Tampere University Slashes Language Offerings Amid Shortages

"The language center has to add compulsory courses," according to Tampere University Language Centre director. YLE reports.

Tampere University is dramatically trimming its language offerings due to resource constraints, with the current 13 languages narrowed to seven next autumn if the consistory approves the plan in March. Notably, popular Japanese and Korean are set to be dropped from the elective study program, and teaching in Chinese, Portuguese, and Italian would also end. Latin instruction has already moved to the Social Sciences faculty as part of a history course offering.

The university explains that the changes are driven by limited resources, as the language centre must expand compulsory studies. While funding remains the same, the same sum must cover more academic writing instruction and Finnish as a second language, forcing concessions in other areas. Students have criticized the plan as too harsh and say it would stunt young people’s language development and weaken Tampere University’s international appeal, with TREY president Tami Nordström arguing it undermines competitiveness and could influence where students choose to study.

The language centre director, Taina Juurakko-Paavola, says she understands and shares students’ concerns but defends the plan, insisting the university should offer only courses that can be provided every year. She notes that Japanese has not been offered in two years, and the university is exploring free Japanese study via a collaboration with Tampere Summer University at no cost to students, with similar talks underway for Korean. Some students may gain access to Chinese, Portuguese, and Italian through the nationwide KivaNet network, but not in large numbers yet. Tampere University also plans to cut Russian studies from autumn 2027, removing two higher-level courses while keeping some lower-level Russian offerings; officials say interest in Russian has declined nationwide and even more so in technical faculties, though basic courses still attract students.