Foreign Languages and Intercultural Skills
The Centre for Language and Additional Skills (ZSZ) complements degree programmes with a wide-ranging programme of activities designed to support students in their academic and personal development. In addition to helping students acquire and develop language proficiency, the ZSZ promotes intercultural, media-related, methodological, social and personal skills – all of which are essential for success in their studies, careers and international collaboration.
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Our key priorities in teaching:
Reinforce skills. Broaden horizons. Foster understanding.
The Centre for Language and Additional Skills is Ulm University’s central institution for linguistic, intercultural and interdisciplinary education. We support students, PhD candidates and other members of the university community in developing their skills in a targeted manner and preparing themselves for the demands of an international scientific and professional environment.
Our courses combine a scientific foundation with practical skills development. They foster linguistic fluency, intercultural sensitivity, critical thinking and personal development, whilst opening up new perspectives on cultural and social contexts. We create learning environments where understanding flourishes, different perspectives come to the fore and personal growth is fostered.
Our aim is to reinforce our learners’ ability to take action and prepare them for academic, professional and societal challenges.
Our range of courses
The Centre for Language and Additional Skills offers a range of courses that combine language training with the development of cross-disciplinary skills. Students from all disciplines can learn or improve their foreign language skills and specifically refine their communication skills for their studies, scientific work and careers.
In addition, we offer courses on transferable skills and future skills. These include, amongst others, scientific writing, presentation techniques, Intercultural Communication, project management and teamwork. In this way, we foster skills that support successful lifelong learning, international collaboration and career entry.
Our programme is tailored to the requirements of an international University and is continuously adapted to social, scientific and professional developments.
We offer the following subject areas and areas of expertise:
- Personal skills and working methods
- Media and social skills
- Philosophy and society
- Foreign languages, German as a Foreign Language (DaF) and intercultural competence
- Language and culture (basic, intermediate and advanced levels)
- Technical language
- Regional Studies / Literature
- Presentation Skills / Conversation / Argumentation in a Foreign Language
- Intercultural Communication / General and Comparative Cultural Studies
- Communication Studies / Rhetoric
Our commitment to quality
For us, quality in teaching and continuing education is an ongoing process of improvement. Our courses are based on the latest findings from research into language, education and higher education, as well as on tried-and-tested teaching methods.
Regular evaluations, close collaboration with subjects and feedback from our participants form the basis for the continuous development of our programme. Highly qualified teaching staff, innovative teaching methods and an atmosphere conducive to learning ensure that our teaching meets the highest standards.
Our aim is to create scientific and practice-oriented learning programmes that enable the sustainable development of skills and meet the demands of academic study, professional life and society.
Our range of courses covers scientific fundamentals as well as linguistic, communicative and personal skills. In this way, we create opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and prepare students to successfully tackle complex challenges in academia, the workplace and society.
PD Dr Roman Yaremko
, managing director of the ZSZ