Languages, policies and interculturality in Danish Higher Education, 2019-24

Abstract

A central theme in the Danish debate on international higher education has been the relation between language choice, linguistic practices and multiculturalism in the classroom. Prior to 2019, many scholars assumed that the adoption of English as a teaching medium would support the creation of diverse learning environments that enabled students to develop intercultural competences. In 2019, the Danish government implemented a new policy on international recruitment, requesting that universities reduce their intake of internationals. As a result, programmes previously been registered as ‘International’ became marked as ‘Danish’, requesting from applicants knowledge of the Danish language. In the chapter, we examine the consequences of the 2019 intervention for multilingualism and multiculturalism in Danish HE. Our case is a BA programme in International Studies, which, prior to the 2019 policy change had been characterised by great diversity in terms of student nationality. First, we will look at the policy-scapes affecting a BA programme at the European, national and institutional levels. This leads to a comparison of the linguistic and cultural diversity found in the student cohort in 2019 and 2024, as well as changes we have observed in students’ linguistic practice. We end with a discussion that challenges the initial assumption that internationalisation, diversity and multiculturalism are linked. <br/