‘AN UNILINGUAL MINORITY LANGUAGE COLLEGE IN A MULTILINGUAL UNIVERSITY: SABHAL MÒR OSTAIG’

1. ‘AN UNILINGUAL MINORITY LANGUAGE COLLEGE IN A MULTILINGUAL UNIVERSITY: SABHAL MÒR OSTAIG’ EUNoM Symposium on Multilingualism Ljouwert 19 An t-Samhain 2010 19 November 2010 Prof. Robert Dunbar – Senior Research Professor and Soillse Project Director, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig/UHIMI

2. Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (SMO) • SMO founded in 1973 for explicit language revitalisation purposes; F-T courses started in 1983 • ‘Sabhal Mòr Ostaig is committed to being a centre of excellence for the development and enhancement of the Gaelic language, culture and heritage, by providing quality educational, training and research opportunities through the medium of Scottish Gaelic; and by interacting innovatively with individuals, communities and businesses, to contribute to social, cultural and economic development.’ • Degrees: BA (Hons) Gaelic Language and Culture; BA (Hons) Gaelic and Development; BA (Hons) Gaelic and Media Studies; MA (Hons) Gaelic with Education; BA Gaelic and Traditional Music; Diploma in Gaelic Media; MA Material Culture and the Environment; Doctoral studies • Enrolment: 75 F-T, 111 P-T; 182 Distance Learning; approx. 750 on short courses (Summer, Easter)

3. SMO Àrainn Chaluim Chille

4. University of the Highlands and Islands Millennium Institute (UHIMI) • The project started in 1993, with strong support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Highland Council; Higher Education Institution Status in 2001; taught degree awarding powers in 2008; full University status in 2011? • A confederation of 11 colleges, 2 research institutes • No particular Gaelic rationale, but its central mission is contributing to the economic, social development of the Highlands and Islands, something reflected in the degree programmes • Lews Castle College (LCC) is the other college based in a Gaelic-speaking area, but aside from Gaelic studies courses, it operates through English

5. UHIMI Campuses

6. The Linguistic Context • Gaelic is a seriously minoritised language: in 2001, about 58,000 speakers (1.2%) (a further 27,000 could understand it; and about 95,000 in total with some Gaelic competences) • Significant and ongoing decline since at least late 19th century • Heartlands now limited mainly to the Hebrides; significant shift now occurring there • Almost half of all Gaelic-speakers live in the Lowlands, and 3/4s live outside majority Gaelic-speaking areas; however, they are a tiny share of local populations, present in few domains

7. Gaelic in Scotland (2001)

8. The Linguistic Context: Education • Gaelic generally excluded from Scottish schools after Education Act 1872 • From 1919 until 1985, teaching of Gaelic as a subject at some secondary schools • Gaelic-medium primary education starts at 2 schools in 1985; presently, about 2,200 students at 2 schools, 58 units, but little provision at secondary. • Gaelic taught at University level: Edinburgh (1882), Glasgow (1904), Aberdeen (1916); almost no teaching through medium of Gaelic in any other subjects (except at SMO)

9. Higher Education Policy Context • Increasing reliance on revenue from: • (1) ‘Export’ of higher education services • (2) Core research funding based on assessment of research excellence • (3) Commercial exploitation of research, other commercial activities • In all three cases, heavy bias towards English; minority languages a burden?

10. Role of Higher Education in Gaelic Language Revitalisation • Acquisition planning: Language instruction, teacher training, support for education through creation of materials • Status Planning and Use Planning: Symbolic presence in public space—corporate identity, signage, etc; provision of services through medium of the language; presence in new domains, support for domain extension via training in key subject areas through medium of Gaelic • Corpus Planning: Lexical development, standardisation, extension; development of literature; use of Gaelic as a medium of research • Research: in addition to literary, linguistic, historical research, research relevant to language policy

11. The Language Policy Context • Historical absence of any policy for Gaelic • Significant initiatives only since the mid-1980s • Support for SMO from the beginning, both from Gaelic development organisations and the British, then Scottish Governments • Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005; Bòrd na Gàidhlig; National Gaelic Language Plans and the first plan (2007); statutory Gaelic language plans and statutory Guidance (2007) on such plans; Ginealach Ùr na Gàidhlig (2010) • Support for UHIMI—possible University status 2011

12. SMO Gaelic Language Policy • All teaching through Gaelic only; commitment to develop and extend necessary terminology • Only Gaelic used in all other communications with students; contracts with students re: full Gaelic use • Only Gaelic used in internal communication (written and oral) • Advertising through Gaelic only • Working towards HR policy of only Gaelic-speaking staff (with training where necessary) • A fully Gaelic environment (visual and aural); Gaelic-only signage • Gaelic Policy Officer, and annual assessment and reporting

13. UHIMI Gaelic Language Plan (2010) • Gaelic policy, 1999, 2005; Gaelic Committee, Manager of Gaelic Strategy Development, 2005 • Statutory Gaelic Language Plan, 2010, but for UHIMI administration only • Fully bilingual corporate identity, signage • Bilingual greeting at reception, switchboard • Initial response to written communication in Gaelic • Many forms (including all application forms) bilingual • Corporate publications generally in bilingual format • Promotional materials for G-M courses in Gaelic only or bilingually • Some G-M curriculum development (e.g. Translation, writing skills)

14. Broader Contribution of SMO, UHIMI to Gaelic Policy • Adult language acquisition • Infrastructure support for media (Ionad Fàs: Cànan (multimedia), Sealladh (film), TV and recording studio • Corpus development: Pròiseact Tobar an Dualchais, Faclair na Gàidhlig, Ainmean Àite na h-Alba • Research: Lèirsinn (especially broadcasting, educational research); Soillse--£5.29m over 6 years, UHIMI, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh; 6 academic posts, 9 doctoral scholarships; Gaelic in the Family, Community, Gaelic in Education, Gaelic Policies • Local economic, cultural, linguistic development in South Skye: population (452 (1971) to 775 (2001); school roll (27 (‘72-3) to 63 (‘07-8), and in GME (7 (‘87) to 40 (‘10)); increase in Gaelic-speaking population

15. Remaining Gaps • Virtually no instruction through medium of Gaelic in most disciplines, including key ones for policy implementation (health care, law, business and public administration) • Huge materials deficiencies: SMO library collection overwhelmingly English-based (except for Gaelic, Celtic literature) • Limited publishing infrastructure, tiny market for G-M materials • Uncertain future for funding (together with challenges re: funding listed above)

16. A Multilingual (and broader European) Aspect? • No opportunity for third language acquisition at UHIMI (though some possibility of joint degrees at Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow) • International student exchanges with Nova Scotian Universities (St. Francis Xavier, Cape Breton University); Ireland • International research linkages (e.g. via Soillse), but much could be done, including with European networks, Universities and Research Centres • Linkages with other institutions operating through minority languages?

17. Website: www.soillse.ac.uk (from early December) Main contact: Iain Campbell, Senior Project Manager T: 01471 888559 ~ 07870 575717 E: iain.caimbeul@soillse.ac.uk Director: Rob Dunbar 01471 888558 ~ 07879 056320 E: sm01rd@uhi.ac.uk