Profile of the Institute

Teaching Profile

The Institute of Foreign Languages provides compulsory and optional courses of English, German, Russian, French and Italian for students of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Courses in Bachelor and Master Study Programmes are focused on general language and grammar, basic technical terminology and communicative skills. Computer assisted language learning is an integral part of compulsory courses. The compulsory courses are concluded with written and oral exams.

PhD students are required to attend language courses focused on languages for specific purposes and terminology according to the given specialisation. Special attention is given to oral delivery and written form of reports, presentations, letters etc.

The Institute provides a wide range of optional courses too; higher level courses or specialised courses (soft skills course, professional writing courses)

Great attention is paid to new technologies used in the language teaching (computer assisted language learning, blended learning, data projection, CD, DVD etc.).

Other activities

Scientific activities are focused on the areas of applied linguistics, they are closely connected e.g. with methodology and the areas of teaching languages for specific purposes. The staff of the Institute of Foreign Languages is actively involved in projects and grants. Their results are being applied in courses in order to improve language education.

The Institute of Foreign Languages has been appointed as a head of a pilot programme of Effective Communication in Technical/Scientific Writing for Leonardo da Vinci research project. The continuation project under Leonardo II is entitled Writing Professional English. The following projects were focused on practical training: English for Practical Training of Engineering Students I, English for Practical Training of Engineering Students II, English for Technical Communication in European Engineering Companies. Currently, another project - CADOS - is being carried out under Leonardo da Vinci. The project under Leonardo II for German language is called Deutsch im Maschinenbau and its product is available on-line. The Institute was the head of its pilot programme and the project was awarded the European Language Prize LABEL 2003 for it. The project Výuka jazyků s počítačovou podporou – CALL was focused on Computer Assisted Language Learning and establishing a specialized computer lab.

For further information about the individual projects, their websites and on-line versions see the Links.

The Institute of Foreign Languages is actively involved in Development Programmes of the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, aimed at internationalization of higher education.

The staff ensures translation and interpreting services for the faculty, and provides languages courses for its employees.

Professional Collaboration

The Institute of Foreign Languages cooperates with other BUT faculties and other Czech universities, language teaching organizations and authorities (Oxford University Press, Goethe Institute), and within the research projects also with universities and institutions abroad. The staff members participate in international conferences and seminars on teaching foreign languages. The Institute organises international conferences to support such collaboration (Multimedia and E-Learning in Teaching Foreign Languages in 2002, Languages for Specific Purposes in Higher Education - Searching for Common Solutions in 2006).