Better taught in English?

Better taught in English?  Institutional language strategies in European higher education.  Club de la Fondation Universitaire / Universitaire Stichting, Brussels, 4 December 2009, 23rd in the series “The European Policy Seminars” of the Academic Cooperation Association.
The Theme
Emperor Charles V was quoted as saying “I speak Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men, and German to my dog.”  Today, he would probably have added “and English to academics”.   English-medium tuition in European higher education, i.e. courses that are fully or partially imparted in English in countries where English is  not the domestic language, is on the rise all over continental Europe. But what are the factors that have shaped and will shape the  language policies of European institutions? Is it mainly the race for foreign students? The concept of the internationalisation of higher education might only be part of the answer. Obviously, institutions strive to prepare students for their professional future. But in how far do the linguistic and cultural skills of graduates match labour market needs? And are institutional language policies not bound to clash with EU policies promoting diversity and multilingualism? Charles V might not make it, but other prominent speakers from academia and business certainly will.