Multilingualism as a Resource in Anglophone Higher Education Workshop
Higher education institutions in English-dominant settings are increasingly shaped by linguistic diversity due to globalization and internationalization. While multilingualism is widely studied in primary and secondary education, its role in universities remains underexplored. The rich linguistic backgrounds of students and staff often go unnoticed or are framed as obstacles rather than as valuable resources for learning, teaching, and research. Institutional policies and practices continue to emphasize an English-only approach, failing to recognize the multilingual reality that characterizes everyday academic and social interactions. Despite the presence of linguistic diversity, universities rarely acknowledge it in official communications, and discussions around language resources typically focus on concerns over English proficiency rather than the potential advantages of multilingualism.
As the Multilingualism Network at the Sheffield Institute of Education, we invite submissions for a workshop exploring language policies, practices, identities, and ideologies in linguistically diverse higher education contexts within English-dominant settings. This free and hybrid workshop will examine current and future research directions aimed at increasing the visibility of linguistic diversity in higher education while showcasing initiatives that leverage multilingualism as a resource in scholarship of teaching and learning.
Call for Papers
We welcome proposals for research/opinion papers and lived experiences with a total duration of 30 minutes (20 minutes presentation + 10 minutes for discussion). Submissions may engage with, but are not limited to, the following themes:
- Linguistic inclusion in higher education
- Cognitive advantages and disadvantages of multilingualism in higher education teaching, learning, assessment context
- Decolonizing the curriculum via linguistic diversity
- The role of linguistic diversity in widening participation and inclusion
- Internationalization and multilingualism
- Student and staff perspectives on multilingualism in English-dominant higher education
- Pedagogical approaches that nurture multilingualism in higher education
- Multilingualism and identity
- Multilingualism and sense of belonging
- Linguistic inclusion for disabilities in higher education
Submission Details:
Titles and abstracts should be submitted via Microsoft Forms by 30 April. We encourage contributions from a broad range of participants, including academics, researchers, practitioners, students, administrative and professional staff, educational developers, learning developers, and third-space professionals.
We look forward to your submissions and to engaging in rich discussions on multilingualism as a resource in higher education.
Key dates
30 April 2025: Abstract submissions close
Mid-May 2025: Abstract outcomes
30 June 2025: Workshop day
Register your interest as a presenter or audience: https://forms.office.com/e/Vyx81TLAXR
For any questions relating to the event, please email Dr Melike Bulut Albaba at M.A.Albaba@shu.ac.uk
