The CeLCS Language Diploma 2026 Prize Awarded to Kaisu Norkio
On Friday 20 March 2026, The Centre for Language and Communication Studies (CeLCS) at the University of Turku awarded the Language Diploma Prize for the fourth time. This year, the prize was awarded to Kaisu Norkio, who has completed a wide range of elective language courses at a variety of levels.
“The value of having the ability to speak in different languages and to understand different cultures has never, ever been more important,” said Mike Nelson, Director of CeLCS, at the conclusion of ‘Satakieli Month’. This is the fourth time a CeLCS Language Diploma Prize was awarded, and this year it was presented to Kaisu Norkio.
Kaisu first started studying beginner Italian, French, and Spanish courses at CeLCS, which is quite unique and impressive! Our Italian teacher, Veera Scotto di Marco noticed how skillfully Kaisu uses all the languages she studies to support one another, for example her strong foundation in Italian helped her when studying French and Spanish. Comparing languages, and looking for and noticing similarities and differences, is a skill that requires keen observation and a genuine interest in languages. As an analytical language student, Kaisu is dedicated to her studies, and her presence in class has a positive impact on the group atmosphere and her fellow students. Kaisu is a motivated language student who has demonstrated particular enthusiasm and initiative in her studies, both in class and in her free time.
Kaisu says she particularly likes the fact that CeLCS’s courses use a variety of learning methods. That keeps the brain sharp!
The winner’s tip for learning languages:
- Take your dog for a walk and talk out loud to yourself! (Kaisu says she learned the French numbers 1–1,000 exactly this way.)
- You can also speak out loud while cleaning at home and practice things like intonation and pronunciation.
Congratulations! ¡Enhorabuena! Félicitations ! Congratulazioni!
