The tradition of excellence – this is another re-accreditation
It is worth emphasising that the current success is not an isolated event, but a continuation of the long-term strategy of taking care of quality. TUL Language Centre has been accredited by Eaquals continuously since 2017, when it was the first unit in a Polish technical university to meet the strict requirements of this organisation.
Since then, the facility has regularly undergone reinspection processes (including in 2021 and recently), each time confirming that it maintains and develops the standards of "Points of Excellence" Permanent presence in the elite group of accredited centers is proof that high quality in TUL Language CENTRE is a continuous process, not a one-time achievement.
What is Eaquals?
Eaquals (Evaluation and Accreditation of Quality in Language Services) is a prestigious international association promoting excellence in language education. This institution is an official advisor to the Council of Europe on language policy issues and a co-creator of standards such as CEFR ( international scale describing the level of knowledge of a foreign language). Eaquals accreditation is recognized worldwide as the most rigorous "quality mark" (English — Quality Label) in the language services industry.
What is an inspection and how are categories evaluated?
The (re)accreditation process is a detailed audit, during which inspectors assess as many as 12 different categories of the functioning of a language school or university. Among others, curricula, methods of verifying learning outcomes, academic resources, working conditions and learning environment are subject to verification.
The score is awarded on a scale where:
• Grade 1 (Excellent): Exceeds high quality standards (excellence category).
• Grade 1.5: Meets high standards with numerous elements of excellence.
• Grade 2: Fully meets high quality standards (level required for accreditation).
• Grade 2.5 (Minor non-compliance): Minor non-compliance. It requires immediate repair and proof of improvement under pain of loss of accreditation.
• Grade 3 (Non-compliance): Failure to meet standards. Such an assessment in any of the key categories results in the rejection of the application for accreditation or re-accreditation.
The results of the latest report: TUL Language Centre at the forefront
From the latest verdict (English — Inspection Verdict) shows that all standards of Eaquals Cards (English — Eaquals Charters) are fully metric. They are particularly proud of the results in the areas that received the highest marks:
• Governance and Administration (Grade 1): This area was assessed as a category of consistent excellence within the institution. This means exemplary organization of processes, which translates into the efficiency of the entire unit.
• Learning environment (Grade 1): Infrastructure and an atmosphere conducive to learning have been recognized as meeting the highest global requirements.
• Design of courses and support systems (Grade 1.5): Innovation and adaptation of programs to the specific needs of students of a technical university were appreciated.
• Profile and development of employees (Grade 1.5): A high note confirms that teachers and administrative staff are a team constantly improving their qualifications, which directly translates into the level of classes and the quality of student service at the Language Center.
• Student services (Grade 1.5): Support offered to students was positively assessed, including assistance for people with special educational needs.
In other categories, such as Teaching and Learning and Assessment and Certification, the Centre obtained a stable Grade 2, which guarantees full reliability and professionalism of the teaching process. It is worth noting that the Tul Language Centre did not record any negative assessment (2.5 or 3). All areas studied range from full compliance to total excellence
What does this mean for the academic community?
For students of Lodz University of Technology, the Eaquals quality certificate is a guarantee that language learning at Lodz University of Technology takes place in accordance with best European practices. For the University, this is a prestigious asset in the process of internationalization – a diploma of completion of a language course supported by Eaquals accreditation is a recognizable symbol of language competence on the international labor market.
We congratulate the Management and all employees of the TUL Language Center for another success, which builds the brand of our university as a modern and open educational center.