Agreement of the Board of Governors of 14 March 2007, amended by agreement of the Board of Governors of 9 April 2008, by agreement of the Board of Governors of 14th may 2014 and by agreement of the Board of Governors of 26 April 2023.
 

Article 1. Functions of the Language Training Programme (Languages UPF)

The Programme's main function is to enable students at UPF to gain sufficient language skills in Catalan, Spanish and foreign languages. Its specificity means that it is a complementary offer to regular courses at UPF.

Its second function is to cover the specific needs of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and of the administration of UPF, within the field of the evaluation and accreditation of skills in Catalan, Spanish and foreign languages (level tests, proficiency tests, competence tests, official diplomas, etc.).

The Programme also offers a variety of language training, support and services to professional communities, especially to those at UPF (general courses, specific courses, made-to-measure courses, language advisory services, a translation and interpretation service, etc.).

Specialized units can be organized for each of these activities that are inserted into the Programme with their respective management structure.

Article 2. Programme languages

The central academic programming includes European foreign languages of specific weight: English, French, German and Italian, as well as Catalan and Spanish, which are of interest to newcoming students and teaching staff. Also, other languages of social and economic interest are offered, such as Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, etc.

Article 3. Academic programme

The general programme for each language is structured into a series of levels, starting from beginner's going to advanced. General courses have a duration of 90 hours.

The levels of the general foreign languages programme are reached in one academic year by passing the corresponding evaluation. The levels of the general programme for Catalan and Spanish are reached at specific points according to itineraries.

Language levels in specific courses are reached according to their calendars.

Article 4. Credit recognition

The courses offered by the Languages UPF may include the recognition of compulsory, optional and free elective credits in accordance with Royal Decree 1497/1987, dated 27 November, according to the regulations in force at UPF governing languages. In addition, these activities may be subject to academic recognition in credits in degree courses regulated by Royal Decree 1393/2007, dated 29 October, in accordance with the specific regulations passed by the University.

Article 5. Access requirements

In order to get access to the general and specific courses of the Languages UPF, you must be a university student or hold an equivalent university qualification to a bachelor's degree.

In order to get access to the general and specific courses of the Languages UPF, except beginner's level courses, a language level test must be taken so that students can be assigned to the corresponding level. The result of the test will be valid for one year.

Access requirements for other lines of the training offered by the Languages UPF may vary from the above.

Article 6. Calendar

Most courses will have a duration of one year, broken down into terms, although some may have complementary calendars (four-monthly, quarterly, monthly, modular).

The programming of the general courses of the Languages UPF is in keeping with the academic calendar for UPF undergraduate studies, so that examination and holiday periods are unaffected. Timetables are also adjusted to the needs of UPF regular courses.

Article 7. Evaluation of knowledge and accreditation

Each of the lines comprising the academic courses offered by the Languages UPF has a system of evaluation of knowledge adapted to the objectives, characteristics and target audience of the courses.

The Language Training Programme (Languages UPF) awards UPF certificates for its courses and within its general academic offer, has established three broad divisions that accredit levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

The Languages UPF is the examination centre for official diplomas in Catalan and Spanish (Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language [DELE] and the official certificate of Catalan by the Interuniversity Commission for Catalan Language Training [CIFOLC], respectively).

Article 8. Image and dissemination

The general annual offer of academic programming, published in three languages (Catalan, Spanish and English) shall indicate:

  1. The type of course, its duration, its goals, contents and specific characteristics.
  2. The general evaluation criteria.
  3. The number of credits obtainable.
  4. The general administrative conditions applicable to the courses (minimum and maximum numbers of pupils, requirements for a group to be set up, prices and registration procedure).

The dissemination of the offer of other specific lines shall be adapted to the specific channels, goals and target audience in each case.

Article 9. Prices

The Board of Trustees shall approve the registration prices for the Languages Training Programme (Languages UPF) activities.

Pompeu Fabra University may promote an aid programme for language learning directed at members of the university community.

Article 10. Academic Council

The Academic Council shall consist of the vice-rector responsible for such matters, or if it does not exist, whoever have the general scope functions competent in the matter, who shall chair the Council, and a further four members appointed by the rector from among UPF lecturers specializing in the teaching of languages, translation, innovation and new technologies and other relevant subjects, and by the academic director of the Programme.

The Programme's Advisory Academic Council has the following functions:

  • To ensure the suitability of the programming of the Programme's for UPF's needs of knowledge of languages.
  • To supervise and follow up and control the programming and its implementation in order to ensure the quality of the teaching.
  • To contribute to the fields of language didactics, new technologies and other relevant fields and promote them via new proposals.
  • To establish, when applicable, the basic requirements regarding teaching staff profile.
  • All other functions assigned to it by these regulations.

Article 11. The academic director

The rector shall appoint an academic director of the Programme from among expert UPF teaching staff in language management and teaching, who shall have the following functions:

  • To issue general, common guidelines concerning the pedagogy and implementation of the Programme.
  • To direct, coordinate and promote the teaching and academic activities of the Languages UPF.
  • To devise the programming and academic offer of the Languages UPF.
  • To assign the teaching to the teaching staff.
  • To ensure optimal quality implementation of the Programme's teaching and academic activities.

Article 12. Coordinators

The academic director shall appoint a general coordinator who shall have the following functions:

  • To collaborate with the academic director in all matters affecting the pedagogical implementation of the Programme, such as questions concerning methodology, didactics and course organization and the lifelong learning of the teaching staff.
  • To stand in for the academic director in his/her absence.
  • To coordinate the management of the different units of the Programme.
  • To propose and prepare the programming of the Programme.
  • To coordinate the activities of the teaching staff of the different languages.
  • All functions that the academic director may delegate.

The academic director may appoint persons responsible for units and coordinators for the pedagogical and management activities within the scope of their language or unit.

Article 13. Personnel

The Language Training Programme (Languages UPF) personnel shall be selected in accordance with the principles of advertising and competition. Said personnel shall be employed by contract which shall be governed by the collective agreement applicable.

The Programme's Advisory Academic Council shall establish means to periodically control the quality of the teaching.

Article 14. Programme management

The Language Training Programme (Languages UPF) may be directly implemented by UPF or it may commission such to external entities by means of the corresponding agreement.

In the latter instance, the tasks of general direction and coordination as set out in articles 11 and 12 shall fall with the staff of the external entity appointed by the same, who shall be experts in language management and teaching.

Repealing provision

The agreement of the Governing Board of 25 July 2000 of the Language Training Programme (Languages UPF) is hereby repealed.