E.I.POL (the Greek acronym for the Research Institute for Multilingualism and Language Policy), founded in 2025, builds on the work of the Centre of Excellence under the same title (2021-2024). Its primary aim is to promote interdisciplinary research among scholars working in the fields of Multilingualism and Language Policy, drawing on expertise in Sociolinguistics, Psycholinguistics and Neurolinguistics, (Critical) Discourse Analysis, Applied Linguistics, Educational Linguistics, Language Didactics, and Language Technology.
The Institute is also committed to working with language educators to bridge the gap between theory and practice, enhance plurilingual pedagogical practices, foster reflective, research-engaged teaching culture, facilitate innovation and collaboration and address linguistic inequalities.
MISSION
- To conduct research and disseminate the results of studies related to languages, multilingualism and language policy.
- To use research findings for the development of educational programmes and curricula, and the drafting of language policies, across all levels of formal, non-formal, and informal education.
- To promote research in collaboration between educational and research institutions in Greece, Europe and beyond.
- To collaborate with public, social and private bodies in order to provide consultancy services, including the implementation of specialized studies, expert opinions and related activities.
- To operate for the welfare of the Greek but also for the wider European community working toward the effective management of the linguistic and cultural diversity within our own and other EU member states, in accordance with EU language policy and the European Commission’s policy on multilingualism; and the implementation of the recommendations of the EU Council of Ministers regarding the learning of two languages in addition to the language of schooling.
STRUCTURE
E.I.POL consists of two units: the Multilingualism Observatory and the Languages in Education Hub:
Multilingualism Observatory
The first and only such Observatory in Greece:
- conducts research aimed at collecting valid and reliable data on the languages used, taught, and promoted in Greece
- collects data on the status/value of multilingualism at all levels of education and investigates the language profiles of students, pupils, and teachers
- studies social groups and individuals’ attitudes and resistance towards languages, linguistic diversity, and multilingualism
- gathers and evaluates information on the teaching and learning of Modern Greek and Greek studies around the world
- collects information about the theoretical works and research studies carried out in Greek on bilingualism/multilingualism
- disseminates its research findings, with the aim of raising awareness among the general public and, in particular, among educators and learners
- uses its research findings to formulate proposals that can contribute to the development of language policies which are in line with European directives and national objectives.
Languages-In-Education Centre
The work conducted in the Centre:
- supports the multilingual turn in education
- encourages plurilingual and intercultural education, based on views of language as a complex semiotic system that shapes and is shaped by socio-cultural practices and social discourses
- facilitates the use of pedagogical approaches that help learners develop their ability to use their total semiotic repertoire
- promotes the teaching, learning and assessment of languages in combination with one another
- creates context-specific and plurilingual pedagogies and helps implement them at all levels of education
- seeks the development of a plurilingual ethos of communication and inter-/cross-linguistic mediation strategies in education.
RESEARCH TOPICS
Languages as both a medium and an object of learning, teaching, and assessment across all levels of education, using traditional and digital tools.
Educational language policies for schools, universities, and non-formal and informal learning contexts.
Parallel language use and multimodality in educational settings, including the development of multilingual and multimodal practices and tools.
The effects of multilingualism on children and adults, and its social and educational implications at national and European levels.
Factors affecting language acquisition in bilingual and multilingual children and their application in educational practice.
The relationship between linguistic and cognitive abilities in bilingual and multilingual individuals, explored through innovative experimental methods (e.g. eye-tracking).
Interlingual and intralingual mediation, translanguaging, and their role in education and social interaction.
The design of programmes and tools for initial and in-service education of language teachers.
The development of curricula and learning materials for majority and minority populations, migrants, refugees, and other socially vulnerable groups.
The learning and use of Modern Greek abroad, and the development of policies for the teaching of Greek worldwide.
ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES
- Series of academic lectures and discussions with Greek and international scholars.
- Organization of workshops, symposia, seminars, and forums for the academic and educational community.
- (Co-)organization of international conferences.
- Publication of studies in Greek and in the languages that constitute the research focus of Institute members.
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
- Events aimed at raising public awareness on issues related to discourse, language, languages and multilingualism.
- Consultancy services, expert opinions, and support to public, non-profit, and private organizations.
- Promotion and support of projects addressing language-related issues with a strong social dimension.
- Support for foreign language teachers and teachers of Greek as a foreign or heritage language outside Greece.
COLLABORATIONS
E.I.POL collaborates with:
- Greek and international universities, research institutes, centers, and laboratories, as well as organizations conducting research and activities related to languages, multilingualism, and language policy.
- CURUM (Cluster of University Research Units for Multilingualism), an alliance of twenty-two (22) university units and a collective body of the European organization ECSPM, of which E.I.POL is a member.
- The CIVIS Multilingualism Network.
- Academic units of NKUA and other universities and/or educational institutions, through formal cooperation agreements, which may serve as sites for the pilot implementation of research activities.
MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH TEAMS
- E.I.POL is managed and coordinated by the Executive Board composed of the Director, Deputy director and three more members.
- Research is conducted by the core team of fourteen (14) researchers from the different departments of the School of Philosophy, the School of Economics and Political Sciences, and the School of Education of the NKUA. The core team makes decisions about projects, actions, activities, collaborations, and events organisation.
- Research is also conducted by collaborating researchers from the NKUA, other HEIs in Greece and abroad, and from other Greek research and educational institutions. They collaborate with core team researchers to provide their specialised knowledge and to help handle complex research and educational projects and actions.
CONTACT
Email: eipol.nkua[at]gmail.com
Executive Board
Bessie Dendrinos, Director
Rea Deleveroudi, Dep. director
Spiros Moschonas
Eleni Sella
Spyridoula Varlokosta
Core Research Team
Angelika Alexopoulou
Maria Cristina Anastasiadi
Anna Chita
Rea Delveroudi
Bessie Dendrinos
Maria Iakovou
Evdokia Karavas
Bessie Mitsikopoulou
Spiros Moschonas
Eleni Sella
Nicos Sifakis
Villy Tsakona
Spyridoula Varlokosta
Marina Vichou
Dafni Weidenmayer
Collaborating Research Team
Senior Researchers
Aspa Chatzidaki
Katherine Florou
Marilena Karyolemou
Jenny Liontou
Maria Robopoulou
Eleni Skourtou
Irini Tsamadou-Jacoberger
Roula Tsokalidou
Maria Zerva
Junior Researchers
Georgia Gyftoula
Stella Karatza
Nancy Kontomitrou
Katerina Krimpogianni
Christina Lykou
Anastasia Rothoni
Maria Stathopoulou
Sofia Tsioli
Evelyn Vovou
