Language Centre Days 2023
The 22nd University Language Centres Conference will take place in Helsinki 4 to 5 Dec. 2023. The conference is organized jointly by the National Defence University and the University of the Arts Helsinki.
The theme of the conference is:
Learning Language and Communication Skills in the Changing World
Invitation
The 2023 University Language Centres Conference will be organised jointly by the National Defence University and the University of the Arts Helsinki. First, we found this unlikely match slightly amusing, but soon we realized that we share the concern for how to respond to the accelerating internal and external changes that affect our work.
The theme of the conference, Learning Language and Communication Skills in the Changing World, provides an opportunity to discuss the relevance, development and future of language and communication studies in local and global contexts.
The challenges of external and internal change are similar at all universities. For example, we are affected by geopolitical changes, the NATO membership and the emergence of artificial intelligence. On the other hand, our students, who are acutely aware of societal issues, challenge us to consider questions of inclusivity, gender diversity and anti-racism.
Strong language and communication skills are increasingly important in our changing world. We must be able to communicate effectively, flexibly, and understandably. Interpersonal skills and an understanding of different cultures are vital components of all interaction.
We invite language and communication skills teachers and specialists to share their experiences and expertise acquired through teaching, research and development.
Plenary Speakers
- Johanna Ennser-Kananen, PhD. Anti-colonial language teaching.
- Meri Anna Hulkkonen, Theater Artist, Johanna Lehtinen-Schnabel, MMus, Eeva Anttila, D.A. (Dance) and Mariana Siljamäki, Ph.D. in Sport science. Arts-based methods of language learning.
- Jarno Limnéll, Doctor in Military Science. Changing Security Trends and Linguistic Requirements.
- Merzi Rajala, MMus. Nonverbal Interaction.
- Janne Saarikivi, PhD. Multilingualism at Universities.
The programme is subject to change. Any additions and changes to the programme will be published on this page.
Welcome!
Registration and Fees
Use the online form to register for the conference and pay the registration fee by online bank transfer or credit card payment. There is no invoicing option.
- Early Bird Registration starts on 1 June 2023 and ends on 5 Oct. 2023.
Registration fee is €200. - After 6 Oct., the registration fee is €225 (inc. conference programme, lunch, and coffee).
- Registration ends on 5 Nov. 2023.
- Dinner €55 (inc. two beverages). Binding registration through the online registration form.
- Registration fees include transportation from the Railway Station Square to Santahamina and back on Monday.
Cancellation Policy: For cancellations received within the Early Bird registration period, 50% of the registration fee will be refunded. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made after this date.
Programme
Monday 4 Dec. 2023: Uniarts Helsinki (Sörnäinen Campus) and National Defence University (Santahamina)
The only way to access the Santahamina Campus is the transportation provided by the conference organizers. Please arrive at the Railway Station Square on time.
You will need to present a valid passport or an identity card issued by the police. Note that a driving licence will not be accepted as proof of identity.
- 9.00 am. Arrival at the Uniarts Helsinki Sörnäinen Campus starts (Haapaniemenkatu 6)
- 9.15 am. Tours with art
- 10.45-11.30 am. Lunch
- 12.15 pm. Transportation for all participants leaves from the Railway Station Square to Santahamina (be at the meeting point at 12.00)
- 1.15 pm. Opening of the conference: Rector of the National Defence University, Major General Mika Kalliomaa
- 1.30 pm. Plenary: Jarno Limnéll
- 2.15 pm. Mike Nelson, 2digi2
- 2.30 pm. Sessions
- 3.30 pm. Coffee
- 4.00 pm. Plenary: Meri Anna Hulkkonen, Johanna Lehtinen-Schnabel, Eeva Anttila and Mariana Siljamäki
- 4.45 pm. Sessions
- 6.30 Preparing for dinner (or departure from Santahamina)
- 7 pm. Dinner
- 10 pm. Transportation from Santahamina back to the Railway Station Square
Tuesday 5 Dec. 2023: Musiikkitalo (Uniarts Helsinki)
- 9 am. Arrival at Musiikkitalo starts (Mannerheimintie 13 A)
- 9.30 am. Opening of the conference: Vice Rector Marjo Kaartinen
- 9.45 am. Plenary: Merzi Rajala
- 10.15 am. Plenary: Janne Saarikivi
- 11.00 am. Plenary: Johanna Ennser-Kananen
- 11.45 am. Lunch
- 12.45 pm. Sessions
- 3.45 pm. Closing the conference
- 4 pm. Coffee
The programme is subject to change. Any changes and the final program will be published on this page.
