Page 15 - ELG1601 Apr Issue 435

ELIatefl special
April 2016 Page 15

Spending your summer at uni

Melanie Butler discovers that UK universities have plenty
to offer general English students over the summer months

tudents coming to the theme-based lessons and a full
UK aged over eighteen social programme. The general
Slooking for a British- English summer course at the
Council-accredited summer University of Leeds runs 4–10
course on a university cam- weeks and can be done full or
pus – here’s a simple idea: why part time. Sheffield University,
not enrol in one that’s actually by contrast, offers an intensive
run by the university itself? 21-hour-a-week course compris-
Although many UK unis are ing 15 hours of general English
filled to the brim with prospec- and five hours of options, rang-
tive undergraduates needing to ing from English for business to
brush up their academic English background to Britain, together
with a pre-sessional course, a with tutorials and lectures.
good number also offer gen- Pretty much every university
eral English courses to students summer course offers a social
looking to spend time in a real programme, access to sports
university environment. facilities and entry to the hub
Many of the UK’s top univer- of British student life – the
sities offer this experience. Take student union bar. Most offer
UCL, ranked number seven in the the opportunity to live in uni-
world by QS, which prides itself Courtesy University of Liverpool versity accommodation, which
on being ‘London’s global univer- is reasonably priced and very
sity’ and offers three-week courses popular, so it’s best to book
in both spring and summer for early. Indeed it is the chance to
students from other universities live the life of a British student
worldwide. Applications are open CAMPUS CULTURE Experience the life of a British student by that’s one of the great attrac-
to any student with a minimum of enrolling at a UK university like Liverpool (pictured above) tions of this kind of course.
4.5 Ielts who wants to improve And then there is the teach-
their language and academic sity of Liverpool, for example, round, and students can sign up ing. University language centre
skills, as well as enjoy a packed lives up to its promise of ‘Eng- for anything between two weeks staff are among the most highly
cultural experience and life at one lish for everybody’ through its and a full academic year. qualified, most experienced
of the world’s top universities. Activate English courses, which Several other universities (and best paid) in the business.
A number of other elite Rus- offer 6–21 hours of classes concentrate on summer schools. Studying in this environment is
sell Group universities also offer covering general English, and The Manchester University Eng- for the serious student in search
holiday courses. The English options in either Ielts or social lish language summer school of good teaching as well as a
Language Centre at the Univer- and cultural studies. It runs year runs for 3–6 weeks and offers good time. n

EAP goes mainstream in Oz

Can you

Angela Snelgrove reports on how strong growth in the Australian prove it?
international education market has led to a boom in EAP jobs

ustralia continues to With international educa- national students has improved, need to develop academic lit-
experience growth in tion worth over AU$9 billion with English for academic pur- eracy skills. Then we’ll
Athe international student annually in Australia, the gov- poses courses now working more Adelaide University has gone
market, with 11,336 new students ernment’s first ever national closely with faculty members to one step further with its Inte-
in January 2016 – an increase of strategy for international educa- ensure students are as fully pre- grative Bridging Programme print it.
3.8 per cent from 2015, which tion – AIE2025 – aims to double pared as possible for the rigours Research, which is now a com-
was itself a record-breaking year this number by 2025 through a of academic studies. pulsory course for international
in terms of international student ten-year market development With the high demand for aca- students prior to doctoral higher
enrolments. There are currently plan. As part of the strategy, demic English courses in recent degree studies. This programme
319,892 international students the government is focusing on years, EAP can no longer be con- has been streamed into course-
enrolled on courses in Aus- the ‘competitive advantage’ of sidered a teaching specialisation, work and research strands and Get your story heard
tralia, with 29 per cent of these many of Australia’s universi- as many of the major English into discipline-specific com-
(nearly 100,000) from China. ties, which offer courses related language centres scramble to ponents, and is unique within
Of this total number, 15 per cent to water management, interna- recruit dozens of teachers on a Australian universities. n EL Gazette
(47,211 students) are enrolled tional health and agriculture, casual basis at the beginning of www.elgazette.com
in Elicos (English language subjects which will be increas- every new semester to cope with
intensive courses for overseas ingly in demand. There are also the demand for staff. However,
students, shorter intensive EFL plans to attract more students concerns remain as to the stand-
programmes). from Sub-Saharan Africa. ard of English of postgraduate
Brett Blacker, chief execu- Working with the Depart- international students, and some
tive officer of accredited ELT ment of Education and Training, universities are even insisting on
providers’ association English English Australia is currently compulsory bridging (founda-
Australia, said, ‘2015 set a new completing a survey of major tion) programmes.
record for international stu- regional Elicos markets, which At Monash University Col-
dents in Australia, surpassing will supply the vital informa- lege, which has the largest
the previous peak reached in tion government and education number of international students
2009. There were more students providers need to ensure that the enrolled in Australia (22,140 in
undertaking Elicos courses in provision of language and further 2014) and in 2015 employed
Australia than ever before.’ education programmes in Aus- 177 EAP teachers, the Monash
Australia’s biggest market for tralia aligns with the government’s English Bridging programme is
students in the last decade has long-term marketing strategy. in place for those who meet aca-
been China, and this trend con- Other changes which have demic requirements but have yet
tinues – with almost one quarter led to growth include the eas- to achieve the required standard
of new commencements in 2016 ing of entry requirements for of English. The University of
from there. However, students international students into Elicos Melbourne offers credit-bearing
from other markets are returning. programmes, the new simplified EAP courses to all postgraduate
‘It is positive to see contin- student visa framework (SSVF) international students to under-
ued growth from Colombia, which has reduced student visa take concurrently with their
Brazil and Thailand, as well as subclasses from eight to two, degree programmes during the
a return to growth from Korea,’ and the introduction of a single first semester, while the Uni-
says Blacker, ‘as these countries immigration risk framework for versity of Technology Sydney
provide students to all Eng- all international students. Blacker offers Academic English: Com-
lish Australia member colleges also points out that the variety munication Fundamentals as
across the sector.’ of programmes offered to inter- an elective for all students who