Startpage for Swedish National Agency for Higher Education

 
 

2006:12 R

Evaluation of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Finno-Ugric languages at higher education institutions in Sweden

This report presents the results of an evaluation of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Finno-Ugric languages undertaken by the National Agency for Higher Education during 2005. The report presents the assessment of undergraduate courses in Estonian, Finnish, Sami, Hungarian and Sami Studies, a cultural studies programme offered in close connection to courses in Sami. The report also contains assessment of postgraduate programmes in Finnish, Sami, Sami Studies and Finno-Ugric languages. The evaluation comprised three higher education institution, which together offer eight undergraduate programmes and five postgraduate programmes. These institutions are in several cases specifically required to provide programmes in these languages. Finnish, Meänkieli (Tornedals Finnish) and Sami are also national minority languages. The National Agency entrusted this evaluation to a panel of external assessors consisting of four subject experts, one postgraduate and one undergraduate student. The report consists of two sections, the panel´s report together with the decisions and reflections of the National Agency, which are based on the report of the panel of assessors.

During the period of the evaluation a distinct concentration of programmes in the subject area of Finno-Ugric languages took place. Teaching in each of the various languages is now offered by only one or a few higher education institutions.

The panel point out that financial constraints have had a major impact on programmes in Finno-Ugric languages, which can be seen mainly in the reduction in teaching resources and its vulnerable study environments. At the same time the panel notes that the Research Council´s special initiatives for small languages has had a positive effect in stimulating research related teaching and viable research milieux. In some programmes, however, the withdrawal of research possibilities within teachers´ posts has seriously affected their ability to offer research-related teaching. On the basis of the panel´s report the National Agency has determined that the undergraduate programme in Finnish at Uppsala University does not attain the required standard in terms of teaching resources or links with research in its teaching.

Teachers in the subject area of Finno-Ugric languages have considerable international networks of contacts that in a number of programmes benefit both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Estonian and Hungarian, and to some extent Finnish, are subjects that offer students good chances of pursuing some of their studies in countries where the target language is spoken.

One shortcoming pointed out by the panel is that the Finno-Ugric languages can only be studied to a limited extent in teacher-training programmes even though Finnish and Sami are taught in Sweden´s primary and upper-secondary schools.

In postgraduate programmes even though there are only few students in each language (or subject) it has been possible to arrange doctoral seminars that work well in both Finno-Ugric languages at Uppsala University and at the unit for Sami studies at Umeå University. Given the programmes of postgraduate study that are being offered overall, the National Agency is able to conclude on the basis of the panel´s report that the conditions exist to enable revival in the different subjects.

Swedish National Agency for Higher Education  Visting address: Luntmakargatan 13  Box 7851, 103 99 Stockholm
Phone: 08-563 085 00  Fax: 08-563 085 50  Email: hsv@hsv.se