Rebukes NTNU’s language politics
International students are not getting lessons in the language which they were offered. The Student Parliament thinks this might be the reason for why more than 50 percent of them change courses.
A survey by The Student Parliament of NTNU shows that between 50 and 90 percent of the exchange students change courses after they start studying at NTNU. Margrethe Gaassand, responsible for international matters in the Student Parliament says that the reason for the high percentage of students changing courses is that they apply for last year’s courses.
– Subjects that were taught in English last year might have changed to Norwegian for this semester. Another problem is that bachelor students at NTNU can demand that the lectures are held in Norwegian. That way there are no guarantees for lectures in English, Gaassand says.
She thinks this is a big problem for international students.
– They often stay here for just one or two semesters, and therefore depend on English lectures, Gaassand says.
When it comes to Norwegian language courses, research assistants have first claim. Second comes the doctoral students, and at last the exchange students. The waiting list is long, and there’s not much the students can do about it. She has met a lot of students that are upset with this arrangement.
Incomprehensible lectures
Elena Bai is an exchange student from Italy, and is taking parts of her master’s degree in materials technology at NTNU.
– Both this and last year all my subjects were taught in Norwegian, but my course literature was in English, she says.
She got a 25 hour crash course in Norwegian during the summer before she started her studies at NTNU, but she says it’s not sufficient for her to understand the lectures. Every time she applies for the Norwegian language courses she’s put on a waiting list.
– I’ve talked to the professors, but they say that it’s practically illegal to give lectures in English, as long as there are students who want them to be held in Norwegian. And most of the time the exchange students are the minority, she says.
A known problem
Director of studies, Anne Rossvoll is well aware of the high percentage of international students changing courses. She also admits that NTNU in some cases has promised the students English lectures, which they won’t get.
– This can happen, and that is of course unfortunate, she says.
The University of Oslo’s web pages are always up to date when it comes to what subjects are taught in English, and when the particular subject is in what language. Rossvoll does not see this happening at NTNU.
– The subjects are revised every fall, and that’s when we discuss which subjects we’re going to keep offering, she says.
Rossvoll tells us that NTNU is well aware of the situation, and it is looked upon as a problem. NTNU has started a project that will look into the university’s methods of welcoming international students.
Translated by Maria Kråkmo
