LTTC與國際專業機構的學術合作又邁向一個新的里程碑！

英國名列前茅的研究型大學─南安普敦大學（University of Southampton, UoS）─與LTTC於101年3月22日(星期四)下午在臺灣大學行政大樓第一會議室簽訂合作意向書及協定，由UoS國際事務副校長Mark Spearing教授與LTTC主任高天恩教授共同簽訂，正式開啟兩機構之間的學術合作。前教育部國際文教處長、現任世新大學人文社會學院英語系李振清教授、臺大語言學研究所蘇以文教授（LTTC董事）、臺大外文系梁欣榮主任、臺大國際事務處副國際事務長李心予教授、國際合作組林淑靜組長、英國文化協會台北辦公室處長艾麗珊(Alison Devine)女士、賴信元總監等貴賓，皆出席此一盛會。

UoS副校長Mark Spearing教授於致詞中表示，二十一世紀的高等教育已成為全球合作的志業，任何一流的專業教育機構，都必須積極與全球專業同儕建立合作關係，而外語能力則為此過程中不可或缺的利器。為促進有效的國際溝通、加深文化理解，語言教育的重要性不言而喻。因此，UoS與LTTC合作的第一項計畫，即為今年暑期開辦的學術英語先修課程(Summer Pre-sessional Course in English for Academic Purpose)。

高主任致詞照片

LTTC高主任則在致詞時進一步說明，此課程將於6月27日開課，優先招生對象為已獲UoS條件式入學許可的臺灣學生；先在LTTC上課五週，加強溝通表達、文化適應能力與基礎學術英語訓練，再赴英國完成另外6週的專業領域加強課程。LTTC與UoS希望透過此一彈性且實惠的修課模式，幫助留學生以漸進方式熟悉全英語授課的環境，更大幅減輕住宿、生活費與學費的負擔。

本次與會貴賓、前教育部國際文教處長李振清教授在致辭時，推崇UoS屬於英國Russell Group（類似美國長春藤聯盟）成員，為聲譽卓著的研究型大學，而LTTC在語言教育與測驗領域深耕超過一甲子，為國內最專業的語言教育評量機構。今日可以看到兩所頂尖教育機構締結學術合作關係，見證臺灣國際教育合作的新里程碑，他感到非常的欣慰。

LTTC並與UoS達成共識，LTTC五週課程若有空額，亦開放招收18歲以上、英語程度達IELTS 測驗5.5級分以上或相當於CEFR B2程度者。此類學員完成課程後，可繼續選修LTTC進階學術英語課程，再申請赴UoS或英國其他大學深造。

高主任並表示，LTTC未來將持續與UoS共同努力，在學術研究、英語師資訓練、測驗採認等方面發展更多元化的合作關係，以提供更豐富、優質的語言教育服務及專業交流管道。

Collaboration Agreement Signing Ceremony

University of Southampton
and
Language Training & Testing Center

On March 22, 2012, officials from the University of Southampton (UoS) and the Language Training and Testing Center (LTTC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and a collaboration agreement that ensure academic viability and benefits for students in Taiwan.

The MOU and the collaboration agreement were signed by Prof. Mark Spearing, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton, and Prof. Tien-en Kao, Executive Director of the Language Training & Testing Center, in a ceremony held at National Taiwan University (NTU). Witnessing the signing were Prof. Chen-ching Li, former Director of the Bureau of International Cultural and Educational Relations, Ministry of Education; Prof. I-wen Su of the Graduate Institute of Linguistics at NTU and a board member of the LTTC; Prof. Yanwing Leung, Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at NTU; Prof. Hsinyu Lee, Associate Dean of the Office of International Affairs at NTU; and Ms. Alison Devine, Director of the British Council, Taipei.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Spearing said, “This MOU will complement and solidify a number of long standing relationships. In particular, it will enable the collaborative delivery of pre-sessional English Courses at our two institutes, to great mutual benefit.”

In his remarks, Prof. Kao expressed that the LTTC looks forward to “working closely with the University of Southampton to develop more effective language programs and to promote academic excellence in language education.” In pursuit of that excellence, future projects will involve joint research initiatives, academic exchanges, and recognition of GEPT scores by UoS.

Prof. Chen-Ching Li also spoke at the ceremony. He commended the University of Southampton, a member of the prestigious Russell Group, for having achieved consistent excellence in both teaching and research. Prof. Li expressed his delight at being present to witness the beginning of the academic partnership between UoS and the LTTC, a domestic institution with a decades-long commitment to educational prominence.

Under the collaboration agreement, LTTC will launch its joint pre-sessional course in English for Academic Purposes (EAP), scheduled to commence in the summer of 2012. This course will provide a more accessible and less expensive option to students holding conditional offers of admission to UoS.

This specially developed pre-sessional course aims to prepare students from Taiwan for further study at Southampton. The first part, a five-week EAP session at the LTTC in Taipei, will specifically target the needs of Taiwanese students. The second part, a six-week session at Southampton, will prepare the students more thoroughly for work in their own disciplines. For course information, please go to: http://www.lttc.ntu.edu.tw/TRA/southampton.htm