HUCOM Language 23 Jan 2010

Language in Higher Education

Context & Observations

Kai-ming ChengUniversity of Hong

Kong

Contexts

1. Language2. Higher Education

Trends3. Hong Kong’ Future4. Changed Society

Context 1

Language: changing context

• economic tool• intellectual capacity• cultural vehicle• political

identity/hegemony

Emerging• Crucial in Globalization• Essential for Learning

Context 1

Essential to Education

• Crucial in globalization– Language for cross-

border communications

• Essential for learning– Language for new

sources of knowledge

Context 2

Higher Education:Dramatic reforms (1)

• Rebuilding national systems– Expansions of Access– Elite institutions

• Repositioning the private sector– Private institutions– Philanthropic culture

Context 2

Higher Education:Dramatic reforms (2)

• Internationalization– Internationalizing institutions– Cross border activities– Global competition:Ranking

• Revisiting student learning– Reforming the formal

curriculum – Broadening student experiences– Emphasizing cultural specificity

Context 2

Higher Education:Dramatic reforms (3)

Among others:

• Global cyber connectivity• Cross-border students• Joint programmes• Research collaborations• Off-shore campuses• Changing role of English

Context 3

Changed Society (1)

• Flatter organizational structure

• Frontline-workers as decision-makers

• Precarious individual career engagements

• Receding function of credentials

Context 3

Changed Society (2)

• Communication: – the major workplace

activity

• Continuous learning– a lifelong expectation

• Language– a key capacity for

individuals

Context 4

Hong Kong: Charting its future

• Settling with an Identity?

• An edge over other parts of China?

• The most international city in China?

• A Chinese city in the international community?

Observations

1. Education Hub as a notion

2. Internationalization of institutions

3. Language Planning 4. Role of Tertiary

Institutions

Observation 1

Education Hub: a notion

• Undeniable responsibility of a metropolitan

• A changing higher education landscape

• Intensified student mobility

• Language as a crucial element

Observation 2

Internationalization (1)

A ladderLevel 1: • One-way

communications– English website &

brochures– International Office– International conferences

Level 2:• One-way mobility

– Academics outward– Students outward

Observation 2

Internationalization (2)

Level 3: • Two-way exchange

– Academics inward– Student inward: local

language – Ring-fenced international

programmes

Level 4• International campus

– Medium of instruction– Working language– Student communications

Observation 2

Internationalization (3)

Throughout all levels of

Internationalization

Languageis

a critical factor!

Observation 3

Language Planning (1)

• Is there a Language Policy for Hong Kong? – “Trilingual Bi-literate”– Multilingualism as a

taken– What is the Chinese-

English interplay?– What is the Cantonese-

Putonghua interplay?– Zero-sum games?

Observation 3

Language Planning (2)

• Is there Language Planning in Hong Kong? – Language Landscaping: the

status quo– Needs analysis and

forecasting– City language capacity

building – Government language

protocols– Media language requirements– Language learning

environments– Language learning in schools

Observation 4

Role of Tertiary Institutions

• The most critical agent of globalization

• The most multinational community

• The most multilingual environment

• The leading force for language learning

Two major tasks:

• Building the Language Capacity for Hong Kong

• Internationalization vis-à-vis national and cultural identity

Undeniable Social Responsibility

forTertiary Institutions

Thank you!

kmcheng@hku.hk