Glocalisation and Internationalisation in University Language Policymaking

Abstract

In this chapter, we consider the question of quality in bilingual tertiary programmes at a macro-level through a comparison and discussion of the recently published language policies of two public universities on either side of ‘the Pond’. In Spain our focus is on Pablo de Olavide University (UPO), situated in Seville, capital of the region of Andalucía and in Brazil we look at the Federal University of Espirito Santo (UFES), located in Vitoria, capital of the Espirito Santo state. One of our key research questions involves the teasing out of tensions between glocalisation and internationalisation in tertiary language policy (eg. see Patel & Lynch, 2013 and Knight 2013). Following Spolsky (2003), we distinguish between three aspects of language policy: practices, beliefs and planning. While this chapter will focus principally on the third component – language management at institutional level, it will be informed by discussion of the practices and beliefs prevalent in the two communities.