The English Language Unit (ELU) has embarked upon an initiative supporting more than 470 international postgraduates as they follow their programmes at the University.
The new challenges to the ELU to design and deliver the University’s International English support programme which is available to all students of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) level 6.0 and 6.5, is designed to deliver English language needs of postgraduate international students as they meet the academic demands of their respective departments.
The unit targets aspects of academic English such as paraphrasing, synthesising, summarising sources for academic writing, critically comparing and evaluating concepts in academic reading, accuracy in grammar and pronunciation, and developing academic presentation skills. Six ELU tutors deliver 90 hours of tuition per week, targeting science and engineering, arts and humanities, business and management, architecture, law and computer science, liaising very closely with departments.
Clive Newton, Deputy Director of the Unit said: “With international students predicted to make up possibly 25% of the total student body by 2014, the ELU contributes to the University’s aim to be a global university!”