DEPARTMENT FOR SPECIALIST LANGUAGE TRAINING

Head:
PhDr. Hana Reichová

Žerotínovo náměstí 9, 601 77 Brno
tel.:05 - 42128376

The Department for Specialist Language Training provides language education at MU's non-philological faculties: the Faculties of Economics and Administration, Medicine, Science and Informatics. Since September 1 1997, it has also been operating at the Faculties of Arts and Education.

The Department teaches MU students the specifics of specialist language in English, German, French, Spanish and Russian. It also organizes courses in the Czech language for foreign students. At the Faculties of Medicine and Law, the Department teaches specialist medical and legal terminology in Latin and holds courses on rhetoric.

In the building of the MU Rector's Office there is a self-access centre for languages open to students and staff of all faculties. This centre was opened in 1996, initially providing study materials for English only. In 1997 the demand among students for materials in other languages became so great that the centre's remit was extended to satisfy the requirements of students of German, French, Spanish and learners of Czech of as a Foreign Language. Students can make use of teaching programmes which help to broaden knowledge of language plus CD-ROM encyclopaedias on medicine, natural science and the arts, video films, satellite television and a library. Experience gained since the opening of the self-access centre for languages and reports from similar centres at other European universities testify to the importance of "independent learning". At the end of 1997, the self-access centre as a unit of the Department of Specialist Language Training was accepted into the CERCLES international organization of university language departments which makes possible - among other things - the Department's connection to the European network.

As a part of their academic work, many of the Department's teachers are involved in postgraduate study programmes (mainly at the Faculty of Arts), and some are involved in grant projects, one of which - "The Refugee Act in Combination with Foreign Language" international project - is in the last stage of processing by the Departments of Law and International and European Law and has already been recommended and approved on by the Board of Directors of the Jan Hus Educational Foundation. Together with the University of Wales (Great Britain) MU submitted an application for grant support within the Socrates programme.