Eaquals Prague 2018

1. Designing a language programme based on the needs of
Administrative and Service Staff (ASS)
Dr. Julia Zabala Delgado
juzadel@upv.es
Dr. Cristina Pérez Guillot
mcperez@upv.es
Universitàt Politecnica de València
Language Centre
International Conference 2018, Prague

2. Content
The Universitàt Politecnica de València: The Language
Centre
• International
• National
• UPV
Context of the presentation
• Needs analysis: focus groups
• Questions raised
• Themes coded
• Results
Designing a language programme
Proposal for a framework
Conclusions
Designing a language programme based on the needs of Administrative & ServiceStaff
International Conference 2018, Prague

3. UPV Main Campus Location

4. 4
Valencia
Gandia
Alcoy
Universitat Politècnica de València
Campus 3
Schools and Faculties 13
Departments 42
Students 38,000
Faculty and research
personnel
2,660
Administrative and Service
Staff (ASS):
1,586
Undergraduate degrees 35
Official Master degrees 59
PhD programs 30
Continuous training courses 1,724
2015 Budget 322 M€
Research institutions 41
R+D+i financial volume 100,7 M€

5. 5
Worldwide prestige
All this turns the UPV into a prestigious institution,
with established and recognized quality, it is the only
technological Spanish university listed among the best in
the world.
Academic Ranking of World Universities, University of Jiao Tong, Shanghai

6. 6
Quality Management
The Units and Services of UPV involved in International Relations
are highly engaged in Quality Assurance.
As a result of our compromise, UPV has been awarded the EFQM
(European Foundation Quality Management) label “COMMITTED
TO EXCELLENCE”.

7. International Exchange
700 Higher Education partner Institutions in 54 countries

8. 8
Mobility data
The UPV is among best
universities in sending and
hosting students.
• 4th European University in incoming
students.
• 5th European University in outgoing
students.
• 1st Spanish University in Erasmus
mobility for placements.
• 1st Spanish Technical University in
sending students under the Erasmus
Programme.
• 7th European University in Teaching
assignments under Erasmus

9. Language Centre

10. 10
The Language Center provides the following services in the field of
foreign languages to the whole university community:
A) Language courses
B) Official Exams
C) Teaching Support
D) Translation and review of research articles
The aim of the CDL is to create a flexible academic and
administrative structure within the UPV able to respond to all demands
and needs relating to the knowledge of foreign languages ​​in order to
facilitate the integration of its members in the European Higher
Education Area.
Language Centre

11. ACLES /CERCLES
11
ACLES
Spanish Association of Language
Centres in Higher Education
62 Universities
www.acles.es
CERCLES
European Confederation of Language
Centres in Higher Education
22 countries
290 University Language Centres
www.cercles.org

12. Context: international
Spain has a national strategy for
internationalising higher education
Between 51 and 75% of Spanish universities had
adopted internationalisation strategies in 2013-2015

13. Context: national
Strategy for the internationalisation of
universities of the Spanish Ministry of
Education 2015-2020
Estrategia para la internacionalización de las universidades
españolas 2015-2020 (Ministerio de educación)
Conference of Rectors of Spanish
Universities: linguistic policy framework
for the internationalisation of the Spanish
University system
Documento marco de política lingüística para la internacionalización
del sistema universitario español (CRUE)
Key role of administrative & staff service in
the internationalisation of universities
To increase the number of bilingual degrees
To promote the learning of acceptable level of
English
Guidelines to design a quality language policy in a
changing and increasinly international context

14. Spanish Universities : initiatives
Improve the multilingual and intercultural communicative competence
Implementation of bilingual/multilingual
educational models
Based on the
participation of a variety
of stakeholders
CLEAR DEFINITION OF THE
OBJECTIVES

15. CHANGES
the development of the
linguistic and pedagogical
skills of teachers
the successful
implementation amongst
students
the effective management
of the programmes on the
part of administrative units
Bilingual/multilingual programmes in
higher education INVOLVE:
TO BUILD A
SUCCESSFUL
STRATEGY
HARMONISATION
OF THE NEEDS
SOLID BASE

16. Context: the UPV
Objective Multiligual ASS
Certification of
Administrative
and Service
Staff (ASS)
UPV Internationalisation language policy

