1887
image of Uncovering language policy in the internationalization of Greek
universities
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

This paper demonstrates how a theoretical framework from political science can be applied to reveal gaps in language policy, even when linguistic issues remain obscured within broader reforms. Specifically, it applies the standard five-stage policy cycle from public policy studies, as adapted to language policy and planning, to examine the internationalization of Greek universities. Drawing on official texts and political discourse, the findings illuminate how university internationalization proceeds under growing pressure toward English dominance, without a coherent language policy or consideration for cultural and linguistic justice. In doing so, the study advances the understanding of language policy as a domain of public policy and foregrounds the policy cycle as a revelatory framework with strong explanatory power.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/lplp.25062.mat
2026-08-18
2026-09-09
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Asderaki, Foteini
    (2009) The Impact of the Bologna Process on the Development of the Greek Quality Assurance System. Quality in Higher Education, (), –. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13538320902995758
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Berlan, David, Buse, Kent, Shiffman, Jeremy and Tanaka, Sonja
    (2014) The bit in the middle: a synthesis of global health literature on policy formulation and adoption. Health Policy and Planning, (), –. 10.1093/heapol/czu060
    https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czu060 [Google Scholar]
  3. Conceição, Manuel Célio
    (2020) Language policies and internationalization of higher education. European Journal of Higher Education, (), –. 10.1080/21568235.2020.1778500
    https://doi.org/10.1080/21568235.2020.1778500 [Google Scholar]
  4. Dunn, William Nicholas
    (2004) Public policy analysis: An introduction (3rd ed.). Pearson Prentice Hall.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. European Ministers of Education
    European Ministers of Education (1999) The Bologna Declaration of 19 June 1999: Joint declaration of the European Ministers of Education. https://ehea.info/Upload/document/ministerial_declarations/1999_Bologna_Declaration_English_553028.pdf
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Fishman, Joshua Aaron
    (1968) Language problems and types of political and sociocultural integration: A conceptual postscript. InJoshua A. Fishman, Charles A. Ferguson, and Jyotirindra Das Gupta (Eds.), Language problems of developing nations (pp. –). John Wiley.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Gazzola, Michele
    (2016) Multilingual communication for whom? Language policy and fairness in the European Union. European Union Politics, (), –. 10.1177/1465116516657672
    https://doi.org/10.1177/1465116516657672 [Google Scholar]
  8. (2023) Language policy as public policy. InMichele Gazzola, Federico Gobbo, David Cassels Johnson, and Jorge Antonio Leoni de León (Eds.), Epistemological and theoretical foundations in language policy and planning (pp. –). Springer. 10.1007/978‑3‑031‑22315‑0_3
    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22315-0_3 [Google Scholar]
  9. Gazzola, Michele, Grin, François, Cardinal, Linda and Heugh, Kathleen
    (2024) Language policy and planning: From theory to practice. InMichele Gazzola, François Grin, Linda Cardinal, and Kathleen Heugh (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of language policy and planning (pp. –). Routledge. 10.4324/9780429448843‑1
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429448843-1 [Google Scholar]
  10. Gazzola, Michele and Iannàccaro, Gabriele
    (2024) Indicators in language policy and planning. InMichele Gazzola, François Grin, Linda Cardinal, and Kathleen Heugh (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of language policy and planning (pp. –). Routledge. 10.4324/9780429448843‑1
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429448843-1 [Google Scholar]
  11. Godenhjelm, Sebastian
    (2024) Language policy implementation from an interactive governance perspective. InMichele Gazzola, François Grin, Linda Cardinal, and Kathleen Heugh (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of language policy and planning (pp. –). Routledge. 10.4324/9780429448843‑1
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429448843-1 [Google Scholar]
  12. Grin, François
    (2022) Principles of integrated language policy. InFrançois Grin, László Marácz, and Nike K. Pokorn (Eds.), Advances in interdisciplinary language policy (pp. –). John Benjamins Publishing Company. 10.1075/wlp.9.02gri
    https://doi.org/10.1075/wlp.9.02gri [Google Scholar]
  13. (2024) Language policy design and programme theory. InMichele Gazzola, François Grin, Linda Cardinal, and Kathleen Heugh (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of language policy and planning (pp. –). Routledge. 10.4324/9780429448843‑1
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429448843-1 [Google Scholar]
  14. Guimarães, Felipe Furtado
    (2024) Language policies in higher education: Promoting multilingualism to support internationalization. De Gruyter. 10.1515/9783110768893
    https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110768893 [Google Scholar]
  15. Hellenic Republic
    Hellenic Republic (2011) Law 4009/2011 on the structure, operation, quality assurance of studies and internationalization of higher education institutions. Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic (Issue of the Government Gazette, A 195/6.9.2011).
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Hellenic Republic
    Hellenic Republic (2020) Law 4653/2020 on the National Authority for Higher Education, special research accounts of higher education institutions, research and technological institutions, and other provisions. Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic (Issue of the Government Gazette, A 12/24.1.2020).
