Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning

16/06/2026

Yesterday, the Fryske Akademy welcomed colleagues from the Department of Dutch Languages and Cultures at the University of Groningen. They were here to get to know us and discuss opportunities for collaboration.

Mercator's programme coordinator Jelske Dijkstra gave a presentation on Mercator’s international work in the field of minority languages.

The visit was particularly meaningful because the Frisian bachelor’s programme at the University of Groningen falls under the Dutch Studies programme.

An interesting afternoon! 😊

Juster krige de Fryske Akademy besite fan kollega's fan de ôfdieling Nederlânske Talen en Kultueren fan de University of Groningen. Se wiene hjir om mei ús yn 'e kunde te kommen en gearwurkingskânsen te bepraten. De besite wie mei ynjûn trochdat de Fryske bachelor oan de Ryksuniversiteit Grins ûnder de oplieding Nederlânsk falt.

In nijsgjirrige middei! 😊

15/06/2026

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗘𝗘: 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗲̂𝘇𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗶 𝗷𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗻
"In goed begjin mei lêzen en skriuwen op jonge jierren wurdt sjoen as in sterke yndikaasje foar takomstich sukses op skoalle. Foarlêze is in krêftige wize om de takomstige ûntwikkeling fan skriftlike taalfeardigens by jonge bern te stypjen." Mar wat no as it bern thús in oare taal sprekt as op skoalle?

De ûndersikers fan it troch Erasmus+ finansiere projekt Read with MEE, dêr't Mercator (Fryske Akademy) koördinator fan is, hawwe in hânboek makke mei ynformaasje, tips en ferwizings foar lêsaktiviteiten mei bern dy't meardere talen sprekke. En it hânboek is no ek - fergees - yn it Frysk en Nederlânsk beskikber!

ℹ️ Mear ynfo: https://www.mercator-research.eu/nijs-aginda/nijs/berjocht/read-with-mee-tips-foar-it-lezen-mei-jonge-meartalige-bern/

15/06/2026

04/06/2026

Have you already completed your PhD and would you be interested in spending nine months conducting research in and three months in ? And getting paid for it, too? 🤩
The Fryske Akademy, of which the Mercator European Research Centre is a part, and the University of Cambridge are joining forces to offer you a fantastic opportunity to spend a year exploring the relations between Frisia and Great Britain, Ireland and/or Scandinavia during the early Middle Ages (c. 400–1100).

You can find more information on our website: https://www.mercator-research.eu/en/news-events/news/news-article/collaboration-with-university-of-cambridge-results-in-postdoctoral-fellowship-vacancy/

Have you already completed your PhD and would you be interested in spending nine months conducting research in Leeuwarden and three months in Cambridge? And getting paid for it, too? The Fryske Akademy and the University of Cambridge are joining forces to offer you a fantastic opportunity to spend a...

18/05/2026

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 Erasmus+ 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗘𝗘 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲! 🦔 🐌

Join Snail and Spike, two small friends who set out on an adventure! The Read with MEE game offers a shared reading experience in 10 languages and promotes interaction between children and adults as they explore the story together.

ℹ️ This webinar is for parents and caregivers of young children (ages 2-6) who are interested in learning how reading interactively can boost children’s early language development, and how digital tools can help you dive into stories together.

It is also for anyone else who works with young children who speak multiple languages, including early years and pre-school teachers and library staff.

🤩 The webinar is facilitated by Lorna Carson (Trinity College Dublin), Stephan Burghout (8D), Laura Nap (NHL Stenden Hogeschool), and Elizabet Arocena Egaña (EHU).

The webinar is 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 but registration beforehand is required:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lfvlsG5rTiCoCHdWIGRZhQ #/registration

20/04/2026

𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐬𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐢 𝐨𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐚𝐥û𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐲𝐤 𝐟𝐚𝐧 ú𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐚𝐳𝐣𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐚𝐫𝐝?

🎓Efkes foarstelle. Dit is Julia, opgroeid yn Snits. Se docht de master Applied Linguistics oan de University of Groningen en rint sûnt febrewaris staazje by de Fryske Akademy. "Taal en variatie hebben me altijd gefascineerd, en juist daarom vind ik het jammer dat ik thuis zelf geen Fries heb meegekregen. Tegelijk motiveert dat me ook om me in te zetten voor de taal en alles wat daarbij hoort."

🎙️Wat is de bedoeling? Julia lit dy in oantal spraakfragminten hearre en wol witte wat dyn earste yndruk is fan dy sprekker.

🎧Nijsgjirrich wurden of fuort meidwaan oan it ûndersyk? ➡️https://bit.ly/4cCy9jQ

14/04/2026

Our intern Mirko (Università degli Studi di Udine) is spending three months in Friesland conducting research for his master’s thesis on theatre in minority languages. Thank you, Pier21, and also Tryater, for your help and hospitality. 🥰

Mirko Liani uit Italië kwam bij ons langs.
Hij loopt stage bij de Fryske Academy en onderzoekt hoe wij het Fries promoten, gebruiken en behouden voor de toekomst. Hij wil dat weten voor Udine, waar ze Friulisch spreken.

Hij gaf ons de theatertekst van De Emigrant in het Friulisch! In november 2023 speelden we dat stuk al in zijn stad op uitnodiging van Teatri Stabil Furlan, toen in het Fries met Friulische ondertiteling. Nu komt die verbinding terug. Twee talen, één verhaal!

02/04/2026

Since 1967, on or around Hans Christian Andersen's birthday, 2 April, 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗗𝗮𝘆 (ICBD) is celebrated to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children's books. 🔮

The Erasmus+ funded Mercator project Read with Multilingual Early Education (Read with MEE ) is celebrating this special day and putting the spotlight on their Handbook-INC: Inclusive Multiliteracy Development for All. 📖 Read it here: https://www.readwithmee.eu/handbook-inc/

Read with MEE's project team develops innovative tools and resources to advance key literacy skills of young multilingual children (2-6 y/o). Their interactive reading game will be launched on 20 May. 🦔

03/03/2026

'𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀' 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝗸𝗶 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴
🌐 Mercator's online on Minority Language Learning complements the “Regional Dossiers” collection of the Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning (part of the Fryske Akademy).

🎓 The website provides information about the education of minority languages that have little or no place in the national education system. There is now also a factsheet about the languages in the Dutch province of !

ℹ️ Read more: https://bit.ly/4cXvh2E

[Picture: Wutsje. (2007). Taalsituatie in Noord-Nederland [Language situation in the North of the Netherlands [image]. Wikimedia Commons. CCSA 3.0. https://bit.ly/4aNdie0]