Strategies for sustainable multilingual education across HEIs: insights from the legacy of BAQONDE

Abstract

[EN] Countries of the Global South often face diverse obstacles in advancing the implementation of effective language policies, where scarce resources and enduring linguistic barriers disproportionately affect indigenous language speakers. Despite the favourable National Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions, South Africa remains no exception. The BAQONDE project (2021–2024) marked a unique inter-institutional initiative aimed at advancing the use of indigenous African languages in higher education. Unlike earlier fragmented efforts, BAQONDE brought together four South African and three European universities to strengthen capacity in pursuit of this goal by pooling human resources, expertise, and applied knowledge. More specifically, it prioritised the establishment of sustainable inter-institutional infrastructure and the development of innovative tools, such as the open-access repository for teaching and learning materials known as Polokelo. Acknowledging the challenges inherent to such an undertaking, the project’s legacy continues to foster awareness among scholars and students while extending its vision to additional higher education institutions. The aim of this article is to present and critically reflect on the BAQONDE project as a model for advancing the use of indigenous African languages in Higher Education, highlighting its collaborative approach, sustainable infrastructure, innovative tools, and lasting impact on capacity-building, awareness, and institutional transformation.