During the Brussels Multilingualism Week, running from the 9th to the 14th of February 2026, a debate took place on Multilingual Societies and Monolingual mindsets. What Is the Role of Universities in Shaping Multilingual Policy and Practice?
During the debate on Friday, the panel discussed topics related to multilingualism in higher education, as well as the policies surrounding it. Ann Peeters (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) and Jo Angouri (University of Warwick), both active in the connected community of Multilingualism & Diversity and the key organisers of the innovation challenge week on multilingualism in contemporary societies (November 2025), moderated the panel. Luc Hoang (VUB) and Tea Tóth (UW) represented EUTOPIA on the panel, alongside Nell Foster (CIVIS), Christine Engelen (YUFE), and Emma Cayley (UCFL).
There was an engaging panel discussion on the difficulties of multilingualism in higher education, including the proficiency levels of professors and students, which can be a hurdle for both parties.
Students, on their side, put a focus on the influence of AI.
As students in European universities, we are constantly reminded that we are part of a multilingual continent; many of us speak two, three, sometimes four languages; we move between them daily, at home, online, in group work, in friendships. And yet, once we enter the classroom, the message often becomes clear: choose one. In many institutions, the structure is predictable, the national language dominates in administration and local life, while English dominates international programmes and research. From a student’s perspective, it creates a strange paradox: we live multilingual lives, but we study within largely monolingual frameworks. The key question is: will alliances expand English-medium education even further, or will they genuinely experiment with multilingual models?
Multilingual education should not mean adding pressure; it should mean adding more recognition. Students need structural support; language courses integrated into curricula, clear communication policies that acknowledge diversity, and professors trained in multilingual pedagogies.
By Stefanie Mulder, VUB student
