THE ROLE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES IN INTERNATIONALISING UNIVERSITY CURRICULA IN RUSSIA AND BEYOND

Nadezhda V. Krasilnikova¹*, Natalia A. Biryukova², Tatiana V. Kolesova³,
Olesia V. Arefeva⁴, Svetlana A. Domracheva⁵

¹ PhD student, Faculty of General and Vocational Education, Mari State University, RUSSIA,
krasilnikovanv@gmail.com
² Assoc. Prof., Faculty of General and Vocational Education, Mari State University, RUSSIA,
biryukova316@gmail.com
³ Assoc. Prof., Faculty of Foreign Languages, Mari State University, RUSSIA,
tatcos@yandex.ru
⁴ Assoc. Prof., Faculty of General and Vocational Education, Mari State University, RUSSIA,
vikto-arefev@yandex.ru
⁵ Assoc. Prof., Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy, Mari State University, RUSSIA,
domrachev70@mail.ru
*Corresponding author

Abstract
Universities around the world seek to broaden students’ intercultural perspectives. Curricula are becoming more internationalised, and thereby teaching and learning. The terms “foreign language proficiency” and “intercultural competence” are being embedded in higher education provision. The paper explores current change in the role of foreign language proficiency of both students and faculty in fostering internationalisation of curriculum. It analyses introduction and promotion of new teaching approaches, such as Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL); as well as elaboration and delivery of courses aimed at developing intercultural competence of students and faculty. The authors argue that merely developing students’ foreign language competence is not sufficient for successful curricula internationalisation. It is also necessary to integrate international and intercultural dimension into professional competences formation, which includes intercultural competence.

The authors have done a comparative analysis of the efforts made by the universities in Russia and beyond, namely in the European Union (hereinafter EU) countries. The findings indicate that the key challenges faced by Russian and EU universities are low entry level of English among students, as well as insufficient awareness of lecturers on the efficient ways to internationalise curricula. The paper also identifies specific features of foreign language training in Russia, including the development of a vocationally oriented foreign language communicative competence of students and the increasing amount of Russian language courses for foreign students coming mainly from the CIS countries. Internationalisation and studying foreign languages are interconnected and mutually influential. Hence, universities in Russia and EU countries develop strategies to enhance the quality of both processes.

Keywords: Communicative Competence, Internationalization, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL).