Language Centre

25th AULC Annual Conference

Read the press release

AULC Conference programme with abstracts

Call for papers submission

University of Exeter 25-26 April 2024 

The University of Exeter will be hosting the 25th annual conference of the AULC on Thursday 25th and Friday 26th April 2024, welcoming language educators from languages departments and language centres in the UK, Ireland and beyond. The conference will be held in person, in Exeter.

The Association of University Language Communities in the UK & Ireland (AULC) represents University wide language learning across higher education, with 70 member Universities, as well as associated cultural institutes and government departments. Collectively language centres teach in excess of 70,000 students per year across the UK, in at least 35 different languages.

The conference title is New Directions for University-Wide Language Programmes: Challenges and Solutions in Innovation, Inclusivity and Community Building.

The aim of the conference is to enable language educators and scholars to present and discuss their practice, pedagogies and research around the following three broad strands:

  1. University-Wide Language Programmes today
  2. Innovation in language teaching and learning
  3. Inclusivity, community building and local communities

Keynotes:

 

Principal conference sponsor

Cornelsen offers courses and educational media such as textbooks, workbooks and teaching materials for learners and teachers of German as a foreign language.

Cornelsen Deutsch als Fremdsprache (DaF) website

The conference title is New Directions for University-Wide Language Programmes: Challenges and Solutions in Innovation, Inclusivity and Community Building

The aim of the conference is to enable language educators and scholars to present and discuss their practice, pedagogies and research around the following three broad strands:

  1. University-Wide Language Programmes today
  2. Innovation in language teaching and learning
  3. Inclusivity, community building and local communities

Themes:

  • The role and sustainability of UWLPs today
  • Intercultural competence and language learning communities
  • Inclusivity and curriculum design
  • Decolonising language teaching
  • The role of UWLPs to address linguistic diversity in local communities
  • UWLPs and collaborations for philanthropic purposes
  • Commercialisation in UWLPs
  • UWLPs and collaborations for philanthropic or educational purposes
  • Innovation in assessment
  • Artificial Intelligence and technology-enhanced teaching & learning
  • New trends in language teaching and learning
  • The Year Abroad, Internationalisation at home, and the role of UWLPs
  • Certification of language learning
  • Collaborations with other national and international HE institutions

Delegates will have an opportunity to exchange viewpoints on teaching and learning approaches and reflect on the challenges and possible solutions to address today’s social, cultural and political scenarios.

Submission guidelines

We invite submissions for 20-minute presentations, one-hour workshops or one-hour panel discussions. If you would like to submit a proposal on a topic related to any of the above themes, please complete this online form with an abstract of up to 300 words.

The closing date for submission of abstracts for the call for papers for the AULC conference is Friday, 23rd February at 10am.

We look forward to receiving your submission!

We expect to notify contributors by the end of February whether their submission has been accepted.

If you have any questions, please email Dr Juan García-Precedo, Director of the Language Centre, University of Exeter: J.M.Garcia-Precedo@exeter.ac.uk

The conference and exhibition will be taking place in The Forum, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4SZ.

Car park C will be the best place to park (daily car parking charges apply). Please find all the details here:

Car parking | Campuses and visitors | University of Exeter

Hotel booking:

Guests can book a room at the Mercure Rougemont hotel, which is also the venue for the conference dinner, with a 10% discount via Central Reservations by going to their website, specifying the dates of their stay and entering one of the below codes in the preferential code area:

  • For BB pre-paid rates, use the code EVEBDV
  • For BB flexible rates, use the code EVEBB

Bendene Town House in Exeter city centre - contact number 01392 213526.  Delegates will receive 12% discount, which is applied automatically when booking direct.

Things to do in Exeter:

  • Exeter cathedral is a must while you’re in Exeter. Its beautiful 1,000-year-old architecture makes it one of the most recognisable parts of the city. You can explore it at your own pace between the hours of 10am and 16:30pm at the price of £7.50 per adult, or you could book onto one of their guided tours. Whilst you’re there, the Cathedral Shop and the Ten Fifty outdoor café are worth a visit.
  • Exeter quay offers a lovely walk with picturesque views and a variety of cafés, restaurants and shops that are a great way to spend a relaxing few hours.
  • The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, open from 10:30-17:00 on Tuesdays and from 10:00 Wednesday to Sunday, is another of Exeter’s magnificent older buildings worth having a wander round. It has an array of interesting collections and exhibitions that they regularly update - all available to the public for free.
  • Exeter’s high street is also a great source of entertainment. Its shops, cafés, pubs and restaurants have a lively atmosphere - enjoyed by all!

Places to visit near Exeter:

  • Topsham: A 15-minute drive or train ride from the university, Topsham is a charming little town with a rich history reflected in its characteristic architecture.
  • Exmouth: 30 minutes away from Exeter by car or train is the small beach town of Exmouth. And, nearby the Jurassic Coast begins which stretches into Dorset. If you have the time, we would recommend you travel a bit further down into the South-West and visit more of them.
  • Dartmoor: the South-West is an area of exceptional natural beauty and Dartmoor is a prime example of this. This national park makes for lovely walks and has many quaint nearby villages accessible by car or by bus.

Contact us

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