LINGVA: review by programme graduate
Have you ever thought about what kind of companies become world leaders, and why they succeeded in being ones? The standard answer is that they are efficient, competitive, have a clear structure of their business processes and ensure high quality of their products/services. This answer is… wrong! All the above mentioned things don’t guarantee absolute strategic success.
The future belongs to ideological companies, in which solidarity and striving towards goals of a higher level help them overcome not just difficulties but “impossibilities”, and push the boundaries of reality. Moving from the category of “knowledge, skills and abilities” to “values, skills and abilities” is the 21st century universal recipe of success.
But how can this be achieved? Maybe modern analytical and information systems, and digital economy technologies will help? Don’t flatter yourself, they won’t… You need something intangible, but existing somewhere in the “ether” and “noosphere” of organisation.
You need ideology and corporate culture. And there is a practical instrument for creating all of this in a particular university. I mean the priority field of development called LINGVA programme, which I have been a part of for more than three years now, since September 2015.
LINGVA is more than just language courses, or courses taught in English, or courses on writing articles in English. It is also a “window to Europe” (or to wherever you want – America, Australia, South Africa… the list could go on and on), an instrument to “upgrade” your personality in all possible fields (psychology, pedagogy, culture), and even help in urgent situations!
Often, not knowing the basics of how to act in an emergency could lead to trouble. And such knowledge does not develop on its own. In May of 2017, the era when curricula were being developed with fervour, my colleague choked on a candy with prunes. She needed fast carbs to be able to promptly solve work tasks, and it almost became fatal for her. She couldn’t speak or breathe, the candy (which was quite big) went down “the wrong pipe”, and my colleague just gasped for air convulsively, trying to convey the call for help through the frightened look in her eyes. I was nearby and began to act, firmly wrapping my arms around her just below her sternum and…. Do you want to know what to do next in a situation like this? Open up page 13 of the textbook New English File: Upper-intermediate: Student's Book. After what happened, my colleague believes that I saved her life. But you and I know that it wasn’t me, but LINGVA. After all, six months before that accident, we had discussed this topic in our lessons “top to bottom”. So, at that moment, when time to act came, it was like I was reading the text and listening to the audio about a story of a woman in a similar situation.
P.S. The fly in the ointment. LINGVA has one big minus. The programme is very good, there are no bad teachers there and no problems with the quality of education, there are no violations of morale or careless performance of duties, no evil, no betrayal or lies. If you find yourself in this world of LINGVA, you will get everything: language proficiency, important information, and “life hacks” for university life… as well as comfort, morale, friendship, communication, and psychological help. So, the transition from life with LINGVA to life without LINGVA will always be difficult. You do get used to good things pretty quickly!
To sum it up, LINGVA is SUSU’s hallmark. If LINGVA keeps functioning, everything will work out: articles in top publications, interdisciplinary projects, conferences, collaborations, new international students, and much more… Because this is more than just something about English proficiency! This is the cornerstone of the corporate culture and ideology of our university!