This week and next, guest lecturers from Greece and Israel are teaching Business English and English for Public Relations students at the Language Centre of the Faculty of Arts and Education of Kaunas kolegija Higher Education Institution. Ifigenia Dosi from Democritus University of Thrace (Greece) will introduce students to the course Basics of Linguistics, and Dr Irene Rabinovich from the Holon Institute of Technology (Israel) will give lectures in several programmes: English for Public Relations, English for Administration, and English for Marketing.

First impressions of Lithuania

Guest lecturers share that their experience teaching at Kauno kolegija is very good. ‘I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I felt at home here. The people are very warm and hospitable, and the greenery all around gives a special coziness. The library has become one of my favourite places to work,’ says I. Dosi. She notes that smaller groups allow students to be more involved in discussions and interactive activities.

Dr I. Rabinovich also emphasises the advantages of the study environment: ‘The English level of Lithuanian students is very high. In addition, smaller groups ensure more effective learning. It is nice to see students curious and energetic – a connection with them is established very naturally.’

Both lecturers have already experienced personal discoveries in Lithuania. The first Lithuanian word they learned was ‘ačiū’ meaning ‘thank you’. According to them, it is the ideal first word, as it allows them to immediately express gratitude. The guests intend to bring back to their native universities not only warm memories, but also details of Lithuanian everyday life: I. Dosi – the atmosphere of the library and the taste of garlic bread, and Dr I. Rabinovich – the calm flow of life and a special closeness to nature.

Internationality in the study process

The head of the Language Centre, Ieva Brazauskaitė-Zubavičienė, emphasises the importance of guest lecturers to the study process: ‘The goal of both study programmes is to prepare specialists with professional command of the language. The content of the guest lecturers’ course strengthens students’ ability to analyse linguistic structures necessary for linguists, introduces them to the subtleties of successful business – persuasion techniques, effective written correspondence, develops negotiation skills, etc. In this way, students deepen their professional and subject knowledge and improve their intercultural communication competencies.’

International visits are an integral part of Kauno kolegija studies, providing students with the opportunity to look at study subjects from different cultural and academic perspectives and acquire skills that are important in the global labor market.