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Hellenic Republic
    Hellenic Republic (2022) Law 4957/2022 on new horizons in higher education institutions: Enhancing quality, functionality, and the connection of HEIs with society, and other provisions. Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic (Issue of the Government Gazette, A 141/21.7.2022).
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Hellenic Republic
    Hellenic Republic (2024a) Law 5094/2024 on strengthening public universities: Operational framework for non-profit branches of foreign universities and other provisions. Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic (Issue of the Government Gazette, A 39/13.3.2024).
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Hellenic Republic
    Hellenic Republic (2024b) Law 5128/2024 on the Digital Educational Portal and Digital Tutoring, career guidance in secondary education, support measures for the educational system in remote areas, and other provisions of the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports. Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic (Issue of the Government Gazette, A 118/30.7.2024).
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Haugen, Einar Ingvald
    (1959) Planning for a standard language in modern Norway. Anthropological Linguistics, (), –. www.jstor.org/stable/30022188
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Hornberger, Nancy Hughes and Johnson, David Cassels
    (2007) Slicing the onion ethnographically: Layers and spaces in multilingual language education policy and practice. TESOL Quarterly, (), –. 10.1002/j.1545‑7249.2007.tb00083.x
    https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1545-7249.2007.tb00083.x [Google Scholar]
  22. Howlett, Michael, Ramesh, Mohan and Perl, Anthony
    (2020) Studying public policy: Principles and processes (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Jann, Werner and Wegrich, Kai
    (2007) Theories of the policy cycle. InFrank Fischer, Gerald J. Miller and Mara S. Sidney (Eds.), Handbook of public policy analysis: Theory, politics, and methods (pp. –). Taylor and Francis Group.
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Johnson, David Cassels
    (2023) Critical empirical approaches in language policy and planning. InMichele Gazzola, Federico Gobbo, David Cassels Johnson, and Jorge Antonio Leoni de León (Eds.), Epistemological and theoretical foundations in language policy and planning (pp. –). Routledge. 10.1007/978‑3‑031‑22315‑0_2
    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22315-0_2 [Google Scholar]
  25. King, Kendall Aldridge
    (2019) Language policy at a crossroads?Journal of Sociolinguistics, (), –. 10.1111/josl.12314
    https://doi.org/10.1111/josl.12314 [Google Scholar]
  26. Knoepfel, Peter, Larrue, Corinne, Varone, Frédéric and Hill, Michael
    (2007) Public policy analysis. The Policy Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Koulouris, Alexandros, Moniarou-Papaconstantinou, Valentini, and Kyriaki-Manessi, Daphne
    (2014) Austerity measures in Greece and their impact on higher education. Paper presented in the 3rd International Conference on Integrated Information (IC-ININFO). Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, , –. 10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.07.147
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.07.147 [Google Scholar]
  28. Léger, Rémi
    (2024) Language policy and planning and the role of the state. InMichele Gazzola, François Grin, Linda Cardinal, and Kathleen Heugh (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of language policy and planning (pp. –). Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Markantonatou, Maria
    (2013) Diagnosis, treatment, and effects of the crisis in Greece: A ‘special case’ or a ‘test case’?, MPIfG Discussion Paper, , Max Planck Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10419/70247
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Matsaganis, Manos
    (2011) The welfare state and the crisis: the case of Greece. Journal of European Social Policy, (), –. 10.1177/0958928711418858
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0958928711418858 [Google Scholar]
  31. (2012) Social policy in hard times: The case of Greece. Critical Social Policy, (), –. 10.1177/0261018312444417
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0261018312444417 [Google Scholar]
  32. Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports
    Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports (2024) Greece 2.0. National Recovery and Resilience Plan. https://greece20.gov.gr/?calls​=diethnopoiisi​-ekpaideytikon​-ypiresion​-ton​-aei
  33. Nao, Marion, Yuksel, Dogan, Zuaro, Beatrice, Wingrove, Peter and Hultgren, Anna Kristina
    (2025) Neoliberal governance towards the non-German-speaking world in Austria’s internationalization of higher education. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, (), –. 10.1515/ijsl‑2024‑0122
    https://doi.org/10.1515/ijsl-2024-0122 [Google Scholar]
  34. Oakes, Leigh
    (2024) The historical developments of language policy and planning. InMichele Gazzola, François Grin, Linda Cardinal, and Kathleen Heugh (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of language policy and planning (pp. –). Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Ricento, Thomas
    (2006) An introduction to language policy: Theory and method. Blackwell Publishing.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Rossi, Peter Henry, Lipsey, Mark William and Freeman, Howard Eugene
    (2004) Evaluation: A systematic approach (7th ed). Sage Publications.
