From Policy to Praxis: Institutional Language Planning and Intercultural Engagement at the Southern Most Argentinian National University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70036/cltls.v3i1.1Keywords:
Language policy, Multilingualism, Intercultural communication, Institutional planning, Higher educationAbstract
Background: In multilingual and peripheral higher education contexts, institutional language policies play a pivotal role in democratizing access to global knowledge and fostering intercultural dialogue. The Escuela de Idiomas (EDI) at the Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur (UNTDF) has emerged as a key actor in shaping inclusive, context-sensitive language education strategies. Aims: This study explores how the EDI’s academic, research, and extension initiatives between 2023 and 2024 reflect a localized implementation of language policy, with a focus on communicative competence, curricular articulation, and community engagement. It examines how these practices contribute to broader goals of linguistic equity and internationalization. Methods: A qualitative, documentary analysis was conducted on the EDI’s annual management reports, complemented by a review of institutional documents and national language policy frameworks. The study also draws on theoretical perspectives from critical sociolinguistics and intercultural communication to interpret the data. Results: The findings reveal a coherent institutional effort to integrate language education into diverse academic programs through extracurricular courses, bilingual diplomaturas, and virtual platforms. Simultaneously, the EDI’s cultural events and interdisciplinary outreach projects promote intercultural awareness and multilingualism. However, challenges remain in formalizing these practices into a unified institutional language policy. Implications: The study underscores the importance of institutional language planning that is both inclusive and territorially grounded. It advocates for the consolidation of EDI’s initiatives into a comprehensive policy framework that aligns with national and international standards, ensuring equitable access to language learning and fostering intercultural competence in a geopolitically strategic region.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ethel Revello Barovero
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