Implementing Multilingualism at the University of the Free State: The Key Initiatives, Progress, and Challenges

Abstract

The University of the Free State approved its multilingual language policy in 2016, recognizing five university languages, Sesotho, isiZulu, South African Sign Language, Afrikaans, and English. The adoption of African indigenous languages Sesotho and isiZulu in the 2016 language policy was viewed as a ‘multilingual turn’ and a historical revolution for the university after a long period of being an exclusive Afrikaans university (1950s–2002) and later a bilingual English-Afrikaans university (2003–2015). Underpinned by the Language Management Theory this paper reports on the key initiatives adopted by the university for the implementation of the multilingual language policy 2016 within the newly established Academy for Multilingualism. It also brings forth the challenges of implementing multilingualism at the University of the Free State and beyond.