Internationalisation of Higher Education, Multilingualism and Translation

Organised by the European Civil Society Platform for Multilingualism (ECSPM), the 2026 Symposium is co-hosted and co-funded by the Language Council of Saarland (Sprachenrat Saar / Conseil linguistique de la Sarre) and Saarland University of Applied Sciences (htw saar), with sponsorship from the University of Strasbourg. 

The symposium is under the patronage of the Lord Mayor of Saarbrücken and endorsed by the Saarbrücken Municipality and the State Chancellery of Saarland.

The symposium will be held in a hybrid format in Saarbrücken, Germany, on 19–20 March 2026, preceded by a welcome dinner for contributors and invited guests on the evening of March 18. 

On-site participation in the symposium is complimentary for ECSPM members and affiliates of the host and supporting institutions (subject to registration; limited seats). The sessions are also publicly accessible through a live-streamed broadcast, for which no registration is required.

During the two-day event, invited speakers from Europe and beyond will deal with the two topics of the symposium theme to be discussed with the participants. The first is Internationalisation in Higher Education (HE), understood not as a threat but as a gateway to new possibilities for universities which are facing serious challenges. The second topic is Translation of Academic Knowledge, given that the internationalisation of universities is deeply intertwined with it. Translating academic texts is essential for inclusive learning in HE and for implementing institutional policies of internationalisation. 

For more information, please visit the ECSPM website, and link to the symposium webpage here. 

Ceremonial Hall, St. Johann City Hall

Festsaal, Rathaus St. Johann

Adult Education Centre, Saarbrücken Castle

VHS Zentrum am Schloss