Event
Celebrate European Day of Languages 2026 with us!
Event information
Date & location
Online
Contact
Participation
Sign up for the different activities at the registration links below.
"We believe in a university that is a mirror of humanity in all its diversity, reflecting cultures and languages, conventions and disruptions." - Una Europa Manifesto.
Join us online on Friday 25 September to learn something new, connect with peers from across all corners of Europe, and discover how languages can help us build stronger communities.
Launched in 2001, the European Day of Languages is celebrated every year across Europe to encourage language learning and cultural exchange and to raise awareness of Europe’s rich linguistic diversity.
To mark the European Day of Languages 2026, we invite all Una Europa staff and students to celebrate multilingualism in the alliance with language tasters and a panel discussion.
Programme of online events
- Live taster classes, 09.00–16.15 CEST
Come and learn the basics of Spanish, Polish, French, Irish and more! These ‘bite-size’ sessions will introduce you to the basics of a new language in just 45 minutes. You will learn how to introduce yourself and practice your new language skills with staff and students from across the alliance.
Our online language taster classes are aimed at complete beginners and will introduce the basics of a language with qualified teachers from across the alliance. All sessions are free, delivered online and open to all staff and students.
The full programme of language tasters is available below.
- Panel discussion: ‘Multilingualism in action’, 13.00–14.15 CEST
Europe is home to a rich linguistic landscape, with hundreds of languages spoken across the continent, from official languages to regional and minority languages. Una Europa brings together staff and students from across eleven different countries, each with their own cultural and linguistic heritage. But what does that look like in practice?
Academic experts from our Una Europa community will discuss how languages can support the development of European Universities alliances through examples of multilingualism in action. Open to anyone with an interest in languages, this panel discussion will explore how we can foster a multilingual and inclusive community through education, research, and transnational collaboration.
Meet our speakers:
- Clár Ní Bhuachalla, Director of Gaeltacht UCD, University College Dublin’s Global Centre for Irish Language and Culture
- Janne Niinivaara, Chief Specialist in Education at the University of Helsinki Language Centre
- Meg Maclean, Lecturer in English for Academic Purposes and Director of International at the Centre for Open Learning, University of Edinburgh
- Dr Carlos Soler Montes, Senior Lecturer in Spanish Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh
- Dr Ruth Tobias, Lecturer in Portuguese and Director of the Language Center at Freie Universität Berlin
About the language taster sessions
Note: Please check the session time you are registering for.
BST/IST = British/Irish Summer Time (time in Dublin, Edinburgh)
CEST = Central European Summer Time (time in Berlin, Bologna, Kraków, Leiden, Leuven, Madrid, Paris and Zürich)
EEST = Eastern European Summer Time (time in Helsinki)
Session 1: 8:00–8:45 IST/BST | 9:00–9:45 CEST | 10:00–10:45 EEST
- Spanish (offered by KU Leuven)
- German (offered by Freie Universität Berlin)
- Finnish (offered by Helsingin yliopisto/Helsingfors universitet)
Session 2: 9:00–9:45 IST/BST | 10:00–10:45 CEST | 11:00–11:45 EEST
- Afrikaans (offered by KU Leuven)
- Dutch (offered by Universiteit Leiden)
- Ukrainian (offered by the University of Edinburgh)
Session 3: 10:00–10:45 IST/BST | 11:00–11:45 CEST | 12:00–12:45 EEST
- Arabic (offered by Universiteit Leiden)
- Russian (offered by Universiteit Leiden)
- Italian (offered by the University of Edinburgh)
Session 4: 11:00–11:45 IST/BST | 12:00–12:45 CEST | 13:00-13:45 EEST:
- Polish (offered by Freie Universität Berlin)
- Irish Gaeilge (offered by University College Dublin/An Coláiste Ollscoile Baile Átha Cliath)
- Latin (offered by Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie)
Session 5: 13:00–13:45 IST/BST | 14:00–14:45 CEST | 15:00–15:45 EEST
- Swedish (offered by Helsingin yliopisto/Helsingfors universitet)
- Polish (offered by Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie)
- Modern Greek (offered by Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie)
Session 6: 14:00–14:45 IST/BST | 15:00–15:45 CEST | 16:00–16:45 EEST
- Scottish Gaelic (offered by the University of Edinburgh)
- French (offered by the University of Edinburgh)
Not free on 25 September?
- Find a language partner with the Una Europa Language Tandem Tool offered by KU Leuven
The Una Europa Language Tandem Tool connects you with a language partner, giving you both the opportunity to practice your vocabulary and conversation skills based on your language goals, proficiency level, and interests. Improve your skills in a relaxed and flexible setting, and connect with fellow language learners from across the alliance.
Find out more and register for the Language Tandem Tool
- Learn Dutch with Universiteit Leiden
Learn the foundations of Dutch with this self-paced introductory course. In five online lessons, you will learn basic vocabulary, grammar and sentence formation, familiarising yourself with the Dutch language in an accessible and fun way.
Photo credits: iStock.com/SDI Productions.
Una Europa's activities to celebrate the European Day of Languages are initiated by our working group bringing together the Directors of the Language Centres at Una Europa partner universities.