Chair of Basque Studies set up to support academic exchange
A CHAIR of Basque Studies for Wales has been set up by the Etxepare Basque Institute and the University of Wales Trinity St David.
The two institutions have signed a new partnership agreement to support academic exchange between Wales and the Basque Country in the field of sociolinguistics and language policy and planning.
The Fellowship, named after eminent linguist the late Dr Alan R. King, will be based at UWTSD’s Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies.
It will offer the opportunity for a scholar from the Basque Country to come to Wales to research and contribute to teaching in areas “which are of such significance for both countries and their languages”, said UWTSD.
The Fellow will be selected annually and the successful candidate will come to Wales in the autumn of 2022.
Irene Larraza, director of Etxepare Basque Institute, said: “Establishing this partnership and the Alan R. King Chair creates the strategic stability that was needed for the academic collaboration in the field of sociolinguistics, language policy and planning between Wales and the Basque Country.
“This is an essential step towards the future of linguistic diversity.”
Professor Medwin Hughes, ViceChancellor of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, said: “The university is delighted to announce this special collaboration. The Alan R. King Chair will be an excellent opportunity for scholars from the Basque Country to come to Wales to research, and contribute to our learning programmes.
“This is a very important step for the university and the Etxepare Euskal Institute. It is the only Etxepare Fellowship in this field – which is of high priority for Wales and the Basque Country – one of only 10 Chairs that Etxepare supports in universities around the world, as well as being the only one in Wales.”
The contribution of the late Dr Alan R. King to the field spanned four decades, over several continents and he spoke more than 20 languages including Nawatl, Hawai’ian, Hebrew, Basque and Welsh. Throughout his life he used his linguistic talent to make the learning of languages easier for others, by creating practical resources for minoritised and threatened languages.