As part of the bilateral project “Pluriform: Approches plurielles dans la formation et l’enseignement dans les EES” (WTZ FR 04/2024 / 50081VD2024-SHS), the role of plurilingualism in higher education teaching in Austria and France was examined. The final project report is now available and summarizes the key findings.

The aim of the project was to identify and comparatively analyse plurilingual practices at higher education institutions. The project involved the University of La Réunion, the University of Vienna and the University of Salzburg. The focus was on teacher training and language practice at universities. The project was based on a survey of language teachers and learners, curriculum analyses of the FLE (French as a Foreign Language) Master’s programmes in France and of teacher education programs in language subjects in Austria, as well as interviews with heads of Language Centres and specialists in teacher education.

The results paint an overall positive yet heterogeneous picture: in both countries, plurilingualism is firmly embedded in institutional structures and in the curricula of teacher training programmes. In France, there is a focus on didactics and learner diversity; in Austria, migration-related multilingualism, multilingual didactic approaches, and the learners’ plurilingualism as a resource are given high priority, with links to research and language policy. Plurilingualism is also a high priority at language centres in both countries. At the same time, an additive concept of plurilingualism in the sense of promoting language competences in several languages predominates. Systematic implementation in course design is rare and often fails due to a lack of resources. There is a particular demand for easily accessible offerings.

The report also highlights the need for institutional support, professional development opportunities, and sufficient resources in order to sustainably implement plurilingual approaches.

The full project report is available online on the Language Centre’s website: Completed projects – Pluriform