The key theme this issue is alternative approaches to education with articles by Robert O’Dowd on internationalising the classroom through Virtual Exchange, Heiner Bottger, Julia Dose and Tanja Mueller on how a different font type and colour can help or hinder reading fluency and a challenging article by Svetlana Popova on how ICTs can be used to motivate Generation Z students (born post 2000) to learn more effectively. To learn more please visit TLC Archive.

In the framework of language training at the Faculty of Economics, students are preparing to take exams in General and Business English. Twice a year they are provided with an opportunity to confirm their level of foreign language proficiency at the international level.

Participants discussed the issues of the global economy, international finance and foreign economic activity. Seminars on Business English for MA students were conducted by Barry Tomalin of Loughborough University London, the author of well-known works on intercultural and business communication.

Russian-Korean Dialogue is an open forum intended to discuss topical public issues, as well as issues of Russian-South Korean relations. The forum is designed to establish a constructive dialogue between representatives of all spheres of public life of the two countries and maintain a solid basis for cooperation regardless of current political situation.

This full-time programme was introduced in the framework of a collaborative agreement with the University which is part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. The term of study is 2 years.

In the course of 8 days in October, the festival was attended by the largest delegation from Moscow consisting of 850 people (with over 10,000 applications submitted). The forum welcomed young politicians, entrepreneurs, musicians and journalists and offered lectures, seminars and joint projects. Discussion topics covered technology, politics and the future of social policies. RUDN University students participated in sporting events (including athletics, volleyball and basketball), attended cultural events, and shared their opinions on different topics during discussions and round tables. The future economists also communicated with well-known politicians, writers, sportsmen, public figures, and the representatives of foreign delegations.

The meeting covered issues associated with the implementation of the priority project Development of the Export Potential of the Russian Education System, including the BRICS space, The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the CIS. The meeting incorporated round table discussions on the following topics: (1) improving and developing the regulatory framework for the training and accommodation of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation; (2) creating a set of measures to increase the attractiveness of Russian higher education, including the development of networking potential; (3) creating favourable conditions for foreign citizens studying within the territory of the Russian Federation; (4) promoting Russian education as a brand in the international market of educational services.

Next year’s ICC 2018 Conference will be hosted by Ifigenia Georgiadou of the Hellenic Cultural centre, and will take place in Santorini, one of the most beautiful and fascinating islands in the Grecian Aegean Sea with a tremendous culture and history.

The ICC 2018 Conference dates are May 4-6, 2018. Delegates will be able to stay in local hotels at low cost and take advantage of the beaches and tavernas of this beautiful Greek island. The local climate is very attractive with temperatures in May around 20-23 degrees. Further information is available at holiday-weather.com.

There is a lot to see on this and neighbouring islands. Participants will be able to add extra tourist activities before or after the conference and take advantage of the delightful location. We advise adding a day or more if they can schedule some time to tour the island. Further information about Santorini, its history and the volcano can be found at lonelyplanet.com.

The core theme of the ICC 2018 Conference will be Migration, Communication and Culture. One of the greatest challenges that Europe faces at the moment is dealing with the huge increase in economic and refugee migration, with the heart-rending dramas of migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa and the Middle East to find eventual security and a new life. The number of migrants has caused problems at political, economic, housing and security levels; in some countries there has been internal political unrest.

Our concern as Europe’s International Language Association is language learning and cultural integration. Our role as educators means that we need to assist with the design and planning of the language training and cultural engagement that this migration makes necessary. What are the most successful projects for migrant culture and language integration? What kind of society do we want to achieve? Is "Multiculti", the philosophy of multicultural societies without immigration restrictions, now a failing concept? If so, what can replace it to avoid sectarianism and internal strife?

Language and cultural policy and best practice are the questions we will address during the conference. There will be a number of well-known speakers and educators from Greece and around Europe.

The conference hosts and organisers are inviting educators to put forward a proposal for presentations and workshops at the Santorini conference. Please visit the conference page at icc-languages.eu to find more information on submitting proposals for papers. Alternatively, please contact Ozlem Yuges at ozlem.yuges@icc-languages.eu.

