Diak is a multicultural higher education community that values and promotes multilingualism and encourages the use of different languages. In our interactions, we take into account one another’s varying language skills and support the development of each other’s linguistic competence. The aim of the language guidelines is to make linguistic diversity visible and to strengthen collaboration in a multilingual environment. The language guidelines help us to act in a language-aware and accessible manner.
Language awareness is an ethical and socially sustainable way of working, as it ensures that everyone can be heard and to participate, and it promotes non-discriminatory language use.
Equality
We promote linguistic equality in teaching, guidance and assessment. We recognise the linguistic demands of different situations and, where necessary, we provide support so that language does not become an unreasonable barrier.
We support multilingualism and value linguistic diversity. We respect the language backgrounds of students and staff and encourage the parallel use of different languages. In teaching and guidance, we make pedagogically justified language choices and support the development of language skills.
In our higher education institution, we communicate in a clear and accessible manner. We use standard language or plain language as appropriate. We ensure that key information is available in a language form and at a level that supports the participation of all.
Impact
We are aware of the power of language and the responsibility it entails. We take into account how language affects who is able to participate, feel a sense of belonging and have an influence.
We avoid word choices that maintain discriminatory or exclusionary structures. We communicate with respect and appreciation for others. Everyone has the opportunity to influence and participate in our community regardless of their language skills.
We communicate openly and transparently about what we do and how our activities affect people and society. We use language that helps our target groups to understand and engage with our work.
Social sustainability
We understand the importance of language in building and supporting inclusion and a sense of community. At Diak, the diverse linguistic abilities of students are recognised, and it is safe to use language in one’s own individual way.
We build a linguistically sustainable higher education community. We take into account the role of language in interaction, community building and wellbeing at work. We promote a culture of dialogue in which everyone can use language safely and be themselves. We encourage language learning and the capacity to communicate in different ways. We ensure that it is safe at Diak to communicate in a language that is new or unfamiliar to the individual.
We develop language awareness as part of the higher education institution’s operating culture. We provide staff and students with opportunities to develop language awareness and to deepen their understanding of the role of language in promoting inclusion, teaching and research.
Find out more on the topic Equality and Accessibility page.