The project emerged from the Polyglot Group, a CHARM-EU–created network of language educators formed through CHARM-EU networking events. This group provides a collaborative space for experimenting with innovative language learning practices across partner institutions. Following initial discussions within this network, one of the initiatives that was launched after the CHARM-EU Language Teachers’ Meeting in Turku (November 2024) is the Lingua Franca Tandems project.
The initiative connected Bioengineering students from University of Montpellier with Language and Translation students from Eötvös Loránd University Budapest, using English as a lingua franca to foster authentic intercultural communication. Over three online sessions, students worked in international tandems on structured activities, including mutual presentations, a reflection task based on the Cultural Iceberg model, and a role-play simulating a scholarship interview for a summer school at ELTE.
Student feedback from both institutions was overwhelmingly positive. Participants highlighted the value of practicing English in an authentic context, learning about another European culture, and interacting with peers abroad in a “real-life” communication setting. Despite challenges related to scheduling and differences in language proficiency levels, students rated the experience highly and expressed strong interest in recommending it to others.
Building on this success, members of the Polyglot Group have met in Barcelona on 22–23 January to further develop the Lingua Franca Tandems initiative and other language learning initiatives. The group developed several ideas for pilot projects, including:
- Student-centred AI Language Learning (SAIL) initiative
- iCHAT (Intercultural Communication Hub for lAnguage Tandems), building on the Lingua Franca Tandems
- An initiative to collect and share good practices in Inclusive Practices in Higher Education
The Polyglot group will meet again online to continue to develop the initiatives.
