Multilingual ELF and European identity – contributions from study abroad through the Erasmus programme

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article analyses the relationship between study abroad through the Erasmus Programme, European identity, and the role of English as a Lingua Franca in identification processes with Europe. It focuses on three groups of European higher-education students (N = 155) from different nationalities (N = 26) that participated in a sojourn abroad in three European contexts which are thought to represent Northern (Oulu, Finland); Eastern (Bucharest, Romania); and Southern (Lleida, Catalonia) Europe. The study follows a PRE–POST design, corresponding to the beginning and end of the participants’ experience abroad and it analyses quantitative data collected through questionnaires. The results of the study indicate that contrary to what is claimed by the European Commission, studying abroad through the Erasmus programme does not have a substantial impact on the development of an alleged European identity. These results contrast with those on the value that the participants allocated to the English language, which is perceived as a means that unifies European youth.