Foreign languages in Swedish Higher Education – Trends since Bologna and effects of the pandemic

Abstract

Few academic subjects have come under as much pressure as languages other than English (LOTEs) over the past decades. This study examines how foreign language education in 39 subjects within Swedish Higher Education (HE) has evolved since the implementation of the Bologna reform in 2007/2008. Particular attention is given to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The results show a long-term decline in volumes across most foreign languages, despite expansions in the HE sector. While English has contracted mainly in first-cycle stand-alone courses but grown within professional programmes, French, German, and Spanish have seen the greatest losses in professional qualification programmes and modest gains in stand-alone courses, especially among older students. Advanced-level study remains limited throughout the period. The pandemic introduced further fluctuations. Government investments boosted overall enrolments, but foreign languages were unevenly affected. LOTEs experienced notable increases in first-cycle stand-alone courses, a trend that has continued beyond the crisis but accompanied by declining performance rates. Overall, the findings underscore the vulnerability of LOTEs in a HE system focused on employability and degree programmes, raising questions about how Swedish HE policy can support progression beyond the first cycle, and ensure that smaller language subjects can survive and thrive in an increasingly marketised HE landscape.