22nd–23rd January 2026
Register! | Your Language Counts! – Conference
University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
The event brings together professionals from the fields of education, culture, and language policy to explore the significance of linguistic diversity in classrooms in Europe and the value of heritage languages in today’s societies.
A central focus of the conference will be the presentation of key outcomes from the “Your language counts!” project. These include insights from the pilot project, the project roadmap, and the official release of the Handbook on Implementing Heritage Language Education in the School Sector in Europe.
The conference will feature keynote speeches, expert panels, and interactive workshops, providing a dynamic platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and professional networking.
We look forward to welcoming you to this important event.
15:15 – 16:30 | Project Results (Handbook, Roadmap, Evaluation, Platform) - Karijn Helsloot, Tobias Schrödler, Tatjana Atanasoska, Simeon Oxley, Sabine Brachmann-Bosse
17:00 – 18:00 | Panel Discussion "Future perspectives of HLE in EU"
Moderation: Elisabeth C. Schmidt, Goethe-Institut Stockholm, Sweden
Participants: Jeff MacSwan, University of Maryland, USA; Ahmad Alhamad, ISK Piter Jelles, Netherlands; Camilla Hollmén, Deputy Manager at the Unit for Multilingualism (EFF) in Uppsala Municipality, Sweden; Larissa Aksinovits, OAO, Finland 18:00 – 18:30 | Poster Presentation
18:00 | Reception and Conference Dinner
09:00 – 09:45 | Keynote Speech (Anne Reath Warren, Senior Lecturer/Associate Professorat at Department of Education, Uppsala)
10:00 – 11:00 | Parallel Workshops – Session 1
11:15 – 12:15 | Parallel Workshops – Session 2 12:30 – 13:00 | Closing Remark & Outlook
Our Rules for the Closing Event “Your Language Counts!”
A central focus of the conference will be the presentation of key outcomes from the “Your language counts!” project. These include insights from the pilot project, the project roadmap, and the official release of the Handbook on Implementing Heritage Language Education in the School Sector in Europe.
The conference will feature keynote speeches, expert panels, and interactive workshops, providing a dynamic platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and professional networking.
We look forward to welcoming you to this important event.
Preliminary Programme
Thursday, January 22nd, 2026
15:00 | Welcome and Opening Remarks15:15 – 16:30 | Project Results (Handbook, Roadmap, Evaluation, Platform) - Karijn Helsloot, Tobias Schrödler, Tatjana Atanasoska, Simeon Oxley, Sabine Brachmann-Bosse
17:00 – 18:00 | Panel Discussion "Future perspectives of HLE in EU"
Moderation: Elisabeth C. Schmidt, Goethe-Institut Stockholm, Sweden
Participants: Jeff MacSwan, University of Maryland, USA; Ahmad Alhamad, ISK Piter Jelles, Netherlands; Camilla Hollmén, Deputy Manager at the Unit for Multilingualism (EFF) in Uppsala Municipality, Sweden; Larissa Aksinovits, OAO, Finland 18:00 – 18:30 | Poster Presentation
18:00 | Reception and Conference Dinner
Friday, January 23rd, 2026
09:00 – 09:45 | Keynote Speech (Anne Reath Warren, Senior Lecturer/Associate Professorat at Department of Education, Uppsala)
10:00 – 11:00 | Parallel Workshops – Session 1
11:15 – 12:15 | Parallel Workshops – Session 2 12:30 – 13:00 | Closing Remark & Outlook
Code of Conduct
Our Rules for the Closing Event “Your Language Counts!”
- We speak with care and respect
Heritage language teachers matter! We listen to each other and don’t interrupt. We try not to speak for too long and make space for others. Advice or corrections – even if meant kindly – can hurt. Please ask before giving advice. - Zero tolerance for discrimination
There is no place for racism, sexism, classism, ableism, queerphobia, or otherforms of discrimination – in words, actions, or jokes. - Mistakes are okay – learning is important
We all make mistakes. If someone tells you something was hurtful, listencarefully. Try to learn and take responsibility – not defend yourself right away. - All languages and all Englishes are welcome
All languages and all Englishes are equal. You don’t need to speak “perfectly” to join. Multilingual contributions or “accent” in English or other languages are appreciated. If you need support (translation, accessibility, or anything else), please let the organizers/support team know. - Be aware of power differences
People here have different roles. Some teach, some do research, some are directors. Let’s treat each other equally. No one knows everything – we all learnfrom each other. - Support team
Sometimes people act with the best intentions, but their actions can still feel overstepping, especially when there are power differences, when Eurocentric dominant language dynamics are at play, or when people are not fully aware of their privileged positions. From the perspective of people affected by discrimination, this is often more visible. If any support is needed, participants are encouraged to contact the support team.