ILC has been working in the language educational field for over 10 years and remains among top five best language schools in Kiev. It caters for students of different professions and ages, ranging from school children to university students to CEOs of national and international companies. The student population is international, with students representing many countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas. The school employs 25 highly qualified and experienced professional teachers (70% freelance, 30% fully employed). The teachers consider their job as a vocation and have not only excellent command of foreign languages and a creative approach to teaching, but also numerous professional achievements, such as international certificates, work experience abroad, diplomas and several awards. ILC has significantly expanded their range of services and have opened a translation office, English children sports camp, international exam preparation centre, English testing centre for corporate clients and an English management school.

Ms Dzhemma Grebenko, Managing Director of ILC commented: "Our mission is to effectively and successfully satisfy the requests of our clients. Our values are high standards and quality of service, personnel professionalism and responsibility to clients."

Ms Inna Yatsyshyn, Director of Studies, noted: "I am very pleased that we have reached this important milestone. We have sent out a clear signal in Kiev that excellence in education starts with high quality training on the job. EUROLTA prepares talented teachers who are ready to excel in the classroom. We look forward to working with the ICC to help nurture and develop the next generation of teachers in Ukraine."

The conference was organised by BVV (the umbrella organisation of all non-commercial adult language institutions in Bavaria, Germany) inviting all EUROLTA trainers and the members of a work group whose main interest is the development and the marketing of the teacher training programme.

The keynote and workshop speaker was Ms Silke Riegler, a university lecturer and in-company trainer based in Munich. The challenge that teachers are facing nowadays is how to embed digital tools purposefully and effectively into the modern foreign languages classroom. Ms Riegler started the workshop by guiding the EUROLTA trainers through the maze of technical possibilities inside and outside the classroom. She gave an overview of what Internet and smartphone apps have to offer and how they can improve language learning.

It became apparent very fast that some trainers felt overwhelmed by the technology itself, while others feared that learners might not want to get engaged in digital communication. However, after a discussion about the advantages and challenges of using apps and the Internet in the classroom, the trainers quickly got involved in a hands-on session. They downloaded various apps and tried out a number of tasks themselves. Podcasts, Kahoot, Quizlet, blogs, wikis, QR codes, puzzle makers, videos, online dictionaries, online news, apps for vocabulary and grammar practice and weather apps were some of the tools discussed. Most of these apps are free, are accessible at different language levels and the possibility in using them is endless.

The speaker showed clearly that technology lends itself very well to personalised and independent learning where learners can work at their own pace, complete interactive exercises in class or at home and receive immediate feedback. Moreover authentic materials become more accessible to our learners. Ms Riegler showed that working with technology and incorporating learning apps in language classes can effectively add a new dimension to language teaching. New technology complements rather than replaces classroom learning.

You can contact the speaker at silke.riegler@t-online.de.

This issue also investigates business language teaching methodology, offers an interesting and valuable discussion on differences between English and Chinese, examines cultural and linguistic interpretations of Sappho, and many more. To learn more please visit TLC Archive.

The meeting was held in the format of expert sessions, public lectures, discussions featuring international and Russian scholars, specialists representing leading international universities and research organisations operating within the areas of RUDN University’s development trajectory. The IAB meeting provided a forum for experts to analyse the output of projects implemented as part of the University’s project roadmap in the first half of 2017, and present the new roadmap of RUDN University covering the period up to the year 2020.

The IRC meeting looked into two key agendas, which were (1) discussing the output of the University’s research centres (labs) covering the period of 2016 up to the first half of 2017, and (2) summarising the results of competitive tendering supporting research and R&D projects in 2018. During their stay in Moscow, members of the International Advisory Board also interacted with RUDN Universitys students, faculty and staff in the format of lectures delivered in English.

Prof Philippov attended the third seminar on youth policy in the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea to make a report on The adolescent period in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea: Family welfare, demographic and housing issues.

"I think you will agree that with the establishment of the Russian-Korean dialogue on youth policy, young people residing in Russia and the Republic of Korea get an excellent opportunity to consolidate their energy, interests and facilities to build bridges between our countries. Today, the key issue on the agenda is associated with the development of strategies to ensure young people’s transition to adulthood, and these strategies need to be developed at the level of public administration in the framework of cooperation between Russia and the Republic of Korea," noted Prof Philippov.

During their visit to Seoul, the delegation of RUDN University signed an agreement with the University of Foreign Languages (HUFS) on cooperation in the field of research and education. The priority areas are modern languages, political science and business management. The initial seminar will allow experts to discuss modern languages and exchange research experience.

This year will see the launch of a pilot programme of academic exchange for BA students majoring in legal studies. The programme is intended for the students of Law institute studying Korean, as well as the students of RUDN University coming from the Republic of Korea.

