Thanks to the European Union exchange programmes, the members of the university community –students, above all– have a chance to do part of their work abroad in a European university.
The number of students planning to study in other cities is increasing now that frontiers are disappearing. They come into contact with ways of life and academic systems different from their own, they practise foreign languages and have new experiences; in other words, they enrich their cultural knowledge and, without a shadow of a doubt, become aware of the advantages and disadvantages of European diversity.
The University of Barcelona, has always striven to give new visitors a warm welcome in order to make their stay academically, culturally and personally rewarding. A University Phrase Book, created by the Catalan Language Service, follows along the same lines of furthering exchanges.
The purpose of the guide is to give foreign students a tool for communication and to help them take advantage of the services on offer. Whatever your knowledge of Catalan, this guide will contribute to help you choose the most adequate –and therefore, the most efficient– phrases in any communicative situation you may find yourself.
Undoubtedly, the main linguistic needs of foreign students at a Catalan university are related to teaching: a good understanding between teachers and students, and a good command of the language in order to read specialised texts are required.
These needs lead to the necessity for a more in depth knowledge of the language which can be achieved by other means. The University of Barcelona offers its members Catalan and Spanish language courses and a Self-Study Language Centre.
We would be very pleased if A University Phrase Book helped the users of university services to communicate with its staff in order to satisfy their needs: accommodation, specific information, student cards, and so on. If this book contributes to making the users decide to improve their language level in Catalan, so much the better!
