The Language Programme for staff at Umeå University offers a wide range of courses in Swedish and English. The programme also supports language development practices in departments and units. The aim is to provide tools for a sustainable professional life and to strengthen talent acquisition.
Umeå University wants to give internationally recruited staff the opportunity to influence their workplace and the opportunity to carry out assignments that require sufficient Swedish language skills. With increased knowledge of Swedish, staff also have better opportunities to collaborate with external parties in Sweden and can communicate their research results in multi-community forums.
Skills development in English strengthens technical-administrative staff in providing professional support to internationally recruited staff and students. Teaching and research staff are offered skills development in teaching in English and writing good English for different purposes.
During the four years that the language programme is organised in project form, the programme will explore several different aspects of skills development in Swedish and English:
Courses and workshop on beginners and continuation level.
A project to promote internationlisation and participation.
Since 2009, Sweden has had a language law that contains provisions on the use of languages in public activities.
Swedish is the main language in Sweden, which means that it is the common language of society and must be used in all areas of society. Public organisations have a responsibility to ensure that Swedish is used and developed.
