How would Ticos react if the University of Costa Rica one day decides to teach all of its courses in English?

The Politecnico di Milano, the oldest university in Milan, counts several notable alumni like architect Gio Ponti and chemist Giulio Natta, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1963 for his work on polymers. It is a state-supported, quintessential Italian institution, an important academic and research center, and a source of pride for scholars and Milan denizens.

Starting in 2014, the Politecnico will become a little less Italian.

According to Italian state-owned broadcaster RAI, the Politecnico will switch all of its academic and research curricula to the English language. And that’s not all: the school will also invest 3.2 million euros to attract foreign instructors, preferably native English speakers.

Speaking to RAI, Politecnico rector Giovanni Azzone mentioned that:

“It is indispensable to innovate and keep up with the needs of today’s industry, and to accomplish so we will need to acquire high-quality human capital.

The Italian language should be mastered at the high school level by young students, to try and master it at the university level is a little too late.”

The Politecnico di Milano already offers more than half of its courses in English, but in 2014 the entire school will become an anglophone institution of higher learning.

There is another reason behind the switch to English: the Politecnico’s rectors wish to attract a higher number of international students and their tuition dollars. Only 3.6 percent of students currently enrolled are foreigners.

Signor Azzone added:

“Italy presents an attractive cultural proposition, but the limited knowledge of her language becomes a barrier. By teaching in English, we can easily attract those students who are interested in our culture.”

The Politecnico’s decision was given the green light by the Minister of Education, but it has stirred up controversy among Italian linguists, scholars and public figures who think the move is excessive and that cultural patrimony is being ignored.