Belgium

Synopsis: According to a 2005 EU study, Belgians have a high opinion of the need
for English. But all other evidence indicates learning English is greatly
overshadowed by the intranational divide over the languages of French, Dutch and
Flemish. English is more supplied by international schools and schools of higher
learning, but not as focused in grade school policy. For further information see
the .pdf file EUROPEANS and Their Languages in the EUROPE notes.

http://www.britishcouncil.org/eumd-information-background-belgium.htm

4/07 Belgium consists of three linguistic communities; the Flemish; French and German
speaking communities, and three regions: the Flemish; Walloon and Brussels Capital
region.

Within the federal state of Belgium the educational system is well developed. School
attendance is compulsory from the age of six to 18. For those aged 16 to 18, at least part-
time education is compulsory. Children are accepted in after-school clubs from 2.5 yrs
old. Although nursery school attendance is not compulsory, more than 90 percent of all
children go to school. Secondary education is free of charge.

In Belgium, the three communities have obtained autonomy on a number of important

issues, with education as the major issue. As a consequence, competence for education
lies with the Communities. The Flemish, French as well as the German-speaking
community have their own educational system.

The French Community of Belgium comprises more higher education institutions than
the Flemish Community. However, in an education market point of view, Flanders can be
seen as a strategic location regards the number of international education activities
organised in several Flemish universities (Infosessions on studying abroad at KuLeuven,
Ghent University conferences and seminars on internationalisation, etc).

Besides this, more and more masters are taught in English. Flanders is well known to
international students for the combined masters Dutch-English, as well as for the masters
courses taught in English: to give an example, Brussels Free University (VUB) offers 130
study programmes among 25 taught in English.

On the contrary, the French Community does not comprise any recognised institutions
offering study programmes taught in English. However, the French Community and
Flemish Community both cooperate with UK Universities, among other things, for the
exchange of students in the context of Erasmus.
http://www.culturalpolicies.net/web/belgium.php?aid=422

Belgium/ 4.2 Recent policy issues and debates

4.2.2 Language issues and policies

Language is one of the fundamental bases structuring Belgium society. In addition to the
3 official linguistic communities, there is a plurality of languages in use throughout the
country by the many immigrant communities. As the capital of Europe, Brussels is a
multilingual city.

Flemish Community

The Dutch Language Union was founded in 1980 as an inter-governmental organisation

representing the Netherlands and the Flemish Community. In 2004, Surinam became an
associate member of the Union. Its mandate is to jointly promote the Dutch language and
literature in the Dutch-speaking area and abroad. Standardisation of the Dutch language
(spelling, grammar, terminology, and the new speech-processing technologies) is one area
under the responsibility of the Union. Several projects have been set up to promote
knowledge of the Dutch language among "new citizens" to the area.

French Community

A specific department has a goal of defending and diffusing the French language. This
department develops three main types of action:

the enrichment and legibility of the French language (ex: Decree on the
Feminisation of Trade Names);
the use and the presence of the French language in sciences, information, and the
economic sector; and
sensitising the public to its language: organisation of important annual events:
"the French language festival"; "city of words".

There are several other mother-tongue languages in use throughout Wallonia other than
French. An endogenous language department brings support at the literary, linguistic and
education levels.

There is significant cooperation on language issues with linguistic organisations in

France, Quebec and French-speaking community in Switzerland.

The French Community is a member of the French-Speaking Agency and actively

participates in its activities, especially on projects related to cultural diversity with other
French-speaking countries.

German-speaking Community
Protection of and giving prominence to the German language in public life is a field for
which the German-speaking Community could yet expand its services in future.

Use of languages in teaching is extensively determined by the statutory language status of

the boroughs of the German-language area, which all have language facilities for the
French-speaking population. In this regard, the Decree of 19 April 2004 on the
Instrumentality and Use of Languages in Teaching makes it possible under certain
conditions to set up primary schools in which French or Dutch is the teaching language
and then German the first foreign language and to allow secondary schools to allocate
subject teaching up to 50% or 65% in French.

The Belgian Radio and Television Centre of the German-speaking Community (BRF),
instituted by Act of 18 July 1979, has a remit to offer public radio and television
broadcasting services in German and currently has two radio stations and one television
channel. Legal entities that broadcast radio or television programmes are obliged to
ensure protection of and prominence to the German language in their broadcasts by
moderating a certain proportion (75%) of their broadcasts in German.

A further initiative for ensuring prominence to the German language is the prizes
awarded by the Council of the German-speaking Community:

prizes for authors of literary works or works dealing with topics relating to the
German language area; and
book prizes for schoolchildren with a particularly good command of the standard
German language.

The linguistic exchange between the German-speaking Community and the other two
Communities is regulated by the agreements on co-operation. This exchange concerns
both the area of culture and media and youth policy and teaching.