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Schiffman, Harold Frederick
    (1996) Linguistic culture and language policy. Routledge. 10.4324/9780203273487
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203273487 [Google Scholar]
  38. Sheyholislami, Jaffer and Vessey, Rachelle
    (2024) Language policy and discourse in the public sphere. InMichele Gazzola, François Grin, Linda Cardinal, and Kathleen Heugh (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of language policy and planning (pp. –). Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Shohamy, Elana
    (2006) Language policy: Hidden agendas and new approaches. Routledge. 10.4324/9780203387962
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203387962 [Google Scholar]
  40. Smith, Thomas B.
    (1973) The policy implementation process. Policy Sciences, , –. 10.1007/BF01405732
    https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01405732 [Google Scholar]
  41. Spolsky, Bernard Dov
    (2004) Language policy. Cambridge University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  42. The Hellenic Parliament
    The Hellenic Parliament (2011) Explanatory report of Law 4009/2011: Structure, operation, quality assurance of studies, and internationalization of higher education institutions. https://www.hellenicparliament.gr/UserFiles/2f026f42​-950c​-4efc​-b950​-340c4fb76a24/d​-diaei​-eis.pdf
    [Google Scholar]
  43. The Hellenic Parliament
    The Hellenic Parliament (2020) Explanatory report of Law 4653/2020: Hellenic Authority for Higher Education, Special Accounts for Research Funds of Higher Education Institutions, Research and Technological Institutions, and other provisions. https://www.hellenicparliament.gr/UserFiles/2f026f42​-950c​-4efc​-b950​-340c4fb76a24/e​-paideias​-2020​-all.pdf
    [Google Scholar]
  44. The Hellenic Parliament
    The Hellenic Parliament (2022) Explanatory report of Law 4957/2022: New horizons in higher education institutions — Enhancing quality, functionality, and the connection of HEIs with society, and other provisions. https://www.hellenicparliament.gr/UserFiles/2f026f42​-950c​-4efc​-b950​-340c4fb76a24/12014285.pdf
    [Google Scholar]
  45. The Hellenic Parliament
    The Hellenic Parliament (2024) Explanatory report of Law 5094/2024: Strengthening public universities — Operational framework for non-profit branches of foreign universities and other provisions. https://www.hellenicparliament.gr/UserFiles/2f026f42​-950c​-4efc​-b950​-340c4fb76a24/12509082.pdf
    [Google Scholar]
  46. The Hellenic Parliament
    The Hellenic Parliament (n.d.). Legislative Process — Explanatory Reports
    [Google Scholar]
  47. The Hellenic Parliament
    The Hellenic Parliament (2024a, November19). The Internationalization of Greek Universities, Part A [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v​=whxE4_UGX0k
    [Google Scholar]
  48. The Hellenic Parliament
    The Hellenic Parliament (2024b, November19). The Internationalization of Greek Universities, Part B [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v​=xnti62fsEPA
    [Google Scholar]
  49. Theodoropoulou, Sotiria
    (2014) Has the EU become more intrusive in shaping national welfare state reforms? Evidence from Greece and Portugal. Working paper 2014.04, European Trade Union Institute. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id​=2512681. 10.2139/ssrn.2512681
    https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2512681 [Google Scholar]
  50. Tollefson, James William
    (1991) Planning language, planning inequality: Language policy in the community. Longman.
    [Google Scholar]
  51. Tsiligiris, Vangelis
    (2012) The debt crisis and higher education reforms in Greece: a catalyst for change. Anglohigher Magazine, (), –.
    [Google Scholar]
  52. Weimer, David Leo and Vining, Aidan Russell
    (2017) Policy analysis: Concepts and practice (6th ed.). Routledge. 10.4324/9781315442129
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315442129 [Google Scholar]
  53. Wingrove, Peter, Zuaro, Beatrice, Yuksel, Dogan, Nao, Marion and Hultgren, Anna Kristina
    (2025) English medium instruction in European higher education: Measurement validity and the state of play in 2023/2024. Applied Linguistics. Advance online publication. 10.1093/applin/amaf020
    https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amaf020 [Google Scholar]
  54. Yanow, Dvora
    (1996) How does a policy mean? Interpreting policy and organizational actions. Georgetown University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  55. Yuksel, Dogan, Nao, Marion, Wingrove, Peter, Zuaro, Beatrice and Hultgren, Anna Kristina
    (2025) Macro-level language policy and planning to promote and maintain English taught programmes in Turkish higher education: A Process Tracing perspective. Current Issues in Language Planning, (), –. 10.1080/14664208.2024.2400836
    https://doi.org/10.1080/14664208.2024.2400836 [Google Scholar]
  56. Zahariadis, Nikolaos and Exadaktylos, Theofanis
    (2016) Policies that succeed and programs that fail: Ambiguity, Conflict, and crisis in Greek higher education. Policy Studies Journal, (), –. 10.1111/psj.12129
    https://doi.org/10.1111/psj.12129 [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/lplp.25062.mat
Loading
/content/journals/10.1075/lplp.25062.mat
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error