Exploring regional and minority language education and policy in Europe and beyond: Mercator’s Regional Dossier series and Wiki on Minority Language Learning

Education is a key factor for language vitality (Fishman, 1991; Lewis & Simons, 2010; UNESCO Ad Hoc Expert Group on Endangered Languages, 2003). The inclusion of pupils’ multilingualism and their home language(s) in education is also important in fostering their academic success, wellbeing, and identity (Gaikhorst et al., 2023; Hélot & Young 2006; United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues, 2017; Van der Wildt et al., 2017). A core aim of the Mercator European Research Centre is therefore to acquire, apply, and disseminate knowledge on regional and minority languages (RMLs) in education in Europe and beyond. The Regional Dossiers, a series that provides information on the main features of the education system in RML regions, play an important role in achieving this goal. The Wiki on Minority Language Learning complements the Regional Dossiers by serving as an online information platform for RMLs with limited or no presence in the education system. These two resources share common goals, which are, among others, to present information on the position of and relevant policies regarding the RML in all levels of the education system, institutional support for the RML education, and statistics (e.g. language use and proficiency). As of May 2024, there were 57 Regional Dossiers and 37 Wiki factsheets, covering various languages such as Friulian in Italy, Frisian in the Netherlands, and Catalan Sign Language in Spain.

The Regional Dossiers and the Wiki are relevant for policymakers, researchers, teachers, students, and journalists who wish to explore developments in RML education. By highlighting opportunities and challenges in RML education, from teacher shortages to a lack of legal protection, the Regional Dossiers in particular act as a starting point for policy development and public debate. This poster presentation will outline key features of the Regional Dossiers and the Wiki, focusing on content, languages covered, and the writing and editing process. Two case studies will also be presented to highlight the impact and value of these resources: (1) the Regional Dossier on The Friulian language in education in Italy (Bier et al., 2024) and (2) the regular cooperation between the Wiki and the University of Groningen’s master’s in multilingualism, where students are tasked with writing a factsheet as one of their assignments.