The 1st Inter-University Competition for a presentation in English related to the field of study

It is with great satisfaction that we would like to inform you that on the 20th May, 2023 the University of Life Sciences in Lublin hosted the Final Stage of the 1st Inter-University Competition for a multimedia presentation in English related to the field of study. The event was organised under the honorary patronage of the Marshal of the Lublin Voivodeship, Jarosław Stawiarski and the Rector of the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Kowalczyk. The initiator of the Competition was Joanna Rączkiewicz-Gołacka, the Head of the Foreign Languages and Certification Centre of University of Life Sciences in Lublin and English for Specific Purposes, Special Interest Group (ESP SIG) Coordinator in an International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language IATEFL Poland.

The competition was organised by Foreign Languages and Certification Centre, ULS in Lublin and ESP SIG IATEFL Poland ESP SIG IATEFL Poland.

The idea behind the competition was to promote the acquisition of English language skills among students of Lublin universities and to improve their linguistic competence, with particular emphasis on specialised vocabulary from the scientific field related to the field of study of competition participants.  The competition was addressed to first- and second-cycle students of natural science and technology at Lublin universities. It is worth mentioning that, at the Foreign Languages and Certification Centre of ULS in Lublin, the proportion of language for specific (LSP) to language for general purposes (LGP) has been significantly increased as part of first-cycle study programme in recent years. It was a risky decision of the management of the Centre, as the main objective resulting from the characteristics of the Polish Qualification Framework (PQF) for higher education qualifications at the first-cycle studies (Level 6) is to use a foreign language at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The skills related to the use of a foreign language at the B2+ level as well as competences related to specialised vocabulary are defined at Level 7 of the PQF, which applies to second-cycle studies. The above-mentioned change was accompanied by a change in the concept of teaching from language for general purposes (LGP) to language for academic purposes (LAP), with emphasis on specific language competences, which can be described by terms from Bloom’s taxonomy such as: analysis, synthesis and evaluation supporting the development of critical thinking skills. By guiding students from knowledge to higher levels of language competence, we thereby prepare them for more mature and conscious action in the academic environment and beyond. In the case of second-cycle studies, language for specific purposes (LSP) has been taught as part of the language course for a long time. We were curious to compare the results of our students’ confrontation with the students of other Lublin universities after the implementation of the changes in foreign language teaching described above.

Auditions were held in two categories: the first category comprised first-cycle students, and the second category brought together second-cycle and long-cycle students studying at Lublin universities. The first stage of the competition began with preliminaries within Lublin universities. By the 11th May 2023, the applications of participants representing Lublin universities were submitted. Four students from Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, four students from the University of Life Sciences in Lublin and one student from the Catholic University of Lublin were admitted to the final stage in the first category. Four students from Maria Curie-Sklodowska University and four students from the University of Life Sciences in Lublin were qualified for the finals in the second category. The final seventeen represented very different fields of study, including Biotechnology, Chemical and Process Engineering, Veterinary Medicine, Geoinformatics, Tourism and Recreation. An inter-university jury consisting of Monika Szabelska, Lublin University of Technology; Witold Piech, University of Life Sciences in Lublin; Dariusz Kożuch, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, evaluated presentations of participants according to the following criteria: content, language skills, communication efficiency and pronunciation. After hearing and careful analysis of the presentations, the winners were selected.

The winners in the first category were: 1st place – Urszula Żywicka, Tourism and Recreation, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University; 2nd place – Oksana Breslavska, Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University; 3rd place – Michał Staniak, Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Life Sciences in Lublin.

The awards in the second category went to: 1st place – Amelia Twarogal, Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin; 2nd place – Yevheniia Smirnova, Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University; 3rd place – Adrian Szałkowski, Geoinformatics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University.

Dr hab. Urszula Kosior-Korzecka, associate professor, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Education, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, accepted the invitation to the awards ceremony and handed diplomas to the finalists, as well as an award for the best student of the University of Life Sciences in Lublin. The prizes in the competition were: a one-year English language course at a chosen level funded by National Geographic Learning and LanguageCert Test of English (LTE) exam funded by an international certification organisation LanguageCert. The sponsors of the other awards were: MM Publications, Pearson, Oxford University Press and the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Education, ULS in Lublin.

The inter-university jury highly rated the level of the presented speeches. We are particularly pleased that among the strong competition the students of the University of Life Sciences in Lublin took the 1st place in the second category and the 3rd place in the first category. We are convinced that focusing on LSP within the framework of foreign language classes at the Foreign Languages Teaching and Certification Centre of the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, we have adopted a good direction of foreign language education of students. 

Joanna Rączkiewicz-Gołacka

1st place in the second category – Amelia Twarogal, Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin

3rd place in the first category – Michał Staniak, Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Life Sciences in Lublin.

Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Education dr hab. Urszula Kosior-Korzecka, associate professor, the jury and the organisers of the competition with the finalists of the inter-university stage.

Photos: Maciej Niedziółka