Jagiellonian Language Centre awarded the EAQUALS certificate

He added that the efforts of the university to obtain this document took more than two years.

The quality certificate was awarded to the Jagiellonian Language Centre by EAQUALS (Evaluation & Accreditation of Quality in Language Services) after a rigorous quality assessment process, covering various aspects of the Centre\'s educational activity.

"With this prestigious distinction, the Jagiellonian Language Centre becomes a member of the international elite of institutions providing language services" - noted Director of the Jagiellonian Language Centre Monika Stawicka.

She explained that the EAQUALS (eaquals.org) experts create the language policy in Europe and set the quality standards for teaching and learning foreign languages. They were involved in the creation and implementation of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), now widely used in Europe and beyond, which defines the language skills at levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2.

EAQUALS is an independent, non-commercial organisation acting under the auspices of the Council of Europe (by which it has been granted participatory status). It sets the international standards for effective language teaching and awards prestigious quality certificates to institutions that meet these standards.

In order to receive EAQUALS accreditation, an institution must meet 50 standards and receive a positive result in all 12 categories of audit, which evaluates, for example, the effectiveness of the curriculum, professionalism in academic and administrative management, support for students.

EAQUALS inspectors decided that the Centre meets all the requirements to become accredited member. Classes, programs of courses, principles of management, teaching materials, and methods of testing the knowledge of students have been found compliant with the required quality standards.

The Centre’s director emphasised that the quality certificate awarded by EAQUALS is the first such distinction awarded to a language centre of a higher education institution in Poland. In addition to prestige, it also increases the attractiveness of the university by guaranteeing the quality of the courses. Additionally it ranks the Jagiellonian University and the Centre in the elite league of institutions for which teaching foreign languages is an important matter. EAQUALS accreditation also means the opportunity to speak at the Polish and international forum in the discussion on language education.

Stawicka admitted that now the tasks of the unit would maintaining the current standards and the further development of the Centre.

"(...) We are counting on the continued support of the university authorities, further cooperation with the faculties of the Jagiellonian University, the student government or the PhD Society, because language training, which is part of university education, it is our common cause. And success obliges. Not to mention the increasing competitiveness" - the director summed up.

PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland

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