From June 23 to July 31, 2025, the University of Toronto Mississauga proudly hosted its UTM Language Academy, offering immersive summer language programs in Sanskrit and Qur’anic Arabic. This year marked the third year of the Sanskrit program and the first year of Qur’anic Arabic being offered at UTM. 

A total of 12 students—six in each class—participated in what became an intimate and intellectually rich language environment, where collaboration, exploration, and curiosity thrived. 

Students in both courses engaged deeply with classical texts under the guidance of expert instructors, Professor Christopher Minkowski, formerly Boden Professor of Sanskrit in the University of Oxford, and Professor Walid Saleh, University of Toronto. Under their guidance, students explored linguistic structure, literary nuance, and cultural context. The Sanskrit program, building on the success of last 2 year’s offering, embraced advanced readings and discussions. The Qur’anic Arabic cohort embarked on a rewarding first year of study focused on the linguistic and interpretive traditions of the Qur’an. 

The communal and social aspects of the UTM Language Academy were equally meaningful. Participants had the opportunity to visit the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library in downtown Toronto, where they viewed historic manuscripts and early print materials related to their fields of study. The program concluded with a celebratory gathering at UTM, where students and instructors reflected on their progress and shared experiences from the six-week journey. 

One Sanskrit participant described the course as “an incredible course, [that] left me feeling more able and positive than I have in years about not only Sanskrit, but the academic world in general. A pleasure to be part of!” 

Another student highlighted the collaborative and immersive spirit of the program: “I appreciated the traditional method of going around the circle of students and reading the text one by one. I also found it very beneficial to live in the same dorm room as two of my peers, which enabled us to prepare the texts together, learn from each other's methods for reading, and share our knowledge about the Indological world.” 

These reflections capture the essence of the UTM Language Academy, a space where small class sizes, dedicated study, and a supportive community through continuous and personalized communication with experts in their field come together to foster both linguistic skill and academic confidence. 

As the UTM Language Academy continues to grow, the Department of Language Studies and University of Toronto Mississauga remain committed to providing a vibrant platform for language learning, connecting learners through shared curiosity and scholarly engagement. 

This summer, the UTM Language Academy once again welcomed young learners to its popular language and culture camps, running from July 7 to July 25, 2025. The program offered two engaging options this year; the returning French Language Camp and the newly launched Chinese Language Camp. These camps make language learning fun, interactive, and experiential. 

The Chinese Language Camp, offered for the first time this year, welcomed six enthusiastic campers eager to explore Chinese language and culture. Children participated in a wide range of cultural and language-based activities, traditional games, and educational experiences designed to immerse them in both the sounds and traditions.  

One parent shared: “I think one of our biggest successes was showing the children how fun the Chinese summer camp could be. Many of them genuinely enjoyed the experience and expressed interest in joining us again next year. Additionally, by introducing a variety of traditional Chinese games, we helped the children discover new forms of play and learn more about Chinese culture.” 

The French Language Camp returned this year with thirty-six campers, continuing its mission to help children build confidence and fluency in French through playful and creative learning. Campers engaged in games, tasks, and activities that brought the language to life, while also enjoying plenty of supervised outdoor play and swimming sessions at the RAWC pool. 

In addition to creating a fun and educational environment for campers, the UTM Language Academy also provided valuable cooperative learning opportunities for 6 DLS students. Through hands-on experience working at the camps, student employees applied disciplinary knowledge, professional and transferrable competences such as leadership, communication, and classroom management.   

As 2025 wraps up, the UTM Language Academy team looks ahead with excitement to next year’s programs, aiming to offer new and dynamic language camp opportunities that continue to inspire a love of languages and cultures in young learners.