Towards the Development of an Institution-Wide Language Policy

Abstract

As a result of the Bologna Process and Hungary’s accession to the European Union, it is of primary importance for future graduates to possess high levels of communicative competence in at least two foreign languages, intercultural competence as well as an ability to learn languages in an autonomous way. The paper takes these challenges as a starting point, and describes the major elements of and the strategic and pedagogical considerations behind the language policy which was developed during the first part of 2003 at Kodolányi University College, Hungary. As a consequence, the three major components of the foreign language teaching programme at present are (1) teaching LSP exclusively to all undergraduate students, (2) introducing subjectspecific courses in foreign languages, and (3) the development of an independent learning centre. The language policy has been implemented since September 2003, which means that we already have some preliminary results. The paper gives an account of it as well.