"Linguistic security" at Pompeu Fabra University
Your opinion matters
Frequently asked questions
1. Why must information be given as to the language in which courses are given?
2. What are the requisites applicable to said information?
3. Hadn't it been asked for until now?
4. What are the lecturer's responsibilities concerning linguistic security?
5. What responsibilities does the departmental secretary have?
6. What responsibilities does the department have?
7. Which are the course languages?
8. Does the computer application accept more than one language per group?
9. Does one have to inform as to the course language for both theoretical and practical subjects and seminars?
10. Might there be differences between the language for groups of theory, groups of practicals and the language of seminars?
1. Why must information be given as to the language in which courses are given?
Knowing in which language a subject will be taught gives security to the teaching staff and to the students as regards the language situation that will be present in the classroom. This certainty, this transparency concerning the language situation in the classroom, which we call linguistic security, is of utmost importance for the smooth running of the institution and to be able to offer the students a good service. And now it is, moreover, a condition stipulated by the Department of Innovation, Universities and Enterprise of the Generalitat [government] of Catalonia in the system of awarding variable funding with regard to languages.
2. What are the requisites applicable to said information?
The information concerning the language in which a subject is taught must be public, accessible to all and binding, and throughout the academic activity, said language cannot be changed once it has duly been made public.
3. Hadn't it been asked for until now?
The information on the language for teaching began to be collected in general terms a year ago, in the framework of the Action Plan for Multilingualism at UPF. Before, only foreign students had access to such information with regard to a certain number of subjects -those for which they could register-, and in order to be able to extend this formula to all of the subjects of all of the studies, the academic management computer applications had to be modified and adapted.
4. What are the lecturer's responsibilities concerning linguistic security?
Each member of the teaching staff must decide the language which will be used in the teaching to be given, except if for a specific need in any degree an instruction is given by the corresponding dean's office with regard to the use of a certain language.
5. What responsibilities does the departmental secretary have?
The secretary of each department has the technical responsibility for collecting and inputting into a computer application the language for teaching indicated for each subject, in accordance with the information provided by each lecturer.
6. What responsibilities does the department have?
Each department is ultimately responsible for guaranteeing linguistic security with regard to all of the subjects taught by the lecturers pertaining thereto.
7. Which are the course languages?
Generally, the languages for teaching can be Catalan, as the University's own, official language; Spanish, as a co-official language, and English as a working language at UPF, in accordance with the Plan of Action for Multilingualism. However, that does obviously not exclude, in certain specific courses or subjects, for example language and literature subjects, the use of another language.
8. Does the computer application accept more than one language per group?
No, in the current computer application, it is not possible to input more than one language for each of the groups of a subject.
9. Does one have to inform as to the course language for both theoretical and practical subjects and seminars?
Yes, information as to the language for teaching must be provided as much for theoretical and practical subjects as well as seminars.
10. Might there be differences between the language for groups of theoretical subjects, groups of practical subjects and the language of seminars?
Yes, the language in which the theoretical classes, practical classes and seminars are taught does not necessarily have to be the same.