Abstracts
Language and Communication Skills for Professional Purposes
Diverse Forms of Teaching and Learning
Assessment of Skills and Competence
Multidisciplinary Collaboration
Feedback: Quality and Relevance
Arts and literature-based methods of language learning
Artificial Intelligence: Possibilities and Challenges
The New Geopolitical Situation
Future of Language Learning and Teaching
Proposal Submission
Proposals for presentations and sessions must be submitted no later than 10 Sept. 2023. The possible file formats are .doc, .docx and .pdf.
The abstract can be written in Finnish, Swedish or English. You can also give your presentation in some other language if you provide visuals in English to support the presentation. The maximum word count of the abstract is 250 words (Finnish) and 300 words (Swedish or English). Please also provide a shorter abstract (max 50 words) to be included in the conference programme.
You will be notified about the acceptance of the proposal no later than 30 Sept. 2023.
Please send your PowerPoint presentation to kielet@uniarts.fi no later than 27 Nov. 2023.
You can propose a presentation on the following topics:
- Language and Communication Skills for Professional Purposes
- Diverse Forms of Teaching and Learning
- Formal and Informal Learning
- Assessment of Skills and Competence
- Multidisciplinary Collaboration
- Feedback: Quality and Relevance
- Equality and Inclusivity
- Arts-based methods of language learning
- Artificial Intelligence: Possibilities and Challenges
- The New Geopolitical Situation
- Future of Language Learning and Teaching
- Some other theme
Alternative Forms or Presentations and Sessions:
- Presentation: 25 min
- Poster Presentation: 25 min (A research-based presentation where the key ideas are featured in one visual document. Time and location will be reserved for the presentation in the conference programme.)
- Panel Discussion or a Workshop: 50 min (form is free)
Getting to the Conference Locations
National Defence University
You will need to present a valid passport or an identity card issued by the police to enter the Santahamina Military Base. A driving licence will not be accepted as proof of identity.
To enter the Santahamina Military Base, all participants must state their date of birth and nationality upon registration. Non-Finnish citizens must also provide their passport number.
The only way to access this restricted area is the transportation provided by the conference organizers. Please arrive on time.
The coach leaves from the Railway Station Square (Mikonkatu) on Monday 4 Dec. at 12.15 pm. Be at the meeting point at 12.00 pm at the latest.
Transportation from Santahamina back to the Railway Stations Square leaves at 10 pm. It is also possible to leave Santahamina before the dinner by public transport (buss 86 to Herttoniemi).
Uniarts Helsinki
The campus tours on Monday 4 Dec. start from the entrance lobby of the Theatre Academy (Haapaniemenkatu 6) . The campus is within walking distance from the Railway Station Square (about 2 km). If you use public transport, the closest stops are Haapaniemi (trams and buses), Hanasaari (buses) and Hakaniemi (metro).
The main venue for Tuesday 5 Dec. is Musiikkitalo, which is centrally located and easy to access on foot or by bus, metro, train, or tram (Mannerheimintie 13 A). In the afternoon, sessions will also be located in the Sibelius Academy’s R building on the other side of Mannerheimintie (Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9, around the corner from the Parliament Building). Unfortunately, there is no free parking available in the immediate vicinity of the Music Centre or Sörnäinen Campus.
Accommodation
The following hotels in the Centre of Helsinki are conveniently located for conference participants.
We have secured availability by making tentative booking for conference participants. Use the reservation codes given below. The booking quota for Language Centre Days will expire on 12 Nov.
Original Sokos Hotel Presidentti (Eteläinen rautatienkatu 4)
- €146,02 / standard single room
- €161,68 / standard twin room
- Reservation code LGDAYS2023 / online BLGDAYS2023
Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna (Asema-aukio 2)
- €150,19 / standard single room
- €171,05 / standard twin room
- Reservation code LGDAYS2023 / online BLGDAYS2023
Radisson Blu Plaza (Mikonkatu 23)
- €140,82 / standard single room
- €161,68 / standard twin room
- Reservation code LGDAYS2023/ online LGDAYS
Contact Information
Any questions or concerns regarding the University Language Centres Conference 2023?
