate the creation of materials to support the development of multiple languages and literacies in a range of contexts
- Raise awareness of the role of multilingualism and multiculturalism in teaching and learning as well as administration at the University of Luxembourg
- Raise the visibility of researchers working in the field of multilingualism at the University of Luxembourg