UNICA IRO MEETING 2008 - Paris, 11 April 2008 1 5 UNICA IRO MEETING 2008 Paris, 11 April 2008 Session Two Language & Mobility Language preparation for

UNICA IRO MEETING 2008 - Paris, 11 April 2008

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UNICA IRO MEETING 2008

Paris, 11 April 2008

Session Two

Language & Mobility

Language preparation for studentsWolfgang Mackiewicz

Freie Universität Berlin (DE)

http://www.ulb.ac.be/unica/index.html


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Changes in mobility and affecting mobility Erasmus – more states / languages than ever before Erasmus Mundus Internationalisation of higher education International competition among universities Credit accumulation Joint degree programmes / integrated study abroad Vertical mobility Internships abroad Principle of reciprocity observed by UK universities



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Aims of student mobility1) Overarching educational / political / economic

considerations(i) Outgoing Personal development Preparation for life and work in an integrated Europe Enhancing graduates‘ opportunities on the European / international

labour market Enabling students to observe and appreciate the added value of different

academic cultures (=> flexibility of mind) Understanding foreign cultures (=> intercultural skills) Enhancing students‘ foreign language skills Enhancing the university‘s appeal to students



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(ii) Incoming Promoting understanding between peoples and cultures Promoting one‘s own national / regional culture Promoting one‘s own national / regional language Enhancing the European / international image / standing of the institution Creating and maintaining a European / an international climate in course

programmes and classes Collaboration with prestigeous universities abroad Raising additional revenue (degree students; especially, but not only 2nd

and 3rd cycle) Attracting talent from other countries Strengthening the university‘s research base (international graduate schools

etc.)



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2) Through student eyes Appeal of specific countries / regions / cities / universities Direct relevance to subject / course studied (e.g. foreign languages) General desire to learn / improve knowledge in the local foreign language

/ to live and study in a foreign country (intercultural experience) Enhancing career prospects in general Enhancing specific professional and / or academic career prospects

(vertical mobility) HOWEVER: NOT NECESSARILY ALL OF THESE TOGETHER.



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How do languages fit into this?

Some basic considerations

Increasing importance of English as an academic lingua franca 90% of all students in upper secondary education are learning

English (Eurobarometer) Inequality of languages Increasing awareness of the relevance of multilingual competence

to employability / career prospects / competitiveness (including proficiency in so-called small languages)

Language(s) of instruction – subject-related differences Language proficiency – general, academic, subject specific



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A BASIC DILEMMA

Language requirements for mobility differ widely, depending on the specific parameters and aims of a given programme or individual project

A few illustrative examples A fee-paying MBA course offered in English by a university situated in a

non-English-speaking country A student of art history intending to spend an Erasmus year abroad at an

Italian university, and required by his/her home university to obtain credits with a view to having these transferred to and recognised by home institution.

A BA student of history intending to spend an Erasmus semester at a Polish state university – with minimal knowledge of Polish and keen to learn Polish (with his home university being satisfied with this arrangement)



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WM‘s fundamental conviction

Adequate language proficiency and cultural awareness are of overarching importance for the quality and success of horizontal intra-European student mobility

for academic integration and success at the host institution, including credit transfer

for social integration for progression in language learning during study abroad for achieving heightened cultural awareness and acquiring

enhanced intercultural skills

students, by and large, are keen to learn and use other languages

(study conducted at FUB: code-switching galore)



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A few basic principles regarding intra-European horizontal student mobility (I)

(for example, between UNICA member institutions)

Duties of / recommendations directed at sending institutions

- Some language preparation – including cultural preparation – must be offered in all the languages relevant to partner institutions with whom mobility agreements have been signed (not necessarily to be provided by the university in question itself).

- For the sake of transparency, the learning outcomes of the courses / modules provided should be related to the proficiency levels of the Council of Europe‘s Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR).



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Duties of / recommendations directed at sending institutions (cont.)

- Along with the transcript of record, sending institutions should provide a clear statement on a given student‘s level of proficiency in the language of instruction at the host institution.This should also apply to language students.

- Language competence must be a selection criterion.

- If the language of instruction is a language other than the language of the region / state in which the host situation is based, would-be mobile students should all the same have more than a basic knowledge of the language of the region / state.

- Would-be Erasmus students have to be informed about the language requirements laid down by the various partner insitutions.


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Duties of / recommendations directed at sending institutions (cont.)

- Universities should provide opportunities for returning students to continue learning the language of the host country.

- If at all possible, students should receive credits for successful language learning potentially relevant to mobility.

