Time for plain language – every student has the right to understand

By maria [dot] esaiasson [at] kommunikation [dot] lu [dot] se (Maria Esaiasson) - published 29 November 2024

Photo: A close-up of several pink letters in a pile against a white background.

A new project is reviewing university-wide information about student support, with plain language as the guiding principle. The aim is to user-test the resources, tailor to the audience, and provide staff training. Using plain language is not only a legal requirement but also builds trust in the university and improves the students' working environment.

Photo: Jason Leung from Unsplash.com.

At Lund University, countless texts are written to help students navigate their everyday academic lives. Being a student involves a great deal of administration, and support may be needed to manage everything from IT and digital tools to study techniques and mental health.

Plain language is governed by the Swedish Language Act (2009:600). According to Section 11, the language used in public activities must be well-crafted, clear, and understandable. In practice, this means that every text must have a clearly defined purpose, a thoughtful placement, and content and language tailored to the audience’s prior knowledge, reading context, and needs. For us, this means shifting the focus from the information we want to communicate to what students genuinely need. How do they want to use our texts? That question forms the foundation of the project.

Facts about the project
The Unit for Educational Services has launched "The Plain language project: Accessible digital texts.” The goal is to adapt university-wide digital texts for students at Lund University. The project is funded through resources for gender equality and equal opportunities and will continue until fall 2026. Maria Esaiasson is the project manager (20 %), and a language consultant will be hired full-time for the initiative.

Are you interested in the project? Learn how you can contribute.