Milan University Goes All English Language, All the Time

The Politecnico di Milano, one of Italy's flagship universities, has decided to conduct its business in English. According to a BBC report, "the university has announced that from 2014 most of its degree courses -- including all of its graduate courses -- will be taught and assessed" in the language of Barack Obama rather than that of Silvio Berlusconi.

This is a fascinating development, and to anyone familiar with Latin Europe, almost startling. Italy has a long, proud tradition in the sciences. The Politecnico, which specializes in science, has produced a number of leading scientists who didn't necessarily need English to contribute to the community of thought. Italians can be quite adaptable and I suppose learning to think in English can fit into that category.

Meanwhile, an increasing number of Italians are learning Mandarin. They're just not the scientists. Not yet.