English for Practical Training of Engineering Students II

Results

Benefits for sending institution:

The main objective of the project was to improve communication skills of participants in engineering English. The participants enriched their knowledge of specific technical terminology that is in real conditions in the Czech Republic rather passive, mostly limited to reading of technical literature. This was achieved through lectures, workshops, presentations of student projects, teaching materials acquisition, discussions with Norwegian students and colleagues from universities and university colleges and also from the industry. The participants found out that active professional communication is a necessary prerequisite for successful performance of lectures and consultations in technical English and also for quality preparation of students for their professional career in industry, where English is required as a language of communication.

The sending institution will also benefit from the acquisition of new methods of teaching and teaching materials (including on - line) that will be used in the development of new study programmes at FME BUT in English.

Benefits for receiving institution:

Both the hosting institution and other visited tertiary institutions in Norway will be provided with access to extensive professional experience and knowledge of FME BUT teaching and researching staff and with access to a wide choice of study programmes offered by FME BUT. Supported by the Norwegian universities and university colleges, engineering English competences of FME BUT staff will improve and new study programmes in English will be developed, which in turn enlarge a spectrum of engineering courses taught in English for those Norwegian students who would like to study at FME BUT.

Within the bilateral agreement between FME BUT and tertiary institutions in Norway, this LdV mobility is the first language - oriented exchange of engineering teaching staff. A combination of professional teaching experience and targeted improvement of engineering English competences proved to be very beneficial for both institutions involved in the project and should be encouraged in future through similar activities.