Foreign and domestic partnership

The Language Center has developed cooperation in the framework of different language learning projects with various institutions of higher education both in Estonia and outside of Estonia. The Center participates in the work of the annual seminar of the foreign language teachers of Estonia and Finland Communication Skills Workshop (CSW), where the main focus lies on the new directions in language learning.

In the years 2001 – 2006 the Center participated in the PEP project of the British Council, in the framework of which, along wiht a study-methodological continuing studies under the guidance of the teacher trainer Robert Buckmaster, the Center compiled the specialty related and methodological library and acquired a contemporary study technique.

As cooperation partners, the Center participated in the Leonardo da Vinci language projects QALSPELL (2003 –2004) in the framework of which were developed uniform requirements for foreign language exams of institutions of higher education, (specialty related language), compiled assignments for the final exam of specialty related language, confirmed the procedure of the exam and the evaluation criteria.

In cooperation with the lecturers of the Language Center of the Latvian Police Academy, the Center arranged joint seminars, discussed issues connected with teaching the police specialty related language, compilation of study materials and the methodology of teaching; the Center is currently compiling an ONLINE dictionary for the students of the rescue service and police and for the civil servants already employed in their specialties. Professor Mark Garden from University of Aberdeen (Scotland) and Enn Veldi from Tartu University have also been involved in compiling the dictionary.

In cooperation with the British Council, the Center organized in March-April 2008 in Paikuse Police School of the Academy an international English language training (ITPSSM) for police officers and for border guard and customs officers; continuing training is to be expected in spring of 2009. At the training, the language necessary for professional communication is acquired.

In the framework of ERASMUS program, the Center has, as of the year 2007, carried out an Estonian language course on the basis of the English language (EILC), in which participate foreign students from different European countries who after passing the course start their studies in different Estonian institutions of higher education and along with that, continue their Estonian language studies.

Effective and sustainable was the cooperation project with the Norwegian Defence Academy (2007, 2008 April – May) in the framework of which, the Center taught nine of their cadets the Russian language. The language studies were supported by an extracurricular cultural program (the National Library, a Tallinn city excursion, Rocca al Mare Open Air Museum, Russian Drama Theatre etc.); the students of the Academy with Russian as their mother tongue were involved in the project in the capacity of support persons.

In cooperation withATAK, the Center provides various specialty language trainings for the employees of different state agencies:

• Ministry of Interior;
• State Chancellery;
• the Parliament;
• The Citizenship and Migration Board;
• the Police and Border Guard Board;
• the Rescue Board;
• different city governments and rural municipalities.

 Cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Research, The Integration and Migration Foundation, Tartu University and Tallinn University, enabling the provision of language related projects (language projects of the Estonian language as a second language) to be successful: “Levels of language skills and their evaluation”, “A new learning system of the Estonian language and the dual language studies in Tallinn University”, “Development of Estonian language learning and study materials in a vocational schools with a foreign language as a language of instruction” etc.