Monthly Program

Index Programs after 2002 March Programs before 2002 February

FEBURUARY PROGRAM

Friday, February 13, 2004 7:00-9:00p.m.

PROGRAM:
The European Approach to Language and Culture

PRESENTER:
Judit Hidasi
PhD, Professor at Kanda University of International Studies

PLACE:
Reitaku University Tokyo Kenkyu Center (Shinjuku i-Land Tower, 4th Floor)

LANGUAGE:
Lecture will be given mainly in English; questions can be either in English or Japanese.

FEE:
Members 1000Yen; Non-members 2000Yen

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
Multiculturalism and plurilingualism are the way it works in Europe: its advantages and disadvantages, costs and benefits. The special case of culturally diverse Europe will be discussed, where in the near future EU citizens are expected to become plurilingual (mother-tongue plus minimum two foreign languages) on graduating from secondary education. What impact is it going to have with respect to communication practice and intercultural understanding on the level of EU institutions and on the level of the individual? Will Europeans be better communicators by becoming plurilingual? What is its expected impact on the teaching and learning of Japanese as a foreign language in Europe? Communication competence and IT literacy as the priority requirements of the internationalizing labor market force us to think about the possible ways of improving language and communication skills. How does Europe wish to cope with the human resource development needs of our age?

PRESENTER:
Judit HIDASI (Hungary) graduated English and Russian Philology (M.A.1971) and General and Applied Linguistics (M.A.1976) at ELTE University of Budapest. She earned her Ph.D. at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Lingusitics (1986) and her Habilitation degree at Pecs University, Hungary (1997). She studied and worked at different universities in China, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and Russia. After an academic career as a professor of linguistics and communication, she served (1998-2001) as Deputy Head of the Department of Bilateral Relations at the Ministry of Education of Hungary. Since 2001 she has been professor for Communication at the International Communication Department of Kanda University of International Studies.

How to get there?:
i-Land Tower can be accessed directly from Nishi-Shinjuku Station on the Marunouchi Line by following the underground path. From JR Shinjuku Station it is approximately a 10-minute walk. Once you get to the building, select an elevator that stops on the 4th floor. After you get off on the 4th floor, walk to the right until you get to the last door on your left.