Please contact kielet@uniarts.fi
National Defence University
Satu Patronen, Director of the Defence Language Centre
Charlotta Korander, Planning Coordinator, Defence Language Centre
Email: firstname.lastname@mil.fi
University of the Arts Helsinki
Emmi Huttunen, Head of Language & Communication Studies
Pilvi Järvinen, Coordinator, Language & Communication Studies
Email: firstname.lastname@uniarts.fi
Invitation
The 2023 University Language Centres Conference will be organised jointly by the National Defence University and the University of the Arts Helsinki. First, we found this unlikely match slightly amusing, but soon we realized that we share the concern for how to respond to the accelerating internal and external changes that affect our work.
The theme of the conference, Learning Language and Communication Skills in the Changing World, provides an opportunity to discuss the relevance, development and future of language and communication studies in local and global contexts.
The challenges of external and internal change are similar at all universities. For example, we are affected by geopolitical changes, the NATO membership and the emergence of artificial intelligence. On the other hand, our students, who are acutely aware of societal issues, challenge us to consider questions of inclusivity, gender diversity and anti-racism.
Strong language and communication skills are increasingly important in our changing world. We must be able to communicate effectively, flexibly, and understandably. Interpersonal skills and an understanding of different cultures are vital components of all interaction.
We invite language and communication skills teachers and specialists to share their experiences and expertise acquired through teaching, research and development.
Plenary Speakers
- Johanna Ennser-Kananen, PhD. Anti-colonial language teaching.
- Meri Anna Hulkkonen, Theater Artist, Johanna Lehtinen-Schnabel, MMus, Eeva Anttila, D.A. (Dance) and Mariana Siljamäki, Ph.D. in Sport science. Arts-based methods of language learning.
- Jarno Limnéll, Doctor in Military Science. Changing Security Trends and Linguistic Requirements.
- Merzi Rajala, MMus. Nonverbal Interaction.
- Janne Saarikivi, PhD. Multilingualism at Universities.
The programme is subject to change. Any additions and changes to the programme will be published on this page.
Welcome!
Registration and Fees
Use the online form to register for the conference and pay the registration fee by online bank transfer or credit card payment. There is no invoicing option.
- Early Bird Registration starts on 1 June 2023 and ends on 5 Oct. 2023.
Registration fee is €200. - After 6 Oct., the registration fee is €225 (inc. conference programme, lunch, and coffee).
- Registration ends on 5 Nov. 2023.
- Dinner €55 (inc. two beverages). Binding registration through the online registration form.
- Registration fees include transportation from the Railway Station Square to Santahamina and back on Monday.
Cancellation Policy: For cancellations received within the Early Bird registration period, 50% of the registration fee will be refunded. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made after this date.
Programme
Monday 4 Dec. 2023: Uniarts Helsinki (Sörnäinen Campus) and National Defence University (Santahamina)
The only way to access the Santahamina Campus is the transportation provided by the conference organizers. Please arrive at the Railway Station Square on time.
You will need to present a valid passport or an identity card issued by the police. Note that a driving licence will not be accepted as proof of identity.
- 9.00 am. Arrival at the Uniarts Helsinki Sörnäinen Campus starts (Haapaniemenkatu 6)
- 9.15 am. Tours with art
- 10.45-11.30 am. Lunch
- 12.15 pm. Transportation for all participants leaves from the Railway Station Square to Santahamina (be at the meeting point at 12.00)
- 1.15 pm. Opening of the conference: Rector of the National Defence University, Major General Mika Kalliomaa
- 1.30 pm. Plenary: Jarno Limnéll
- 2.15 pm. Mike Nelson, 2digi2
- 2.30 pm. Sessions
- 3.30 pm. Coffee
- 4.00 pm. Plenary: Meri Anna Hulkkonen, Johanna Lehtinen-Schnabel, Eeva Anttila and Mariana Siljamäki
- 4.45 pm. Sessions
- 6.30 Preparing for dinner (or departure from Santahamina)
- 7 pm. Dinner
- 10 pm. Transportation from Santahamina back to the Railway Station Square
Tuesday 5 Dec. 2023: Musiikkitalo (Uniarts Helsinki)
- 9 am. Arrival at Musiikkitalo starts (Mannerheimintie 13 A)
- 9.30 am. Opening of the conference: Vice Rector Marjo Kaartinen
- 9.45 am. Plenary: Merzi Rajala
- 10.15 am. Plenary: Janne Saarikivi
- 11.00 am. Plenary: Johanna Ennser-Kananen
- 11.45 am. Lunch
- 12.45 pm. Sessions
- 3.45 pm. Closing the conference
- 4 pm. Coffee
The programme is subject to change. Any changes and the final program will be published on this page.