Following the meeting with Chon Kusan, the Rector of Sungkyunkwan University and head of the Education and Science working group, the two parties defined the areas of cooperation in the framework of joint educational programmes. A cooperation agreement to be signed in September will provide for free training of students majoring in International Law and Management.

Irina Nesterova, a graduate of Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, has successfully defended her dissertation on The presence of Soviet interest in the Canary Islands from the termination of the Franco era up to the period of the establishment of the Russian Federation: Possible impact on the Islands’ tourism economy.

Prof Moseykin also attended meetings with the administrative staff of the Faculty of Economics, Entrepreneurship and Tourism to discuss possible cooperation trajectories, students’ and teachers’ mobility, the development of joint programmes.

The conference was attended by 72 registered participants and covered 26 reports with 14 reports delivered in the course of the meeting. The speakers represented RUDN University, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow Academy of Entrepreneurship under the Government of Moscow, Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the auspices of the President of Russian Federation, National Research University – Higher School of Economics. Further information is available at agora.guru.ru/rudn_globalXXI.

The video is available on YouTube (in Russian).

Eurasian Week is a yearly exhibition forum organised by the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union and the Eurasian Economic Commission. The forum was launched in 2015 following a resolution of the Prime Ministers of the EEU states. The forum aims to become an effective platform for cooperative dialogue intended for business people and experts to discuss topical issues of economic development in the face of global challenges and to further jointly develop strategic solutions to these problems.

In the framework of this year’s Eurasian Week, the representatives of business and government agencies discussed applied issues associated with the development of competitive products and their introduction to the external market in the context of dynamic changes in technology, production and logistics, as well as changing product requirements. The forum exhibited presentations of export-oriented companies representing five countries, provided an opportunity to establish business contacts and conduct B2B meetings between the Union states and the representatives of third countries.

CoMoViWo was designed to define the skills needed in virtual and mobile work in a multicultural environment; to reflect shared communication literacy required from managers and employees; to integrate a comprehensive view of communication, cultures, new technology, as well as virtual and mobile work life; and to develop joint training modules for higher education students and business representatives. These will soon be available for public use.

The Conference focused on ways to achieve genuine intercultural communication using the Internet, how the Open University in the UK organises its programmes and supports learners and how e-learning can be made interactive and motivating through e-books. In addition there were highly engaging presentations on automated speech recognition and the use of video games as a learning tool. There were wider perspectives from the worlds of testing and publishing and discussions on language as a soft power tool. One session was dedicated to being virtually intercultural in the classroom. This was followed by a session on language, culture, and influence – how virtual language and culture training can support national profile. Throughout, the underlying theme of what New Media might mean for teachers and teacher education was what drove the two days.

ICC EUROLTA members enlightened the delegates with various topics: EUROLTA Blended – Teaching Languages in Americas, a session on Becoming a Great Online Teacher and From Dreams to Reality with EUROLTA. Our speakers were Ursula Stickler, Robert O’Dowd, Eva Groestenberger, Ian McMaster, Thomas Kelly, Barry Tomalin, Rob Williams, Michael Carrier, Claudia Schuhbeck and Salvador Galindo and Marjo Joshi.

Full details, along with slides and the gallery are available on ICC website at icc-languages.eu.

One of the greatest challenges that Europe faces at the moment is dealing with the huge increase in economic and refugee migration, with the heart-rending dramas of migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa and the Middle East to find eventual security and a new life. The number of migrants has caused problems at political, economic, housing and security levels; in some countries there has been internal political unrest.

Our concern as Europe’s International Language Association is language learning and cultural integration. Our role as educators means that we need to assist with the design and planning of the language training and cultural engagement that this migration makes necessary. What are the most successful projects for migrant culture and language integration? What kind of society do we want to achieve? Is "Multiculti", the philosophy of multicultural societies without immigration restrictions, now a failing concept? If so, what can replace it to avoid sectarianism and internal strife?

The conference hosts and organisers are inviting educators to put forward a proposal for presentations and workshops at the Santorini conference. Please visit the conference page at icc-languages.eu to find more information on submitting proposals for papers. Alternatively, please contact Ozlem Yuges at ozlem.yuges@icc-languages.eu.

"If culture was a house, then language was the key to the front door, to all the rooms inside," - Khaled Housseini.

