History
The University of Manchester established in October 2004 was formed from the merger of the Victoria University of Manchester (VUoM) and UMIST and is the largest university in the UK with the size and resources to compete on a global scale. The University Language Centre is part of the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures, which comprises the research-rich disciplines of French, German, Italian and Russian Studies, East Asian Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Linguistics and English Language, and Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies. The School is home to the Confucius Institute at the University of Manchester (in partnership with Beijing Normal University), the Japan Centre NW, a Spanish Embassy Teachers' Resource Centre and a Goethe-Institut Prüfungszentrum.
The University Language Centre was formed through the merger of the previous VUoM Language Centre and the UMIST Language Teaching Centre. The University Language Centre:
- runs a 'mixed economy' of credit-rated and non-credit-rated activity.
- comprises a combination of English language teaching and foreign language teaching.
- is strongly committed to the exploitation of business opportunities in language provision.
- has a strong interest in the professionalisation of language teaching, underpinned by quality assurance mechanisms, continuing professional development, research and the sharing of good practice.
- employs a combination of full-time, pro rata and hourly paid staff.
- has open learning facilities - with multi-media self-access and teaching facilities for English Language in Oddfellows Hall, and a central open learning suite for all languages in Samuel Alexander Building.
- employs a number of support staff for admin/clerical and welfare purposes.
- is interested in developing research profiles in the context of the School.