Inclusion in a multilingual higher education environment: a foreign student perspective

The issue of migrant integration has been a focus of debate by the Council of Europe for many decades. In this context, knowledge of the local language(s) is increasingly recognised as a condition for the acquisition of rights in the host country. It is also a key determinant of academic success and access to higher education. At the University of Luxembourg, several study programmes require simultaneous proficiency in one, two, three or even four languages, and while this policy may have its benefits, it can also represent a challenge, especially for foreign students. In this article, we use selected survey results to examine foreign students’ perceptions of the multilingual higher education environment at the University of Luxembourg. The results show that multilingual educational policies can represent a risk for the inclusion of some foreign students. However, the findings also reveal that the process of inclusion really begins with teachers. Language teachers in particular are perceived by foreign students as resource people from whom they primarily expect linguistic, emotional and motivational support. The survey also shows that foreign students pay particular attention to teaching methods – including those designed around digital technologies, which are often well received – as well as the professional skills and attitudes of teaching staff, and that this in turn enables them to decide whether they can develop a relationship of trust and collaboration with their teacher.