English language environment
at the Ural Federal University
UrFU in the Ural region
A large
comprehensive
university in
Ekaterinburg with
about 25 thousand
full-time students
and about 3,5
thousand
professors and 8
thousand staff
members.
A merger (2011) of a classical (key feature fundamental research) university and a
technical university (key featureengineering). Different corporate cultures
and approaches to teaching and learning, at
the moment 5 chairs for foreign languages
with about 350 teachers.
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UrFU in the Ural region
Mission — the preparation of the highly qualified
professionals for the reindustrialisation of the Ural
region
UrFU is the largest
university in a big
industrial Ural region
(Ekaterinburg was closed
for foreigners until 1992)
31%
Of the Russian
industrial
production
22,5
Mln. people
Urals
$ 290 Bln
regional GDP
5-100 Road Map
• The road map for 5-100 has only one indicator for
creating of language environment – creation of a
testing centre for teachers and students who are
going to participate in the international study
programmes.
• The language level requirements are not
mentioned in the road map.
EL/FL environment
The elements of the foreign language environment
are:
• website in foreign languages;
• a lot of advert materials in English;
• 8 MA programmes in English; modules for
exchange students in English;
• Institute of International Education;
• foreign students support centre;
• foreign academics support programme
(formalities handling and a meeting club)
EL/FL environment: services
• Short term Cambridge exams preparation courses
for staff members (about 500 staff members)
• Linguistic support (publications translation and
editing) for researchers
• Academic English course for researchers
• Students club for studying foreign languages
• Support centre for foreign academics
• Support centre for foreign students
• International examinations (Cambridge, TOEFL,
DELE, TestDaF, HSK) can be taken at the university
Models: EMI
8 MA programmes in English, modules for academic
mobility students in English
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Russian Studies
Political Philosophy
Food Biotechnology
Knowledge Engineering and Intellectual Property
Management
Safety of Construction Critical Infrastructures and Territories
IT innovations in business
High-Performance Sport
Sustainability and Innovative development of the knowledgeintensive productions
Models: EAP, CLIL
EAP is part of the curriculum for non-linguistic
students
No CLIL model
Programmes
• Cambridge exam preparation courses for staff
members
• Curriculum for non-linguistic students
Programmes: exam prep courses for staff
Statistics:
525 staff members are taking courses in exam
preparation
• Among them for В1 and higher levels -292 people
From April 2013 to December 2014 442 people will
be certified, for B2 and higher levels 148 people
Curriculum: year 2
4 years for BA, 500 F2F hours
4 tracks with Can-dos and LO
Track 1 - Entrance level А0 - А1 (+Blended) –
minimum exit B1
Track 2 - Entrance level А 2 – low B1 - minimum exit
B2
Track 3 - Entrance level В1- low B2 - minimum exit
B2
Track 4 - Entrance level В2 и up - minimum exit C1
Achievements
• A large programme for
teachers of English in the
framework of cooperation
with Cambridge English –
TKT, CELTA, DELTA, short
courses in GE, in testing
writing and speaking parts
of the exam, preparation for
a course in testology
• Functioning Cambridge
English examinations centre
with internal examiners
Achievements
• A programme for staff members in preparation
for Cambridge English examinations + influencing
the university to include EL parameters in the
personal ranking of staff members
• A large curriculum project for non-linguistic
students with clear entrance and exit
requirements bound to CEFR
• Some experience with blended learning
(Touchstone CUP)
Achievements
In effect:
• some knowledge and technology transfer from
Cambridge English and other foreign partners,
• preparation of human capital and experience in
cross-chairs team work as well as
• experience in maintaining heavy projects such as
exam centre
• in 2 years a team of ELT qualified teachers
inspired to contribute to the development of
foreign language environment
What has to be done?
Most important:
The university has to make decisions about the
strategy of the EL environment and about
becoming a language-friendly university with a
well-developed and growing EL environment
which means becoming a centre of excellence in
teaching English, in teaching in English, in
offering services in at least two languages etc.
What has to be done?
In particular:
• EL courses for teachers should be transformed into CLIL
courses and an academic writing course
• A decision about the future design of ELT at the university
should be made: should every institute have a chair of
foreign languages with a common FL policy and
requirements for teachers and students or should there be
a single unit in charge of all ELT throughout the University?
• Elaboration of a FL policy (EAP or ESP, teaching courses in
English for Russian students as part of their study
programme, preparing students research projects in
English), and decisions about: a common LMS for teachers,
the IT implementation in FLT etc. should be made.
Your critical remarks and
suggestions are welcome!
Details about the UrFU Cambridge project
(uclex.urfu.ru)
Curriculum – to be published soon!
Please contact:
Maria Guzikova, mariagu@mail.ru
Tatyana Rasskazova, trasska@mail.ru