In the development towards the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are facing challenges formerly unknown to them: Students and lecturers alike form much more heterogeneous groups than ever before, speaking a wide spectrum of languages and representing a wide spectrum of cultural backgrounds in what may be termed the Multilingual and Multicultural Learning Space (M&MLS).

Aims of IntlUni
The aims of the IntlUni Erasmus Academic Network are

• to identify the quality criteria that should characterise teaching and learning in the Multilingual and Multicultural Learning Space; and
• to develop recommendations for how Higher Education Institutions may implement and ensure the sustainability of quality teaching and learning in the Multilingual and Multicultural Learning Space. More...

The Quality Model can be used by individuals (especially new staff) or course teams to support the planning, delivery and evaluation of the courses, modules and lessons that they teach. It can, therefore, serve as both a good practice aide-mémoire for experienced teachers and as a guide for those new to the profession as to some of the core elements they need to consider in order to facilitate successful learning outcomes for their students. More...

Examples from practice are case studies developed by the LanQua project team in the five areas described in the Frame of Reference. They are intended to offer concrete examples of quality processes and approaches mainly drawn from reflective practice (informal quality enhancement) or national/institutional frameworks (formal quality assurance). More...

The Frame of Reference constitutes an overview of languages in higher education in Europe and is intended to provide a disciplinary context for the Quality Model. The field of languages is described in 5 areas: Language Learning, Intercultural Communication, Literature and Culture, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and Language Teacher Education. More...

It is unlikely that this will lead to wholesale revision of an entire programme (particularly if appropriate planning procedures have been undertaken) and such an undertaking is likely to have a top‐down rather than bottom‐up impetus. Indeed in most cases such revision will only be possible after the completion and evaluation of the full learning cycle. More...

Thus not only will there be a consideration of whether learning outcomes have been achieved but also feedback will be reviewed from teachers and learners on levels of satisfaction with the overall experience and its broader outcomes such as greater confidence, employment prospects, value for money, access to further study etc. More...

Thus prior consideration of the purpose and outcomes for a learning activity will inform a number of practical issues relating to teaching and learning methods, teacher/learner roles and learning resources while the act of teaching and learning will be informed by factors such as learner pace, progress, motivation, feedback, which may lead to adaptation in practice (reflection‐in‐action). More...

This focuses on a consideration of the aims and objectives of the learning and most importantly the expected learning outcomes for the activity that have been articulated in the plan. This presupposes a mainly outcomes driven approach in which the starting point is a consideration of what the learner is expected to: “…know, understand and/or be able to demonstrate after completion of a process of learning.” (DG Education and Culture, 2009). Thus a learning outcome should be measurable (able to be assessed) and concrete. More...

The practicalities of planning may be undertaken in a variety of ways but most will need to begin with a consideration of who the learners are, at what level of the HE cycle they are operating, what subject area(s) is/are to be covered and what resources might be needed. Some examples of such considerations are as course entry requirements and pre‐requisites; learner expectations and prior learning; time available for learning; staff resources and competencies. More...

The Quality Model is based around the notion of reflective practice, in this case of the teacher/facilitator who is engaged in an iterative cycle of reflection for, in and on action. This notion draws on the work of Donald Schön (1983) who developed the idea of the reflective practitioner which essentially relates to the ways in which practitioners think about and enhance their practice. More...