The overall aims of Language and Culture in EUROLTA is to help trainees become aware of the issues involved in teaching a language and its culture in an adult education context. Teachers learn how language and culture relate. They become aware of the socio-cultural issues involved in language use and language learning. They develop sensitivity towards cultural differences and learn how to foster communication strategies in intercultural interactions through a series of practical hands-on classroom activities designed to increase cultural sensitivity.

The values and customs in the country we grow up in shape the way in which we think to a certain extent. This has been the philosophy of the EUROLTA Centre in Santorini, Greece. The Hellenic Culture Centre (HCC) organises a combination of teaching Greek as a foreign language and a cultural programme for adults who want to learn Greek and get acquainted with the rich Greek culture.

Ifigenia Georgiadou, the Director of HCC, firmly believes that the teaching of a foreign language is essentially an invitation to adult students to learn not only the language but also the culture of that country. The Greek language programme is supplemented by a parallel programme of educational and cultural activities. EUROLTA trainers organise several cultural events: traditional Greek dance lessons and Greek songs, visits to local farms, ceramics and cooking lessons, guided tours to vineyards or to churches are some of the cultural activities.

Culture is an essential part of our language. But how do we teach it? EUROLTA trainees learn how they can integrate culture-specific information in a general lesson on language. They learn WHAT and HOW culture can be taught. These are some of the key issues explored in EUROLTA teaching programme: What is culture? How can we define it? What role does it play in our lives, in our society, in our country? What is the relationship between language and culture? Can I teach one without the other? What culture do I teach? What are the dangers of stereotyping? What positive and negative consequences of stereotypes have you seen in your work, your life and your community? What can you do to challenge stereotypes? How does body language influence communication? What does culture mean in an increasingly globalised, connected world?

TLC is delighted to present a notable range of research including analysis of language corpora and their value and limitations in describing changes in language usage; analysis of the characteristics of semantic fields based on an international experiment recognising names of common birds; why it is that in the early stages little girls may be better at language learning than little boys, and more. To learn more please visit TLC Archive.

Prof Komova made an outstanding contribution to the development of such promising areas of research as linguistic identity in personal, political, socially-oriented and pedagogical discourse; the language of history and culture and grammatical semantics as an object of stylistics. Not only did Prof Komova’s professional qualities arouse admiration, but also her tact and dignity combined with subtle humour made an extraordinary impression on all who encountered her. Apart from her scientific achievements, Prof Komova was kind-hearted, sincere, always reliable and ready to help her colleagues, who will remember her forever.

RUDN University scored a total of 4 stars within 8 main categories. The University has made the list of the 26 top world universities, which also includes MIT and Glasgow University, recognised in this ranking as a four-star educational institution. It has also become the second Russian institution featured in this list of top universities, providing an excellent environment for students and staff. A typical four-star university is highly international, demonstrating excellence in both research and teaching.

QS Stars is a rating system that presents a wider picture of an institution’s qualities, considering everything from graduate employability to sports facilities and community engagement. It independently highlights the world’s top universities in a range of popular subject areas based on academic reputation, employer reputation, and research impact.

University Rector Vladimir Filippov noted: “We acknowledged that the University needed to play its role in making a fresh start to become one of the world’s best institutions. Scoring an overall four, which is an impressive first entry for the ratings system, RUDN University was successful because of its sustained efforts to build a stronger international credibility and extend its attractiveness that can pave the way to progress, including under the 5-100 Programme. This is a great starting point for us as we move to establish ourselves with a rating system among word’s best universities.”

According to the Round University Ranking, RUDN University ranks fourth among 104 Russian Universities. As well as being ranked among the top 5 national universities it is also featured as the best Russian university in terms of internationalisation.

The agreement provides for various joint academic and scientific activities potentially including:

• academic exchanges, visits by academic staff for lecturing and workshop sessions;
• organisation of joint scientific events (conferences, round tables and workshops);
• joint research within the framework of educational projects;
• development of teaching materials in the areas of linguistics and economics;
• joint application for grants awarded by the state, international, public, and private foundations.

Prof Moseikin discussed a cooperation programme between the Economics Faculty of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia and the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, and signed an agreement between the universities developing and coordinating double diploma Master and PhD programmes.

Presentations were delivered by RUDN University representatives:

• International Centre for Emerging Market Studies – Vice-Rector Prof Kyrabayev, Prof Bruno Sergio.
• The Russian Economy Under the Conditions of a New Reality – Dean of the Economics Faculty, Prof Moseykin.

