ASTRA (Association of Swedish Teachers and Researchers in America) har vänt sig till Svenska Institutet i ett protestbrev mot SI:s hot om nedskärningarna i svenskundervisningen i världen. Madeleine Sjöstedt har svarat:
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Nu när ni läst brevväxlingen mellan Merete Leonhardt-Lupa, ASTRA, och Madeleine Sjöstedt, Svenska institutet, kan vi kasta en närmare blick på vad som yttras i sakfrågan. Jag plockar därför ut och citerar kärnan i brevet från ASTRA. Därpå följer ett citat hämtat ur Sjöstedts svar.
Merete Leonhardt-Lupa, ASTRA:
This is a letter of protest to the deep cuts to ”Svenska språket i världen” that are proposed for 2023 at Svenska Institutet. We have learned that these slashes may include up to a 50% reduction in the annual 12 million SEK in financial support to SI-supported language centers worldwide, a 25% staff reduction, and a high risk of abandonment of the many language and cultural services that SI provides to Swedish language centers worldwide. These cuts will have severe negative consequences for the members of ASTRA’s (Association of Swedish Teachers and Researchers in America) ability to provide high-quality education in Swedish Studies in North America. Equally bothersome are the consequences to SI’s global network of Swedish language instructors that ASTRA is part of.
We find it remarkable that SI does not see the value of this effective, long-standing, stable and reliable network of passionate and knowledgeable professionals in the educational field. We reach about 5,000 students annually in higher education and adult language centers. We doubt that any other foreign institutions or individuals can promise the same level of educated involvement in expanding the image and culture of Sweden. As university professors we have a proven track record of our ability to educate Americans about Sweden and this work can, with SI’s support, continue uninterrupted into the future.”
”We ask that SI restore the support to ASTRA in order to a) save this established communication and collaboration channel between North America and Sweden and b) let us continue providing our current level of services to the benefit of our students. We also demand that SI’s support to institutions in SI’s global network continue without interruption. Reducing the amount of Swedish language instruction abroad will have detrimental effects to the value and reputation of Swedish language and cultural education across the globe.”
Madeleine Sjöstedt, SI:
”As you know, more than 15,000 students, outside the Nordic countries, study Swedish each year at 200 higher education institutions around the world. Like all government agencies, the Swedish Institute has an efficiency requirement, and we will have to make budget adjustments in our operations next year. However, I can assure you that we have no intention to enact the drastic cuts that you are suggesting in your letter. Our intention is that the broad support, including in the form of guest lecturers, summer courses and learning materials, to foreign universities that teach Swedish should be prioritized. In order to be able to continue the broad support, we will however need to review the number of scholarships to lecturers who work as locally employed teachers at institutions that teach Swedish in Europe.
You can rest assured that we value the close relationship between the Swedish Institute and higher education institutions, who are members of ASTRA. Our support to ASTRA and the Swedish language tuition in North America will continue.”
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ASTRA:s brev är som vi ser ett protestbrev och inte någon försynt fråga och man går direkt på nedskärningarna i ekonomiska termer och drar snabbt upp konsekvenser neddragningarna sannolikt kommer att få (”severe negative consequences”). Man anklagar SI för att inte värdesätta ASTRA:s arbete (”We find it remarkable that SI does not see the value”) och till slut anmodar man SI att omedelbart återgå till tidigare nivåer på stödet för arbetet för svenska språket och kulturen i världen. Detta inte enbart när det gäller stödet till ASTRA utan till verksamheten globalt (”We also demand that SI’s support to institutions in SI’s global network continue without interruption.”).
Sjöstedts svar är inte något svar i egentlig mening. Hon börjar med att berätta saker som ASTRA vet. Sedan talar hon om budgetprocessen (”we will have to make budget adjustments in our operations next year”) utan att säga något av konkret intresse. Därpå följer flosklerna ”I can assure you” och naturligtvis ”broad support”, som vi ju vet betyder ”uttunnat stöd”. Till sist snuddar hon vid något konkret, nämligen indragningarna av lektorsstipendier, men hon försöker gömma det bakom ”broad support”: ”In order to be able to continue the broad support, we will however need to review the number of scholarships to lecturers who work as locally employed teachers at institutions that teach Swedish in Europe.” Detta talar med hög röst emot följande rad där Sjöstedt säger: ”You can rest assured”.
Och så en kortversion:
ASTRA: Vi protesterar mot SI:s drastiska nedskärningar och anmodar att SI att omdelbart återgå till tidigare stödnivåer.
Sjöstedt: ”As you know, more than 15,000 students…” ”broad support”, ”I can assure you…” – ”review the number of scholarships to lecturers”.