Better support for foreign language speakers and improved Icelandic in information systems

Increased availability of Icelandic language courses for international staff, and further support for students whose first language is not Icelandic; a revised language policy at the University of Iceland, and better adaptation of key information and communication systems within the university to Icelandic are among the issues the University of Iceland’s language committee has been working on over the past three years. The committee's term ended on 1 July.  

A special language committee has been in place at the University of Iceland since 2016. The language committee answers to the University Rector and is composed of representatives from all University Schools, Central administration, a student representative, as well as the committee chair appointed by the Rector. The language committee’s main role is to support university administrators and other university staff on Icelandic language issues and to make suggestions on the execution of UI language policy. 

The first UI language policy was issued 20 years ago, but according to Icelandic law, all municipalities, schools and public institutions must have such a policy. The aim of the University of Iceland's language policy is to ensure that the Icelandic language continues to be spoken within the university, especially as the institution becomes increasingly active in international academic work. Furthermore, , the policy is intended to promote the use of  Icelandic across all academic fields.

Icelandic courses increased from four to ten

Over the past three years, the committee has worked diligently towards these goals. The members are Sigríður Sigurjónsdóttir, professor at the School of Humanities, Hafsteinn Einarsson, associate professor at the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Jóhanna Thelma Einarsdóttir, professor at the School of Health Sciences and School of Education, Jón Yngvi Jóhannsson, associate professor at the School of Education, Ragnheiður Kristjánsdóttir, professor at the School of Humanities, Silja Bára Ómarsdóttir and Ingólfur Vilhjálmur Gíslason, prófessors at the School of School of Social Sciences, Magnús Diðrik Baldursson, Managing Director of the Rector's Office, and Atli Jasonarson and Piergiorgio Consagra, student representatives.

“The language committee decided from the outset of its term to focus primarily on ensuring Icelandic language instruction and other support services in Icelandic for the university's staff and students of foreign origin," says Sigríður Sigurjónsdóttir, who served as the committee's chair during this period. 

She points out that, according to information from the Division of Human Resources, about 18% of the staff and around 10% of the student body at the university are of foreign origin, and both groups have been rapidly growing in recent years. Everything suggests that this trend will continue, with even greater growth in this group in the years to come, as it is part of the government's agenda to increase the number of international specialists and students at Icelandic universities," Sigríður points out.

In order to better support this group to participate in both the university community and Icelandic society, the language committee requested that the rector strengthen the operations of the University of Iceland's Language Centre and Writing Centre with increased funding, so that more Icelandic language courses could be offered for staff and additional support provided to students and staff in writing in Icelandic.

“The rector responded positively to this proposal, and with increased funding, the Language Centre was able to offer twice as many Icelandic language courses for the university’s staff with Icelandic as a second language, both last year and this year Four courses have been offered annually in recent years but this year they will be ten to meet the demand of University staff. We will, furthermore, offer courses in distance learning for University staff who work outside of the city, in our research centres,” says Sigríður and adds that the next steps will be to ensure Icelandic courses for sessional lecturers and doctoral students and increase the number of advanced Icelandic courses for staff.

Services of the Centre for Writing in high demand

Both students and staff from all university schools can seek assistance in academic writing, both Icelandic and English at the UI Centre for Writing, and the demand has increased considerably. This is why the language committee emphasised the importance of funding the centre adequately. “The language committee has proposed that the position of director be permanent, currently it is only temporary. It is imperative to hire an additional employee at the Centre for Writing who can respond to the appeal for support from international students at the University schools,” says Sigríður, and adds that they did not get this issue through. 

She adds that the best-case scenario would be that the Language Centre and the Centre for Writing receive permanent annual funding from the University for courses in Icelandic and support services in both Icelandic and English. “The fight for better access for University staff and students with Icelandic as a second language to free courses in Icelandic and support in academic writing in Icelandic and English within the University is thus far from over,” Sigríður observes. 

Language policy revised

Another extensive project tackled by the committee was the revision of the language policy approved by the University Council late last year. “The language policy revision entailed both subjective and formal changes as the policy was updated to comply with today’s requirements. We also made sure that the language policy adhered to University laws and regulations,” says Sigríður and points out that the language policy is also accessible in English. 

Sigríður stresses that language policies in schools, institutions and municipalities are required by law to be short and to the point. “The University of Iceland’s language policy is thus a general policy, not a law or regulation, and can never accurately reflect the diverse operations within the University of Iceland,” says Sigríður, and adds that the chair has presented the language policy at the University schools in the past year. 

Teams and Canvas made more Icelandic

New communication and information systems, Teams and the learning management system Canvas, have been implemented at the University, but both have foreign roots. The University of Iceland’s language committee has emphasised that the systems operate in an Icelandic environment, and has stressed that telephone answering in Teams include Icelandic. Soon an Icelandic message will precede the automatic English one when the person you are trying to reach is unavailable.

“Our Division of Information Technology handles the change which will come into effect in August. The fact that the Icelandic message, pronouncing Icelandic names correctly, precedes the English one is important for the University of Iceland’s image and is in line with recent societal changes,” adds Sigríður.

As for Canvas, the learning management system used by all Icelandic universities and thus all university students and teachers, Sigríður points out that Icelandic translations there are inadequate. The University of Iceland’s language committee recently sent a resolution to all Rectors and directors of teaching and information technology at Icelandic universities as the committee fears that inadequate and often incomprehensible translations in Canvas can have a negative impact on university students' language use. It will, furthermore, taint their view towards Icelandic that translations of English additions are not implemented. “It is vital to revise the Icelandic translation in Canvas and translate new additions to the system that remain in English,” says the committee in their proposal.

The committee concluded their term of appointment on 1 July and a new committee is expected to start operating in the coming academic year.