Abstracts
Language and Communication Skills for Professional Purposes
Diverse Forms of Teaching and Learning
Assessment of Skills and Competence
Multidisciplinary Collaboration
Feedback: Quality and Relevance
Arts and literature-based methods of language learning
Artificial Intelligence: Possibilities and Challenges
The New Geopolitical Situation
Future of Language Learning and Teaching
Proposal Submission
Proposals for presentations and sessions must be submitted no later than 10 Sept. 2023. The possible file formats are .doc, .docx and .pdf.
The abstract can be written in Finnish, Swedish or English. You can also give your presentation in some other language if you provide visuals in English to support the presentation. The maximum word count of the abstract is 250 words (Finnish) and 300 words (Swedish or English). Please also provide a shorter abstract (max 50 words) to be included in the conference programme.
You will be notified about the acceptance of the proposal no later than 30 Sept. 2023.
Please send your PowerPoint presentation to kielet@uniarts.fi no later than 27 Nov. 2023.
You can propose a presentation on the following topics:
- Language and Communication Skills for Professional Purposes
- Diverse Forms of Teaching and Learning
- Formal and Informal Learning
- Assessment of Skills and Competence
- Multidisciplinary Collaboration
- Feedback: Quality and Relevance
- Equality and Inclusivity
- Arts-based methods of language learning
- Artificial Intelligence: Possibilities and Challenges
- The New Geopolitical Situation
- Future of Language Learning and Teaching
- Some other theme
Alternative Forms or Presentations and Sessions:
- Presentation: 25 min
- Poster Presentation: 25 min (A research-based presentation where the key ideas are featured in one visual document. Time and location will be reserved for the presentation in the conference programme.)
- Panel Discussion or a Workshop: 50 min (form is free)
Getting to the Conference Locations
National Defence University
You will need to present a valid passport or an identity card issued by the police to enter the Santahamina Military Base. A driving licence will not be accepted as proof of identity.
To enter the Santahamina Military Base, all participants must state their date of birth and nationality upon registration. Non-Finnish citizens must also provide their passport number.
The only way to access this restricted area is the transportation provided by the conference organizers. Please arrive on time.
The coach leaves from the Railway Station Square (Mikonkatu) on Monday 4 Dec. at 12.15 pm. Be at the meeting point at 12.00 pm at the latest.
Transportation from Santahamina back to the Railway Stations Square leaves at 10 pm. It is also possible to leave Santahamina before the dinner by public transport (buss 86 to Herttoniemi).
Uniarts Helsinki
The campus tours on Monday 4 Dec. start from the entrance lobby of the Theatre Academy (Haapaniemenkatu 6) . The campus is within walking distance from the Railway Station Square (about 2 km). If you use public transport, the closest stops are Haapaniemi (trams and buses), Hanasaari (buses) and Hakaniemi (metro).
The main venue for Tuesday 5 Dec. is Musiikkitalo, which is centrally located and easy to access on foot or by bus, metro, train, or tram (Mannerheimintie 13 A). In the afternoon, sessions will also be located in the Sibelius Academy’s R building on the other side of Mannerheimintie (Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 9, around the corner from the Parliament Building). Unfortunately, there is no free parking available in the immediate vicinity of the Music Centre or Sörnäinen Campus.
Accommodation
The following hotels in the Centre of Helsinki are conveniently located for conference participants.
We have secured availability by making tentative booking for conference participants. Use the reservation codes given below. The booking quota for Language Centre Days will expire on 12 Nov.
Original Sokos Hotel Presidentti (Eteläinen rautatienkatu 4)
- €146,02 / standard single room
- €161,68 / standard twin room
- Reservation code LGDAYS2023 / online BLGDAYS2023
Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna (Asema-aukio 2)
- €150,19 / standard single room
- €171,05 / standard twin room
- Reservation code LGDAYS2023 / online BLGDAYS2023
Radisson Blu Plaza (Mikonkatu 23)
- €140,82 / standard single room
- €161,68 / standard twin room
- Reservation code LGDAYS2023/ online LGDAYS
Contact Information
Any questions or concerns regarding the University Language Centres Conference 2023?
Please contact kielet@uniarts.fi
National Defence University
Satu Patronen, Director of the Defence Language Centre
Charlotta Korander, Planning Coordinator, Defence Language Centre
Email: firstname.lastname@mil.fi
University of the Arts Helsinki
Emmi Huttunen, Head of Language & Communication Studies
Pilvi Järvinen, Coordinator, Language & Communication Studies
Email: firstname.lastname@uniarts.fi