Representatives of the Nicolaus Copernicus University Centre for Foreign Languages took part in the UNIVERSEH Conference 2026, “No Language, No Alliance: European University Alliances in Dialogue on Language”, hosted by Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf on 29 and 30 June 2026.
The conference focused on multilingualism, language policy, communication practices and the role of languages in European university alliances.
On 1 and 2 July, the meeting in Düsseldorf continued in a new format as a working meeting of YUFE Language Centers. It provided an opportunity to further discuss cooperation between language centres within the YUFE Alliance, exchange experiences and work on joint activities like Bridging the Gap project and YUFE COIL hub.
The event brought together participants from 19 European university alliances and 54 universities. It created an important space for discussing how languages support international academic cooperation, mobility, joint teaching initiatives and everyday communication within large, multilingual academic communities.
YUFE made a strong contribution to the conference. The YUFE Language Centre 3.5 Taskforce was represented by nine colleagues from seven partner universities, including Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Three presentations by YUFE representatives were included in the conference programme, confirming the active role of the alliance in European discussions on multilingualism and internationalisation.
For the NCU Centre for Foreign Languages, participation in both the conference and the YUFE Language Centers meeting was particularly valuable. It showed that language centres play an important role not only in language teaching, but also in creating practical conditions for international cooperation. The NCU Centre for Foreign Languages actively contributes to these processes by supporting language development, intercultural communication, COIL cooperation and the preparation of students, doctoral candidates, academic teachers and administrative staff for participation in international initiatives.
One of the key themes of the conference was the role of English in multilingual alliances. Participants discussed English as a practical tool for inclusion in international cooperation, while also stressing that it should not replace other languages. In the YUFE context, English can open the first door to cooperation, but the next step is to create further opportunities to learn, use and value the languages of partner universities.
The participation of the NCU Centre for Foreign Languages in the Düsseldorf events confirms its active role within YUFE Language Centers and its contribution to international academic cooperation. The conference reinforced a simple but important message: without language, there is no alliance, and without languages, there is no truly multilingual European academic community.
More information about the event on the YUFE website:
https://www.yufe.eu/staff/yufe-language-centre-at-the-universeh-conference-2026-in-dusseldorf/
author: Joanna Wińska