The participants discussed:

• theories and history of media and communications;
• methodology of media and communications research;
• economics and management in the field of media and communications;
• media education and digital culture.

The conference to be held in Paris includes the following topics:

• Global challenges of migration in the world, the legal framework of citizenship and migration in Russia and the European Union.
• Issues of socio-cultural adaptation and integration of migrants: Does it mean the loss or preservation of Russian and national languages?
• Migration and the economy.

The participants discussed the issues of geopolitical cooperation between the EU states, Eastern Europe and Russia, social reforms in Europe and Russia, issues and features of regional socio-economic development.

The theme of the conference was Language Teaching and Technology in 2020, and topics of the talks included the impact of speech recognition, virtual exchange & internationalising the classroom, and teaching languages in the digital age.

Conference speakers came from various countries including Mexico, UK, Spain, Germany and Austria and the keynotes were delivered by Dr Robert O’Dowd, University of Leon in Spain, and Dr Ursula Stickler of the Open University in the UK.

The EUROLTA team led by Myriam Fischer-Callus are also working with Turku University in Finland to develop their idea of EUROLTA for Online Teaching, a training programme for teachers teaching online and in virtual learning environments. This is based on an earlier EU Project led by ICC, called EUROVOLT.

The book was written and co-edited with colleagues from the TIRF foundation in the USA, with chapters from digital experts such as Nicky Hockly, and Pete Sharma. The book includes chapters on blended learning, how to become a digital teacher, virtual reality, digital assessment, and case studies of research projects focusing on digital learning approaches. It will be reviewed in the next issue of TLC in September.

The project brings together universities from Turku, Gdansk, Valencia, Manchester and the ICC to produce materials to teach intercultural communication skills specifically for those who work across nations and for whom much of their communication does not take place face to face. Initial questionnaires identified online negotiation and meeting management as one of the key areas that people in the workplace felt they needed to improve as well as refining written communication.

The project aims to provide material for those attending courses – face-to-face, blended and online – as well as for self-study. It was the self-study element that was the main focus of the final project meeting in Turku in May. Following feedback from both external and internal evaluators, the team added an e-portfolio to the materials and a series of more detailed reflection tasks to enable the self-study learner to consolidate their understanding of the issues involved in virtual intercultural communication and how these might apply to their work. There was also the opportunity for teachers and other interested professionals to find out more about the project at a public event, where Rob O’Dowd spoke (perhaps appropriately given the nature of the project) via skype from Leon and a series of workshops were held by the project team. Future events will be held in Manchester and in Germany in June. The materials will be live for general use in August. For more information please visit comoviwo.eu or ICC website icc-languages.eu.

All over Germany, volunteers, government ministries, organisations and institutions helped the incoming refugees and initiated a huge number of projects. Our small town of Aschaffenburg in Bavaria (68,000 inhabitants) has recruited about 500 volunteers in different fields. The local government together with the volunteers are running innumerable projects such as clothes bazaars, sports activities, translating services, bicycle repair classes, football matches, German classes, swimming lessons, sewing classes, children’s play groups, cooking sessions, café meetings, counselling etc.

Persons granted asylum or refugee status receive a temporary residence permit. They are entitled to social welfare, child benefits, integration allowances and German courses. The latter has posed a major challenge. Mastering German is vital if the refugees are to be integrated in the German society and become full participants in the economy. The complexity of German led Mark Twain to quip that a gifted person ought to learn English in 30 hours, French in 30 days and German in 30 years. The need to overcome the language problem has become a pressing problem for the German government.

According to Financial Times (June 2, 2016), “Germany has doubled its budget for language courses to €559m this year, enough to send about 300,000 refugees on the 660-hour course that is meant to equip them with the certificates needed to work and a basic understanding of German society.” These language courses, funded by the state, consist of a language and an orientation component. They cover everyday topics and the refugees learn about dealing with administrative offices, writing emails and interviewing for a job. However, Germany is currently suffering from a serious shortage of teachers qualified to teach German as a second language to foreigners.

“Germany will need 20,000 new teachers for refugees” (Spiegel Online February 19, 2016). Many German states are offering a large number of teacher training courses in order to provide professionals with the necessary qualifications.

