Past Progressive, Future Perfect Some models for bilingual education

1. Past Progressive, Future PerfectSome models for bilingual education Virve Vihman & Birute Klaas University of Tartu Bi- and Multilingual Universities Conference 2 September, 2005 University of Helsinki

2. Past Progressive: UT’s Multilingual History • University of Tartu founded 1632 • Latin period, 1632-1710 • German period, 1802-1893 • Russian period, 1893-1918 • Estonian since 1919 • Soviet period: parallel Estonian and Russian curricula

3. Russian curricula until 2000 • Covered most main fields of study at UT: Medicine, including Sports Medicine Exercise & Sport Sciences Russian & Slavic Philology Economics Physics Mathematics • Duplication of Estonian and Russian language curricula • Russian-language secondary school graduates • Language study: • Estonian as a Foreign Language: obligatory for Russian-based students, avg. 1-2 yrs, regardless of field of study • Russian as a Foreign Language: obligatory for Estonian-based students, avg. 1-2 years, regardless of field of study

4. Since 2000: Russian Students at UT • 2000: Ministry of Education declares Estonian the official language of study, with certain exceptions • Russian students 17-18% of the student body, growing along with the general student population • Russian students studying in Estonian • Optional year of Estonian language study • Need for additional year of language study is decreasing • Also possible to study Estonian as an optional subject

5. Estonian language year • Available for all graduates of non-Estonian schools, whose national language exam score was less than 60% (B-level) • 2 semesters, 20 hours a week • 103 students have taken the course since 2000-01 • PLUS: Intensive language study, immersion • Preparation for Estonian study in particular subject • # of students needing Estonian language year has decreased, whereas students of non-Estonian background have increased • “Safe environment” for integration into university life • BUT: Lengthens period of study • Postpones concentration in particular field of study • Heterogenous classes in level of Estonian

6. Simple Present Tense: Bilingual Study at UT (I) NARVA COLLEGE • NE Estonia: Vastly Russian-speaking region • Teacher training for Russian-based schools • 2000: only Russ.; 2002: 35% Est.; 2005: over 50% • Basic principles guiding the change-over: • Maintain and guarantee quality (teaching & language) • Minimal number of successful students must be reached • Also important to maintain high-level knowledge of Russian language and culture, and to support the large Russian-speaking minority (34.8% of Estonian pop. as of 1999 census)

7. Simple Present Tense: Bilingual Study at UT (I) NARVA COLLEGE 2 models: I. Courses in 3 languages (Russian, Estonian, Eng.): simultaneous study in different languages highly useful for developing language skills in context II. 1 semester of subject-specific Estonian (e.g. public administration), followed by mostly Estonian-based education: study in Estonian strongly supports language learning, part of the integration process of Estonia’s Russian-speaking minority

8. Simple Present Tense: Bilingual Study at UT (II) Faculty of MEDICINE • Target group: mostly Finnish students (Estonian language learning not difficult) • First 2 years fully taught in English • Estonian language courses alongside medical training (40 hours per semester) • 3rd yr., Finnish students join Estonian groups • Numbers and success rates increasing

9. Simple Present Tense: Bilingual Study at UT (III) • Both NC and Med. Fac. draw on successful past experiences of bilingual education • Both lead to Estonian language study: • Assimilation, not diversification • BUT: The University Strategic Plan (2008) sets internationalisation as a priority • Includes international education for home students, teaching in foreign languages and mixed classrooms • No obligatory language study anymore (in any field)

10. Simple Present Tense: English-language Study at UT • Bachelor-level • 8 semester programmes (Social Sciences, Law, Humanities, Languages, Theology, Natural Science) • Including ~30 courses in English per semester, available for both international and Estonian students • Masters-level • Baltic Studies MA (from fall 2005), English Philology MA • Around 50 courses taught in English • Doctoral studies • Truly bi- or multilingual: all doctoral programmes include some international collaboration, seminars in English, etc. • 6 doctoral schools, all with international partners, visiting lecturers and organisation of international seminars

11. Future Perfect: Strategy and Development • General Aims of Internationalisation • Maintaining and improving academic quality • Top-level international research (not the focus of this talk) • Openness, tolerance • Internationalisation at home: multicultural experience at UT • Graduates prepared to enter the global workforce • Measurable indicators • 1000 international students (2008) • 15 Masters programmes in foreign languages (2008) • volume of international and industrial contracts > 150M EEK • Join the top 100 European research universities

12. Future Perfect: Developing English Options • Priorities: • Developing full masters degree programmes in English • Developing joint degrees • Emphasis on including English courses in core subjects • Maintenance of Estonian as language of higher education • Approved Masters programmes, from 2006: • Biomedicine (Biology-Geography & Medicine) • Public Health Management (Medicine & Economics)

13. Perceived Internal Strengths • Reputation for quality and tradition • World-class research in certain fields • All basic subjects taught, competence in broad range of fields • International networks • Crucial in small country • Academic and administrative support • Traditions of multilingual teaching • Great strategic importance placed on internationalisation • Tartu, university town • compact & cosy, with choice & variety

14. Perceived External Opportunities • European Union • Accession in 2004 simplifies access to Estonian higher education • Opportunities for participation in EU projects for education and research • European Higher Education Reform • Estonian participation in the Bologna process • New curricula support and motivate mobility, programmes for funding mobility • Estonia • Uniqueness, distinction: Interest in Estonian-specific language & culture • Demographic situation will force internationalisation, Estonia’s population demographics are particularly critical, with numbers of graduates finishing secondary education in 2008 dropping by 30% of today’s number

15. Perceived Internal Weaknesses • Motivation • Staff overloaded with extra workload • Research given priority over teaching development • Money • English language proficiency • Concerns regarding quality control • Confidence levels of staff with little experience in teaching in English • National University • Flagbearer of Estonian HE, upholding Estonian teaching • Perceived threat of English-language teaching to Estonian

16. Perceived External Threats • Demographic Situation • Both a plus and a minus • Increasingly competitive and aggressive international education • Estonia is not a top (obvious) destination for study abroad • Isolation and homogeneity of Tartu • Estonia as the periphery of Europe • Tartu as the provinces in Estonia, no direct access (through Tallinn) • National policy-making • Difficulties associated with visas and residence permits • Small support for internationalisation activities • State-funded places in universities

17. The Way Forward • Combined curricula: added value • Internationalisation through people • Both top-down and bottom-up processes are crucial • Maintenance and support of Estonian as a sustainable language of HE & research

18. Kiitos!