Norway ‘must do more to protect its language in universities’

Language professors say law to protect native tongues does not go far enough

Proposed legislation to give the Norwegian language statutory status and stronger protection in universities has already come under fire from academics, who say it does not go far enough.

Amid concerns that Norwegian is in retreat in academia in favour of English, the government outlined plans in May to give the Norwegian language statutory status and stronger protection. Approximately 90 per cent of scientific publishing is in English, while almost 25 per cent of teaching in Norway takes place in English, too.