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) has recognised EUROLTA as a partial qualification for those professionals who have not studied German as a second language at a University. EUROLTA (European Certificate in Language Teaching to Adults) is an internationally recognised teacher- training programme for people who want to teach languages to adults using up to date methodologies. It is open to teachers of all language. For more information please contact Myriam Fischer-Callus at info@icc-languages.eu.

The Journal is published through the collaborative efforts of the International Certificate Conference – The International Language Association and Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia. In this opening issue, we are honoured to feature an article by Prof David Crystal, one of the world’s leading linguists, on the need for an online cultural dictionary. To learn more please visit TLC Archive.

Recent new members include Linguae Mundi, the International Department of Coventry University, and RUDN University (Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia) in Moscow.

The conference will take place from April 21 to April 23, 2017.

Our current project is ComoViwo, in collaboration with universities in Finland, Spain, Poland, and the UK. The project looks at the communication literacy needed by employees and managers to be successful in today’s virtual mobile work environment. The project defines the skills that professionals need to communicate, collaborate, understand different cultures, and effectively utilise technology in the workplace. You can find further information at comoviwo.eu.

To receive the newsletter, visit our website at icc-languages.eu to add your email address to the mailing list (your details will only be used for the newsletter).

The articles presented in TLC provide a diverse range of perspectives and challenging critical reflections on language and cultural training, as well as cultural awareness and international communication. The Journal also aims to cast an insightful look on the challenges connected with testing and assessment of language and cultural awareness.

Jack was born in Shepton Mallet, Somerset in 1943, of Irish parents. He was very aware of his Irish origins in Thurles, Co Tipperary. He was educated at Durham University (BA DipED) and Manchester University (MEd), was awarded honorary degrees and many other honours from several foreign universities.

Colleagues, students, and collaborators remember Jack as enormously encouraging and supportive. He was remarkable in his modesty, especially for someone so widely respected in his field. But he also had the self-confidence to pursue huge, long-term language/teaching projects until the rest of the field could see their value.

His first post abroad was with the Centre for British Teachers in Germany (CfBT, now Education Development Trust, UK), and he stayed with CfBT for eight years as trainer, head of the Materials Resource Centre and marketing manager. He then went on to lecture in more than three dozen countries worldwide. He was author and co-author of a great number of textbooks, including the long running Video in Language Learning for Cambridge University Press in 1984. He was one of the pioneers in the use of visual technology in language learning in the 1980s and 90s and produced audio, DVD and e-learning packages related to language learning and teaching, including a video guide for interpreters in immigration appeal courts entitled Interpreting Matters.

Jack was instrumental in helping set up the French language course En Train de Parler, for British train drivers on the Eurostar link between London and Paris. He also wrote several other publications in the field of English language learning and teaching.

He initiated the White Nights Teacher Training Summer Schools programme in St Petersburg Russia and also welcomed many foreign diplomats to University of Westminster’s Diplomatic Academy of London. He played a crucial role in almost all the developments in the Applied Linguistics department as it grew to be a major centre for linguistics before taking early retirement in 2008.

At Westminster, he was responsible for short courses and for running projects for specialist groups such as the Havana Medical University in Cuba and the training of the Beijing Police in liaison and communication prior to the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008.

As Joint Chief Inspector of the British Council Accreditation Scheme, he was closely involved in systems of quality control and, combined with his interest in assessment he was Director of MODLEB the Ministry of Defence Languages Examinations Board at the University of Westminster. As Chair of the ICC Board, he further developed and extended these activities, often incorporating them into EU-funded projects.

After retiring from Westminster and the position of ICC Chair, he worked as director of his own consultancy, Language Training London, where he acted as an applied linguistics expert in a number of EU- funded projects dealing with cross-cultural understanding, communication issues, and inclusion in the workplace, with specific reference to disabled and migrant workers, including the EU sponsored Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace series, Diverse Europe at Work.

For departmental colleagues, the intellectual loss is incalculable. But we will also miss his humour, his kindness to all and that warm smile with which he used to greet everyone, from established lecturers and professors to new students. A natural raconteur, Jack delighted friends and colleagues with his sharp wit and ebullient storytelling. Our thoughts are with his wife Ginny, sons Richard and John Peter and with his many friends, as they deal with his passing. May he rest in peace.

Parts of this obituary were also published in EL Gazette.

