Institute of Multilingualism (IdP)
The Institute of Multilingualism (IdP) conducts research into multilingualism in its various linguistic, social, political and pedagogical-educational dimensions. Since its establishment as an independent research institution in 2008, IdP has addressed both historical and contemporary questions surrounding multilingualism. The findings from its basic and applied research enrich scholarly and societal discourse.
Researchers from the fields of linguistics, psycho- and sociolinguistics as well as language teaching and learning investigate multilingualism in education, migration, employment and institutions. The IdP conducts independent research, participates in national and international projects, and carries out external research assignments from the public sector. The Institute provides educational programmes at the doctoral level, and it makes its scholarly expertise available to third-party institutions.
The Institute of Multilingualism is a cross-faculty research institution of the University of Fribourg. It receives funding from the Adolphe Merkle Foundation and the Foundation for Research and Development of Multilingualism of the Canton of Fribourg. Since 2011, the Institute has coordinated the activities at the national Research Centre on Multilingualism, which is financed by the federal government.
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Research Centre on Multilingualism (RCM)
The Research Centre on Multilingualism (RCM) has received a federal mandate (Languages Ordinance, Article 12) to coordinate, lead and conduct applied research in the field of multilingualism in Switzerland. It operates a Documentation Centre and maintains a national and international research network. In addition to uniting expertise from various Swiss language regions, RCM prepares scholarly findings for stakeholders in education, public administration and society. Its activities are coordinated by the Institute of Multilingualism (IdP) of the University of Fribourg. RCM projects are independent, applied research projects that are conducted at universities and research institutions from the whole of Switzerland. Investigated topics include language minorities, language teaching and learning, and multilingual practices in public policy and the economy.
RCM publishes summaries and synthesis reports on the current state of research in selected fields, thereby fostering the transfer of knowledge within scholarship and into professional practice and public administration.
As part of its federal mandate, RCM also provides services: the Documentation Centre at the University of Fribourg records and documents scholarly findings and materials surrounding multilingualism, and it answers queries from public administration, education and the general public.
- Annual Reports
- Statutes, Values and Position Papers