Languages for Businesses at UEA

Is your business involved in imports and exports, or do you collaborate with international stakeholders or clients?

Find out more about how your business and colleagues could benefit from the range of languages and support on offer from the UEA Language Programme.

The UEA evening language programme is open to members of the public, UEA students and staff. Business tailored language courses are now on offer too – a recent enhancement to this successful programme which has been running for over 30 years.

Sessions are delivered by language specialist tutors, many of whom are native speakers and come from all around the world.

Why is learning a language important for businesses with international contacts?

It is true that English is used a lot within the business world. However, many people speak “Globish”, a simplified version of English, which may lack useful nuances at times. Making the time and the effort to learn a foreign language (even just some basic phrases) also sends a very positive message, as it implies that you want to understand better and are not intending to view everything from your own standpoint. Last (but not least), learning a language is fun, and can be a great team building exercise.

The UEA Language Programme can also help you to avoid cultural faux pas by helping you understand the business culture of the country you are dealing with. Erin Meyer* gives a very striking example: “Presenting to Londoners or New Yorkers? Get to the point and stick to it. Presenting to Belgians, Spaniards, or Germans? Spend more time setting the parameters and explaining the background before jumping to your conclusion.” The impact of cultural differences on interactions and processes can make a real difference. *(Erin Meyer, Affiliate Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD)

What’s the length and format for the sessions?

For the standard evening programme, classes take place in-person, on the UEA campus, usually from 6:15pm to 8:15pm. Terms are 10-weeks long and run three times a year (beginning in January, April and October).

Bespoke training can be offered specifically for businesses, tailored to your specific needs and requirements. The Language Programme team would be very happy to chat to you about devising a training package for your business.

The aim is to make language learning an enjoyable and rewarding experience. All four communicative skills are tackled (speaking, listening, reading and writing), but for businesses classes can focus more particularly on certain skills depending on your specific needs.  There is a maximum class size of 15 people, creating a nice learning community where people feel comfortable to give it a try in a safe space.