Mission of LC 

The Language Centre (hereafter LC) of the University of Defence provides language training for all categories of students of the UoD as well as personnel of the Czech Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence. Besides foreign languages (English, French, German and Russian), the LC provides Czech language training for foreigners. Language training at the LC is focused mainly on preparation for language examinations according to NATO STANAG 6001. In addition to general development of language skills, language training at the LC aims at specific purpose terminology, reflecting specifics of the broad area of national security and defence, general military terminology as well as that specific to individual military branches and arms of service (e.g. logistics, aviation, air control, medical element.)

Position and main tasks of LC 

The LC provides foreign language training within all types of degree programs at all three faculties of the UoD and within various types of language courses for personnel of the Czech Armed Forces, both in accordance with requirements of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. The LC provides support to the UoD faculties and other components in the area of staff language competency, in particular with regards to the capability to provide education in the English language. The LC is the only institution in the Czech Republic accredited to conduct examinations according to NATO STANAG 6001 in English, French, German, Russian and Czech languages. The LC constructs and maintains its own language tests. Besides the NATO STANAG 6001 tests, these include placement tests and entrance exams.

The LC, as a part of the UoD, strives continuously to develop and increase its effectiveness, incl. an internal quality management system. This is inevitably connected with LC research activities and with the implementation of the findings not only in language training at the UoD, but also within the Czech Armed Forces as a whole. The LC key research areas include motivation for learning languages, strategies in teaching and learning languages, corpus linguistics, two-stage language testing, and ICT in language testing and training.

The LC cooperates with other language institutions of the Czech Armed Forces, Czech universities, universities abroad, primarily with the military ones. The LC is a member of, and participates in activities of, several professional and expert organizations and committees, e.g. NATO BILC, CASAJC, CERCLES, CEDEC Language Platform etc.

The LC staff is also involved in translating, proofreading and consulting on various documents as required by the UoD management. On regular basis, the LC teachers and testers provide consultations not only to students and academic staff of the UoD but also to the Czech military and MoD personnel individually increasing their language competency. To support its teaching and consultation activities, the LC develops and operates the E-learning platform ‚Languages for the Military.‘

Individual departments of the LC are located in Brno (incl. the LC directorate), Prague, Chocerady, Olomouc, Hradec Králové, Vyškov and Prostějov.