Multilingualism is becoming ever more important in the European context and an overall more and more globalised world. Today, thanks to new media, everyone has access to information from every linguistic and cultural region on earth at their fingertips. Scientists come together in virtual working groups or work in international teams at a location most suitable to them. Students prepare for their future with semesters and studies abroad. In many industries, foreign language skills are not only a prerequisite for employment but a part of daily professional practice.
Overall, multilingualism is equally relevant for education, training, and the labour market and acts as a catalyst for mobility and employability.
I am therefore particularly pleased that the Saarland University of Applied Sciences has invited us to the 6th Saarbrücken International Conference on Foreign Language Teaching, which has evolved into a renowned national, European, and international event since 2011.
This year the organisers have again invested a great deal of energy to put together a high-quality programme. The motto of this year's conference “Communication Across Borders – Teaching, Learning and Speaking the Languages of the World” is of particular importance for the Saarland and its border region.
Saarland is characterised by its long-standing, extensive French and European expertise. This international orientation, especially towards Europe and the neighbouring border regions, has always been important, not least because of our history.
Against this background, learning foreign languages is a key cross-cutting topic of the Greater Region in terms of promoting exchange and mobility. Especially in higher education, multilingualism ensures the development, maintenance, and expansion of international and cross-border university relations.
The numerous international relationships with universities on almost every continent, the large number of international study programs, a higher number of international students compared to the rest of Germany, and an above-average proportion of foreign scientists
and academics not only demonstrate the international focus of Saarland's universities, but also that they truly embody the spirit of this conference.
I wish all participants an interesting and a fruitful conference as well as intensive exchange and important new insights.