Ocean i3 Language Policy - A transversal research project in support of the cross-borders multilingual dynamics

It is supported by an expert research team that observes and assists based on a 'language use awareness' approach and activates communication resources that go beyond language. 

Ocean i3 is an INTERDISCIPLINARY, CROSS-BORDER and INTER-CULTURAL project aimed at the university community of the University of Bordeaux and the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) for different undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. The community focuses on 'Mission Oriented Research and Innovation' to carry out research and intervention-based learning projects that address a common mission: reducing plastic pollution on the Basque-Aquitaine coastline.

This language policy plays an important role in enabling participants to assert their linguistic identities without encroaching on those of others.

The multilingual and inter-cultural dimension is transversally incorporated in all of Ocean i3 activities. It is supported by an expert research team that observes and assists based on a 'language use awareness' approach and activates communication resources that go beyond language. It works in laboratory mode to define guidelines adapted to the complexity of the project (inter-institutional, inter-cultural, multilingual, international) in order to transfer them to other Bordeaux-Euskampus Campus projects.

The DREAM research group, in conjunction with Euskampus, has drafted a tentative Language Policy for the Ocean i3 community , which aims to help maintain the community’s linguistic diversity, explaining the main reasons for its implementation. It constitutes a protocol to preserve and promote inter-culturality and multilingualism in the Ocean i3 cross-border community.

Such a language policy fosters the use of the four languages (Basque, French, Spanish and English) and provides participants with a set of ground rules to help them decide which language to use at any given time, give everyone the opportunity to express themselves in the language of their choice and activate the entire community to build the collective meaning. Moreover, this language policy plays an important role in enabling participants to assert their linguistic identities without encroaching on those of others, but rather mutually enriching each other.

Therefore, the main objectives of this language policy are to:

- Encourage and foster linguistic diversity

- Create linguistic awareness among participants in order to foster social cohesion based on tolerance of linguistic diversity and linguistically sensitive cross-border collaboration

- Protect and promote the use of Basque as a minority language

This practical guide provides participants with a set of rules, materials and tools to help maintain a multilingual approach during the different moments of the community sessions.

Finally, the language policy is conceived as a living tool that will be open to changes put forward by users. It is all about testing and experimenting in order to continue learning in the construction of a cross-border, multilingual and multi-cultural community.   

Find out more about the Ocean i3 project on the official website. 

Learn about the Language Policy.