In the elevator, I hear Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, and something I can’t quite place. Bună dimineața? An unfamiliar language in a familiar environment. As a communications professional who loves language, it makes me uncomfortable. Should I feel excluded? Or… should I embrace it instead?

English is the working language on campus, and that makes sense. It’s a useful language bridge between many nationalities. But a bridge is not a destination. You don’t live on it, and you don’t come from it. A language is more than communication. It is part of your national culture and identity. And however familiar English may sometimes feel, for most of us it is not the language of home.

That became painfully clear when, about six years ago, we introduced English as the working language at the university. Nearly a hundred alumni responses came in—critical, sometimes sharp, but above all engaged. These former students felt that “their” university had lost something. For them, language was more than a tool. It was an anchor of identity.

Nowadays, the diversity on campus is clearly audible. And that is beautiful. Truly. This multiplicity of languages is who we are together. Yet it is rarely part of conversations about inclusion. And that is slightly uncomfortable. Because inclusion also means being able to follow one another, to understand one another, or at least making an effort to do so.

So where is the line? Should international students be expected to speak fluent Dutch? No. You can’t ask that of them. But can we expect them to pick up something of our language and culture? Yes, a little. And the same goes the other way around: we should remain curious about their language, their context, and their way of expressing themselves.

Because if we reduce language to mere communicative efficiency, culture loses out. And when culture fades, the university becomes a place without identity. A place where many people are present, but no one truly feels at home.

So perhaps the real question is not: which language do we speak? But: how much effort do we make to truly understand one another?

Bună dimineața. Maybe that is where it begins. I’m going to try to learn “good morning” in the ten most common languages on our campus. So that in the elevator, I don’t just listen—but also take part, even if only a little.

Edith Snelders is head of office for Alumni Relations and University Fund Eindhoven. The views expressed in this column are her own.

This column was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor.