A New English Course for the Program “International Transport Policy”

Abstract

Due to radical changes in technologies, there appear new professions and functions of engineers. Engineering universities respond designing and introducing new educational programs. Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) run by the Russian Federation Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University (MADI) with the support of the United Nations Association of Russia launched a new additional educational program “International Transport Policy”. The aim of the Program is the development of professional competences of students necessary for the professional activities in the sphere of international transportation processes, including cooperation of organizations in the system of the United Nations Organizations. MADI Foreign Languages Department was responsible for implementation of the English course. The paper describes the course design, the content of compiled teaching materials, learning outcomes and highlights the importance of learner-centered approach. Special attention is given to the results of the survey revealing students’ motivation, their language background, self-assessment of their English communicative competence level, the difficulties they have studying the foreign language, evaluation of the course, the skills they have acquired, their attitude towards teaching materials and recommendations for the course improvement.