Mayor Officially Opens Relaunched Language Centre

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The University's Language Centre is celebrating 20 years of helping people to learn a new language, including English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese.

The Centre has moved from the University's St John's Campus to its Jenny Lind building in the City Centre.

The Mayor, Cllr Paul Denham, cut a ribbon to formally open the new Centre.

He was joined by the University of Worcester's Pro Vice Chancellor International, Heather Forland, and students and staff old and new for the event, including students from the University's Japanese partner university, Ibaraki.

Students on the CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) course " a qualification for teaching English as a foreign language " were also present.

Through CELTA, the University offers free English language classes to all nationalities, and some who currently use the classes also attended.

Gema Perez, from Murcia, Spain, said: "I work at an after school club and really wanted to improve my English. Coming to the University and learning from the students has been fantastic."

Tia Yeomans, 20, is in the second year of a degree in English Literature at the University and is taking the CELTA module.

She said: "I decided to take this module because I want to travel and work abroad. This qualification gives me an excellent skill to take with me. I really enjoy coming each week and teaching the students. We have all become really close. It's fantastic to be able to get real teaching experience, and it gives those students the opportunity to learn."

Language taster sessions were on offer during the week, including Italian, Turkish, Mandarin and Dutch and the theme of the week is "Where will your Languages Take You".

Cllr Denham said: "This relocated Language School at the University improves the facilities available to its growing number of international students. I was very impressed by the students I met."

John Hankinson, Director of the Language School, said: "It was wonderful to welcome the Mayor to the relaunch and recognise the valuable work we are doing to develop people's language and language teaching skills, both from an academic perspective and as a service to the local community and beyond."

Anyone with enquiries about CELTA or languages can email languagecentre@worc.ac.uk.