The Centre for Foreign Languages was founded on 14 November 2007 as an organizational unit at the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš. The Centre for Foreign Languages does not have a study program of their own but provides foreign language courses to all Faculty departments, either as a first or a second foreign language course.
At the Faculty of Philosophy students may choose from among the following foreign language courses: English, French, German, Russian, Greek and Italian. The foreign Languages courses are studied at the intermediary, post-intermediary and advanced level except Greek and Italian which start at a beginner’s level and end at the intermediary level. In addition, students at the Departments of Philosophy and History take Latin and ancient Greece. The foreign language courses are based on four classes per week of which two are lecture classes and two are practice classes. The content of the syllabi is directed at general language with a substantial part aimed at language for specific purposes, especially at the Departments of Psychology, Pedagogy, Sociology and Social Politics and Social Work.
All students at all departments are obligated to study a foreign language at the Bachelor’s level whereas foreign language courses are optional at the Master’s level. Students at the philological departments and the Department of Communicology and Journalism have four to six-semester foreign language courses and the students at the other departments have two-semester foreign language courses. The foreign language courses start with the first semester at most departments.
The expected proficiency level according to the CEFR is B1.2 after two semesters, B2.2 after four semesters and C1.2 after six semesters of a foreign language course taken at the Faculty. Individual foreign language syllabi are being created at each department according to the curriculum needs, objectives and outcomes of their study programmes.
The Centre for Foreign Languages comprises a staff of nine teachers of which six English language teachers, one French language teacher, one Greek language teacher and one ancient Greek and Latin teacher. Courses in German and Russian are provided by teachers affiliated to the Departments of German and Russian, while Italian language courses are provided by an outsourced teacher. The Centre for Foreign Languages also has foreign language lectors for the Greek and French language who are being provided by the Greek and French Embassies. Currently, students can take Chinese language classes provided by a native Chinese.
Apart from the primary duties related to foreign language classes, the Centre for Foreign Languages also includes a Greek Lectorate founded in 2004. In addition, the Centre for Foreign Languages provides English Language Certificates to students who participate in Mobility and Exchange Programmes and organizes various foreign language courses for persons not affiliated to the Faculty.