European Language Policies and the Development of Language Competences in Higher Education

• Author: Maican M. A.
• Position: Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 127-132

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 12 (61) No. 2 – 2019

https://doi.org/10.31926/but.es.2019.12.61.2.16

EUROPEAN LANGUAGE POLICIES AND THE

DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE

COMPETENCES IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Maria-Anca MAICAN1

Abstract: The purpose of the present paper is to offer an overview of the

language policies proposed by the Council of Europe and the European

Commission and implemented at European level over the last decades. In

this context, reference is g oing to be made to the language competences

that students are expected to have at the end of the cycles of education,

with emphasis on higher education, as well as to teaching methods which

have proven to b e particularly efficient as regards languages for specific

purposes.

Key words: language policy, foreign language, language for specific

purposes, teaching methods.

1. Introduction

Nowadays, the European Union is home to 513 million people with very diverse

cultural, economic, social and linguistic backgrounds, this population being expected to

increase in the future especially due to natural growth, mig ration and the increasing life

expectancy. Twenty four of the languages spoken by the inhabitants of the EU member

states are considered “official languages”, with English, French and German being not

only official, but also “procedural l anguages”, as they are used in the day-to-day

activities of the EU institutions and in all the official documents issued. Apart from the

official languages, a considerable number of EU citizens use over sixty regional or

minority languages (europa.eu. EU in figures; EU languages).

Considering the figures above and the motto of the European Union, “In varietate

concordia”, it does not come as a surprise that linguistic diversity and promotion of

language learning are placed at the very core of the EU policies, together with other

issues pertaining to the area “Education and training, young people, culture and sport”,

as well as with issues related to agriculture, economic and general affairs, the EU

relations with the rest of the world, competitiveness, employment, health and medical

care, environment, justice and telecommunications.

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, anca.maican@unitbv.ro