Multilingual Education as a Form of Inclusive Education at Nahdlatul Ulama University (UNU) of Purwokerto

Abstract

Multilingual has always been echoed by UNESCO as the key to quality and inclusive education, the purpose of this study is to explore the implementation of multilingual education at Nahdlatul Ulama Purwokerto University. In the context of globalization, multilingual education is essential in supporting diversity and inclusivity in the academic environment. This study uses qualitative methods with a case study approach to analyze how policies, strategies and implications of multilingual education are applied at UNU Purwokerto, namely for students from different regions, diverse languages and various cultures. The results of this study show that multilingual education at UNU Purwokerto not only provides increased linguistic competence of lecturers and students, but also shares intercultural understanding, and increases student involvement in using regional languages, national languages and foreign languages in the learning process, as well as prioritizing equal access to higher education. The strategy of multilingual education in lectures at Arabic Education UNU Purwokerto Study Program is as follows: 1. Each lecturer prepares material from various languages and cultures 2. Lecturers start the lecture with an introduction to Arabic and English, then translated into Indonesian or regional languages 3. Lecturers display material in three models, first. Arabic material, read by students from Sudan, then translated into Indonesian and regional languages, second, lecturers present Indonesian material, which is explained in Arabic for Sudanese students, third Arabic-Indonesian material at once. 4. The lecturer opens a question session. 5 Lecturers close lectures with multilingual. This finding indicates that multilingual education serves as an effective means in creating an inclusive and fariative educational environment, with multilingual local students preserving their regional languages, prioritizing Indonesian and mastering foreign languages while also instilling a tolerant character with cultural and linguistic differences.