The EUROLTA teacher training programme is based on the learning by doing approach, and reflective practice, self-evaluation and a cooperative learning style. The program integrates theoretical knowledge and practical examples. Above all, it provides many opportunities for self-evaluation, peer and trainer assessment allowing room for experimentation. Trainees who complete EUROLTA develop their teaching competence, the self-confidence in the classroom, and know how to continue their development after training programme is over. EUROLTA has now become a symbol of quality assurance for the Volkshochschule (VHS) network of adult education institutions in Germany.

In addition to the regular EUROLTA programme, there is a new programme EUROLTA Online. This is a specialised course that offers practical skills knowledge and confidence for creating and running language courses in online environments. The training incorporates online tools and techniques into teaching methods and frameworks for teaching languages to adults. More information on EUROLTA is available at turkublogs.fi/eurovolteng.

The ICCs teacher training framework, EUROLTA, is being adopted by more and more language education institutions across Europe and beyond. New centres for EUROLTA training courses include Coventry University in UK, and Eurocsys in Mexico.

The topics and issues explored in EUROLTA are grouped into the following content areas:

• Language & Culture: How is culture integrated in a language course? How can the learners develop sensitivity for cultural diversity and intercultural issues?
• Language Awareness: How is communication competence described in the Common European Framework? How can grammar be taught in a communicative way?
• Language Learning: How do learners learn? How can teachers provide for individual learning styles and strategies in their teaching?
• Language Teaching: How can teachers help learners to learn? How can teachers make appropriate use of the media available in their institutional context?
• Planning & Evaluation: How can teachers plan lessons and assess their teaching? How can teachers assess learners’ language competence?
• Self-Assessment & Development: How can teachers improve their competence as language teachers? How can teachers recognise their own strengths and weaknesses and formulate their needs for further professional development?

EUROLTA is not a language certificate but a methodological/didactic certificate open to teachers of any language. Teachers of different languages attend the workshops together providing an intercultural experience among the participants which can have a beneficial formative influence. It is flexible and recognises the different educational environments that professionals work in. It is based on sound educational principles that apply to all environments and allows for various forms of delivery of the training programme according to the different regional traditions, contexts and conditions. Depending on the centre, the programme can be offered as an intensive or extensive course – face to face, blended or online.

EUROLTA appeals to employers and educationists. For training institutions and language schools the scheme offers internationally validated quality assurance with regard to teacher qualification. EUROLTA centres have testified that EUROLTA trained teachers know how to motivate their students and are extremely successful in classroom management and classroom dynamics, especially when dealing with heterogeneous groups.

Above all, EUROLTA enhances participants’ employment prospects. Many teachers engaged in the field of adult education look for opportunities to advance in their profession. They often do not have the possibility to gain certification for the tasks they are fulfilling. EUROLTA fills such a void. There are EUROLTA centres in Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, UK and US. We need more centres. For a list of centres to join a EUROLTA course or become a EUROLTA centre please contact Myriam Fischer-Callus at info@icc-languages.eu.

Being an integral part of the global education environment, RUDN University offers around 130 joint educational programmes run in collaboration with Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Czech Republic, China and the CIS countries. RUDN University students get two diplomas - the Russian and the foreign university ones - and a Diploma supplement including subjects from both.

In 2016, Faculty staff, including the staff of the Foreign Languages Dpt, participated in seven research projects financed from external sources, including the Federal Agency for Science and Innovations, the Russian Foundation for Humanities (RFH) and others. In 2016, research teams were required to publish articles in journals indexed in Web of Science and Scopus databases. All research teams fulfilled this requirement which led to a significant increase in Faculty publication activity.

Every year, the Faculty of Economics organises international, national, inter-institutional research and technical conferences and events, with international participation. In 2016, the Department of Foreign Languages held an international research conference Topical Issues of Linguistics and Teaching Methods in Business and Professional Communication. The conference gathered experts in the fields of theory and practice, current trends in profession-oriented foreign language teaching and the use of new information technologies in the learning process. It also covered translation teaching strategies at non-linguistic universities, topical issues of modern linguistics and intercultural communication as part of business communication. The Dpt also organised the Intercultural Business Communication summer school with participation of Loughborough University London, UK. We also hold a regular interuniversity research and practical distance seminar on Modern Trends in Applied Linguistics and Applied Translation.

Not just teachers but also students participate in our national and international events. Over the year, Faculty students participated in seven vocational training contests and eight professional exhibitions, including five international events. For details of our 2017 events including our International Conference in May please contact Prof Elena Malyuga at en_malyuga@hotmail.com or info@lspconference.ru.