- Full use should be made of opportunities for non-formal language learning, especially of less widely used and less taught languages

o self-learning materials

o language tandems Learning advice Key factor: motivation to learn the language in question



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Example One

Languages as part of the 30-credit

General professional skills strand

of FUB bachelor programmes

Up 15 credits = 3 modules of 5 credits each Credits only awarded upon successful completion of Module 2



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Language Number of consecutive modules

Minimum exit qualification (CEFR)

Maximum exit qualification(CEFR)

Number of students enrolled in WS 2008-9

Arabic 3 A1.2-A2.1 A2.2-B1.1 95

English 3 non-consecutive modules at

different levels

B2.2-C1.1 C1.2-C2.1 64

French 7 A1.2-A2.1 B2.2-C1.1 203

Italian 7 A1.2-A2.1 B2.2-C1.1 133

Dutch 3 B1.2-B2.1 B2.2-C1.1 34

Polish 3 A1.2-A2.1 A2.2-B1.1 26

Portuguese 7 A1.2-A2.1 B2.2-C1.1 50

Russian 5 A1.2-A2.1 B1 75

Spanish 7 A1.2-A2.1 B2.2-C1.1 337

Turkish 3 A1.2-A2.1 A2.2-B1.1 41

Total 1,015

Languages in General professional skills strand



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Example Two

Subsidiary subjects in FUB multiple-subject bachelor programmes

Emphasis on practical language studies

60-credit subject: 42 credits in applied languages

30-credit subject: 24 credits in applied languages


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Language Total number of credits

Total number of language credits

Exit qualification

Total number of credits

Total number of language credits

Exit qualification

Italian 30 24 B1.1-B1.2

60 42 B2.2-C1.1Portuguese

Spanish

Modern Greek

30 24 60 44

French (as of WS2008-9)

30 24 B1.1-B1.2

60 42 B2.2-C1.1

Ab initio subsidiary subjects in multi-subject bachelor programmes



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A few basic principles regarding intra-European horizontal student mobility (II)

Duties of / recommendations directed at receiving institutions- Institutions have to lay down requirements for the language(s) of instruction;

these may differ between subject areas. These requirements should be expressed in reference to the CEFR or to internationally recognised proficiency tests.

- WM: For humanities / social sciences, > level B2 of CEFR should be required for admission to seminars.

- Host institutions should offer intensive pre-sessional courses in language of instruction at different levels (other than English). Ideally, these courses would lift students to level B2 CEFR.

- Host institutions should provide linguistic support accompanying courses of study. If at all possible, credits should be awarded for successfully completed language study.



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Example Three

FUB pre-semester courses in German as a foreign language

Frequency: before semesters 1 & 2 Length: 6 weeks = 120 contact hours; 10 ECTS Fee: 460.00 euro Courses offered at the following entry levels: zero, A2, B1.1, B2.1, C1 Placement: on-line pre-test & on-site test administered on 1st day of course Programmes tuned to semester programme Students encouraged to use independent language learning centre Number of participants a year: 260



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Example FourFUB German-as-a-foreign language courses taught during

semester time

Free of charge On-line placement test administered before beginning of semester ECTS credits Thematic variety Emphasis on different skills, including academic writing and oral

presentation skills SoSe 2008: a total of 19 courses catering for 420 students; total number of

contact hours: 88 WS 2007-8: 500 participants=> State of play SoSe 2008:



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Entry level Exit level Number of groups

Contacts hours p.c.

ECTS credits

A2.1 B1.1 1 12 12

A2.2-B1.1 B1.1-B1.2 1 8 8

B1 B1 1 2 3

B1.1 B1.2 1 6 8

B1.2-B2.2 B2.1-B2.2 8 4 6

B1.2-B2.2 B2.1-C1.1 3 4 6

B2.2 C1.1 3 4 6

C1 C1 1 4 6

Total 19



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A few basic principles regarding intra-European horizontal student mobility (III)

- Mobile students should be issued with a certificate stating the level of proficiency reached in the language of instruction / of the non-academic environment.

- Universities should consider the following measures: Creation of environments for indepedent language learning Creation of language tandem systems Launch of local European / international projects accompanying academic

study



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Example Four

FUB Language Tandem Programme WS 2007-8

Number of tandems formed: 302 Number of languages involved: 28 + German Number of students unable to find a partner: 150 Tandems made up of DE + a European language:

DA: 2; EN: 111; FI: 4; FR: 134; EL: 12; HU: 2; IT: 77;

NL: 10; PL: 18; PT: 12; SE: 4, ES: 94, TR: 12 (number of students involved)


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Internationalisation of European higher education

The issue of languages revisited

It may be inevitable for universities based in countries with LWULT languages to offer courses / portions of courses in English. [=> Erasmus Mundus; joint degrees]

WM: portions of courses would be preferable.

Sending and host institutions should provide opportunities and incentives for learning the language of the host community. The crucial issue of motivation.

Continuing education / professional masters – a special case


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Thank you.


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UNICA IRO MEETING 2008 - Paris, 11 April 2008 1 5 UNICA IRO MEETING 2008 Paris, 11 April 2008 Session Two Language & Mobility Language preparation for