Previous Projects (Part of the 2022–2027 Strategic Plan)

CLA has already successfully developed other strategic projects:

Intercomprehension, Plurilingualism, and Reading Strategies Workshop

The objective of the project was to develop linguistic-communicative, intercultural, and transversal comprehension skills, approaching less common languages through the methodology of intercomprehension. This plurilingual approach enhances the linguistic heritage that everyone possesses, given the increasing exposure to different languages for study, travel, and work. The acquired skills have allowed participants to improve their reading and studying ability in Italian and in Foreign Languages.

In a plurilingual and intercultural environment, with teachers of various Romance languages, participants were able to recognise and experience the mechanisms common to similar languages, working with texts in various Romance languages. This favoured the development of written comprehension and reading strategies, which are important requirements in the academic path. Furthermore, they had the opportunity to work cooperatively with speakers of different Romance languages, experimenting with multiple communication strategies.

The workshop is now an integral part of CLA's language course programme.

Tandem: Language and Cultural Exchange

The project involved 24 hours of language and cultural exchange: 12 hours dedicated to conversation in Italian and the remaining 12 hours to a Foreign Language. Participants enjoyed wide autonomy and flexibility, being free to decide when and where to meet (in person or online) and independently establishing the objectives and topics of the conversations. After each meeting, participants recorded the activities and topics in an online diary. Both at the beginning and the end of the project, they completed a short self-assessment quiz to monitor their learning. 

Participation in the project was open to everyone: students (undergraduate, master's, postgraduate, doctoral, international exchange) and staff of the University of Trento, and Italian students external to the University could also participate. To ensure the effectiveness of the exchange, at least a basic knowledge (CEFR A2 level) of the language intended for practice was recommended.

Upon completion of the 24 hours of meetings, the compilation of the 12 diaries, and the final satisfaction questionnaire, participants could receive an Open Digital Badge (ODB).

SILS (Foreign Language Teaching Support Service)

The aim of the project was to improve English-Medium Instruction (EMI) teaching for UniTrento Lecturers who taught, or intended to teach, in English.

The project offered individual and personalised consultations with an English native speaker Language Expert Collaborator (CEL). This path, of variable duration (3–7 meetings), allowed Lecturers to strengthen their communication strategies, address the challenges of teaching in English, and enhance the specific linguistic competencies for university teaching. The support included advice on didactic strategies, feedback on materials, and lesson analysis.

Summer School 2024: Italian Language and Culture for Territorial Promotion

From 1 to 14 July 2024, the University Language Centre (CLA) of the University of Trento hosted a Summer School dedicated to international students. The objective? To improve their knowledge of Italian language and culture, with a special focus on advertising communication for territorial promotion. 

The programme offered a mix of online and in-person lessons, enriched by excursions and activities to explore Trentino. Participants analysed advertising messages to understand their verbal and non-verbal languages, delving into themes such as linguistic variation and cultural references. 

A key element of the Summer School was a group project work: students collaborated to create an audiovisual advert to promote Trentino, putting the acquired skills into practice.

Participation was open to students with an Italian level of at least A2 coming from Erasmus+ BIP or mobility programmes. Registration was free, and students who successfully completed the programme (including positive evaluation of the project work and a minimum attendance of 85%) obtained 6 ECTS credits.