Report of Certification Scheme for IWLP
The HEA, UCML, AULC Working group met three times between March and July earlier this year. This report is a statement on what has been agreed and achieved so far.
The UNILANG Scheme: aims
Language learning in universities exists in many different forms in higher education institutions across the UK. One area that has expanded significantly over the past 15 years is the provision for non-specialist language learners (also known as Institution–wide Languages Provision), with well over 54,000 students learning languages at universities in this way. This is to be celebrated.However, among students, teachers and employers there is a recognised need for some kind of light touch kite-marking model for languagelearning certification.
The primary function of the UNILANG scheme, therefore, is to help students articulate and translate what their language level means they can actually do in terms of the Common European Reference of Framework for Languages (CEFR). It will provide a recognisedcertificate that will inform students’ CV and explain to careers services, employers etc. the value of their languages and its currency at that moment and time. This certification method is in addition to/in parallel with the award of credits or other HE awards by the HEI concerned.
In additional, it is expected that the scheme will assist course providers (HEIs) to map their courses onto a transparent and translatable model. It will also act as a toolkit, with guidelines for best practice, for institutions which are interested in providing language courses for non-specialist learners.
The UNILANG Scheme: validation
A register of external examiners who can validate and approve the mapping of student learning outcomes on to the CEFR will be held and maintained by AULC. Approved examiners will be professionals who are experienced in applying CEFR descriptors to learning outcomes over a number of years. Written attestations would need to be supported by other experienced colleagues in the field. UNILANG certificates will only be issued for a particular language with the agreement of the appointed and approved external examiner. An approval committee will need to be set up for this purpose.
It has been agreed that the scheme will be called UNILANG and a logo has been created for recognition and certification purposes. HEA are still exploring any copyright issues related to the use of the name UNIULANG. To date, initial searches have given the all clear.
The UNILANG Scheme: launch
This year’s UCML-AULC UK-wide survey is set to elicit institutional responses to the scheme in principle; the survey has gone live this week. AULC hope to launch the scheme at their January conference in Cardiff. AULC and HEA are also planning to hold a series of workshops in 2016 to introduce prospective external examiners to the scheme.
Dr John Morley
AULC, Chair and UCML Representative for IWLP