SADiLaR’s HESSP lead receives prestigious Jacques van der Elst Prize for 2025

The award recognises the best article published in 2025 in the Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe. Prof. Van Dyk received the award for his article, ‘Afrikaans as akademiese taal: verlede, hede en toekoms’, which offers a nuanced and evidence-based exploration of Afrikaans as a language of teaching and learning within the broader imperative of multilingual and inclusive higher education in South Africa.

Prof. Tobie van Dyk

The article draws significantly on findings from the 2023 National Language Resources Audit conducted by SADiLaR on behalf of the Department of Higher Education and Training. This landmark national study, involving all public universities, provides critical insight into the state of indigenous languages in higher education and informs the implementation of the Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions.

Prof. Van Dyk’s work highlights both the continued prominence of English as the dominant medium of instruction and the complex, evolving role of Afrikaans and other official African languages within this landscape. Importantly, the research underscores systemic challenges such as limited multilingual capacity, uneven policy implementation and a lack of awareness among students and staff regarding available language resources. At the same time, it identifies clear opportunities for strengthening multilingualism through targeted interventions, including terminology development, academic language support and enhanced language planning and management.

The award-winning article exemplifies the type of research-to-impact work that lies at the heart of SADiLaR’s mandate. By leveraging large-scale national data and aligning with policy frameworks, the study contributes directly to advancing multilingualism, inclusivity and epistemic access in South African higher education.

Speaking on the award, Prof. Van Dyk noted that the recognition affirms the importance of collaborative, infrastructure-driven research: “This work is deeply embedded in national efforts supported by SADiLaR to understand and strengthen the role of language in higher education. It reflects not only on Afrikaans, but on the broader need to build a truly multilingual system that serves all students equitably.”

SADiLaR has welcomed the award as a reflection of its growing impact in shaping national discourse on language resources and multilingual transformation. The Centre continues to play a pivotal role in enabling research, supporting policy implementation and developing digital language resources that contribute to a more inclusive and linguistically diverse higher education system.