ZIJING AN (UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA)
AMIRA KHALILE (Santa Fe College)

LANGUAGE EDUCATION POLICY AND PLANNING IN MULTILINGUAL NATIONS ALONG THE BELT AND ROAD CORRIDORS: A CASE STUDY OF QATAR : LANGUAGE PLANNING AND LANGUAGE POLICY

In recent years, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has emerged as a significant global development strategy, promoting cultural and economic exchanges among countries along its corridors. One critical aspect of BRI’s impact is its influence on language education policy and planning in multilingual nations situated along its routes. This study examines Qatar's involvement as a case study to investigate the impacts of the BRI on language policy and planning in Qatar while preserving linguistic diversity. The research aims to analyze Chinese language education policies and gain deeper understanding of how BRI has impacted on language policy decisions in Qatar thus informing current educators and policymakers of important trends and issues that can be used to guide future language education policy decisions and strategies. Data collection involves semi-structured interviews with educators and students at Qatar’s university, particularly those engaged in the Chinese program. Thematic analysis is employed to derive meaningful insights. Our findings provide a blueprint and guidance for orienting language teaching and learning in Qatar, along with recommendations for language acquisition planning and language education policy decisions in other multilingual countries participating in the BRI. Furthermore, we propose recommendations for multilingual nations to maintain their linguistic diversity while adapting to the evolving dynamics of international relations and economic cooperation under the BRI.

Zijing An, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Florida, specializes in language education policy and teacher preparation for multilingual learners. Amira Khalile, ESL instructor at Santa Fe College, USA, with over 15 years of experience in Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar and Egypt.

Zijing An, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Florida, specializes in language education policy and teacher preparation for multilingual learners. Amira Khalile, ESL instructor at Santa Fe College, USA, with over 15 years of experience in Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar and Egypt.