A workshop, 'Implementing language policies: a research workshop on language, migration and citizenship in Europe', this week [Thursday 28 September] will bring together international experts on language policy to exchange knowledge and ideas on this question in order to develop a more well-informed basis for public discussion and policy formulation.

Dr Gabrielle Hogan-Brun, workshop organiser and Senior Research Fellow in Bristol University's Graduate School of Education, said: "A particular challenge confronting national governments is the need to accommodate speakers of an ever-increasing number of languages within what in most cases are still perceived as monolingual indigenous populations.

"This has given rise to public debates in many countries on proposals to impose a requirement of competence in a 'national' language and culture as a condition for acquiring citizenship."

As part of the workshop there will be a panel discussion in the afternoon with academics, politicians and policy makers which will consider issues of language testing for citizenship.

The workshop is supported by funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.