17. Actions
• To identify the administrative positions where the use of foreign
languages is necessary.
• To pay special attention to improving the language skills of this group
• To consider the inclusion of a linguistic requirement in the promotion
of certain managerial positions as well as for newly created
positions.
• To promote their participation in mobility programmes and in
internationalisation actions at home.
Context: the UPV

18. Designing a language programme
ASS at the
UPV
Needs
analysis
Of the
institution
Of ASS
Results
DESIGN OF A LANGUAGE
PROGRAMME

19. UPV Needs analysis
Focus group
List of questions but
encouraged to contribute
with anything they thought
relevant
12 participants in 2 groups
representing different ASS
profiles
Focus group interaction
recorded and major
themes coded and
categorised

20. Questions raised
USE OF ENGLISH AT
WORK
• Do you use English?
• In which situations?
• Who do you use it
with?
• What challenges have
you encountered?
SKILLS
• Which skill do you
think is most useful
for you at work?
• For which type of
activity?
LANGUAGE LEARNING
• What type of course would
be useful?
• Which teaching/learning
method would you prefer?
• Which level would you
need?
• Which topics are most
useful for your line of
work?
RESOURCES
• Which language
resources would be
practical when using
English at work?
• For which type of
activity?
MOTIVATION
• What motivates you in
a language course?

21. Results
Focused on
speaking
interaction:
international
accents
Multicultural
knowledge
and socio-
pragmatic
adequacy is a
concern
Specialised
writings (i.e.
research
agreements
require
common
terminology)
and emails
IT staff
report
telephone
use
Skills needed
Module
flexibility is
key: short
term
buildable
modules
Classroom
based
activities
preferred
Learner
centered
and based
on analysis
of their
specific
needs
Learning/teaching
methodology
Many activities are common
to different PAS profiles
Different profiles with
common needs

22. Results
Use of English at work
• Face to face interaction with international visitors
• Emails
• Drafting of research agreements
• Telephone support to international university members (IT personnel)
Language learning method
• Classroom based
• Distance for writing and resources
• Specialised modules
• Short buildable courses
Skills
• Speaking skills
• Mediation skills and intercultural communication (Socio –pragmatic appropriateness)
• Common terminology
Resources
• Terminological databases
• Model documents
Motivation
• Schedule
• Tailor-made
• Valued by the institution (salary/professional promotion)

23. framework for ASS language training
UPV online
platform
Classroom based
training
Formulaic
language
Task based
language
teaching
Shared
terminology
resources
• Open access
• Collaborative
• Multimedia resources
• Teacher-Learner interaction
• Based on needs analysis
• Customizable modules
• Learner-centered
• Communicative

24. Framework: Formulaic language
 Between 20% and 50% of discourse is made up of formulaic sequences (Alali & Schmitt,
2012)
 Communicative needs of “concrete type and immediate priority” (A2 descriptor) can be
achieved by formulaic language
 Formulaic language are common in adult language learning, particularly in early stages,
as they are easy to learn and can satisfy communicative needs (Ellis, 2015)
 Formulaic sentences can improve the impression given by the L2 production of a
language learner
 Formulaic language can be taught by distance and using computer platforms
Formulaic
language

25. Framework: Task based language teaching
 Accountability – practical use of resources (time/financial)
 Relevance – increases motivation, optimises effort
 Learner-centered
 Practical for English for occupational purposes (tailor-made)
TBLT starts with a task-based needs analysis to identify the target tasks
for a particular group of learners – what they need to be able to do in the
new language. (Long, 2015)
Task based
language
teaching

26. Framework: Shared terminological resources
 ASS role in the internationalisation of Universities – creating a common core
of documents and terminology
 Common words across countries and institutions – better understanding
 Useful for pragmatic appropriateness (emails, requests, letters, etc.)
 Useful for highly specialised fields (i.e. reseach agreements)
 Can be disseminated and used collaboratively with online platforms
Shared
terminology
resources

27. Conclusions
Motivational
Time
and cost
effective
Practical
For ASS
For our
institution
TAILOR-MADE

28. Julia Zabala Delgado - juzadel@upv.es
Cristina Perez-Guillot - mcperez@upv.es
International Conference 2018, Prague