SARAVE – Academic Cooperation in German, French and Russian languages

SARAVE is a nationwide development project (January 1st, 2025 – July 31, 2028) that aims to improve the quality and accessibility of university degree programmes in German, French and Russian.

Table of contents

Project duration
-
Core fields of research
Languages, culture and society
Research areas
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences - Research areas
Department
Department of Language and Communication Studies
Co-operation
University of Helsinki, University of Eastern Finland, University of Jyväskylä, University of Oulu, Tampere University, University of Turku, Åbo Akademi University
Faculty
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Funding
Ministry of Education and Culture

Project description

SARAVE project website

Coordinated by the University of Jyväskylä, the project brings together all Finnish universities offering academic education in German, French and Russian: University of Helsinki, University of Eastern Finland, University of Jyväskylä, University of Oulu, Tampere University, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University. The SARAVE project is funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture.

The project stems from the limited scope of language education in both basic and upper secondary schools in Finland. Over the past few decades, the teaching of foreign languages - other than English - has significantly declined, and its availability varies greatly across regions. As a result, fewer students have been able to pursue university studies in foreign languages. This has led to a decrease in the number of foreign language experts in Finland, with economic, social, and cultural repercussions.

SARAVE offers solutions that ensure continuity in the highest level of expertise in languages and cultures in Finland.

Our goals

  1. We open a new path to certain degree programmes in German, French and Russian for applicants with no previous knowledge of these languages.
  2. We develop inter-university teaching cooperation in German, French, and Russian disciplines.

In addition, SARAVE aims to influence Finnish language education policy for foreign languages.

The project is led by Marjut Johansson, Professor of the French Studies (University of Turku), Leena Kolehmainen, Professor of German language (University of Helsinki), and Mika Lähteenmäki, Professor of Russian Language and Culture (University of Jyväskylä).