Department of International Business Communication staff receive research awards

In the latest years, Department of IBC has witnessed the large challenges faced by business language research and programmes.  Among other things, part of the 40 business language concentrations, which have been discontinued in Danish universities since 2005, have been at CBS.  
In the light of these challenges, Hedorfs Foundation and Kommunikation og Sprog have collaborated in organizing an event where Hedorfs Foundation Research Award for International Corporate Communication and Language and Kommunikation og Sprog’s Ph.D. award were presented. In addition, the participants of the event debated the challenges related to business language.

Department of IBC faculty among the award recipients 

This year, Kommunikation og Sprog’s Ph.D. award had two recipients: Guro Refsum Sanden from Department of IBC at CBS, who among other things, received the award for her contribution to the development of the international research in language policies and language management, and Briand Due from Univeristy of Copenhagen (KU).
Lisbeth Verstaete-Hansen from KU and Mette Skovgaard Andersen from Department of IBC at CBS were awarded Hedorfs Foundation Research Award for International Corporate Communication and Language 2016.

Debate on business language

The first part of the event was an award ceremony with speeches, and the event was concluded with a debate including a panel, which consisted of the four award winners. Here, the other participants had the possibility of asking questions and to voice their thoughts and opinions about the challenges of the subject area.  
Among other things, the debate dealt with the political downgrading of technical and business language, as well as the challenge of creating interest in language with the students. Additionally, the participants debated whether it was justifiable to discontinue the less popular language programme concentrations.

CBS and KU collaborate in creating new degree  

To bring business language into focus, meet the demands of the business world and the interests of the students, CBS and KU have entered a cooperation and created a new Master’s degree. The programme combines insights on international market conditions with language and culture competences on an expert level. The MA in Intercultural Market Studies has started its first year on September 1, 2016.