Science and learning in our own language

Today on 21 January 2026, we celebrate UNESCO’s International Mother Language Day. Its purpose is to support linguistic diversity and multilingual education, to emphasize the importance of home language in education, and to remind us of the importance of sustaining endangered languages.

I’m sure many of us have noticed how foreign languages are becoming more prominent in education. Instead of the plural, it might be more fitting to talk about one foreign language: English. Where teaching other foreign languages has diminished significantly, English has become more prominent in teaching and scientific research. English has become the modern lingua franca.

Up to a certain point it’s good that we have a universal general language that enables us to coordinate research on a global scale. However, it’s not acceptable that English becomes a prerequisite for science. Not everyone speaks English and it would be a shame to lose their contributions to science simply because teaching occurs in their foreign language. We learn best in our home language, which is an essential point if we want to ensure an efficient and meaningful learning path to all students.

It’s been worrying to note how many courses in Finnish degree programs are taught in English. It’s not sensible that students have to tackle these sometimes mandatory courses with the use of artificial intelligence. Using AI to translate texts without proper understanding of the target language can lead to unnecessary errors in interpretation and translation.

A couple of years ago, one university had to answer to the Deputy Chancellor of Justice about how much Finnish and Swedish teaching they offered. The numbers were pitifully low, and the Deputy Chancellor of Justice has twice presented views on the requirements of law. I hope our university doesn’t repeat others’ mistakes.

Finnish is a native language to only around 4.8 million people, and it’s only an official language in Finland. If we don’t speak and use Finnish, no one else will. Having our own language is a significant marker of a sovereign state. It’s an important thing in creating culture, education. and solidarity. Finnish is a small language that can be lost if we don’t cherish and value it, especially in education.

Teemu Kuoppamäki
Executive Board member, educational policy