Projekt
Wulkow Meeting of LC Directors
2026 – 2009
Wulkow Meeting of Directors of Language Centres
in Higher Education in Europe
In January 2009, over 30 language centre directors from a variety of European institutes of higher education came together in Wulkow in Brandenburg, Germany to discuss the key issues and challenges facing them, their centres and their parent institutions. This initiative, started by the Director of the Language Centre at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt/Oder (Dr. Thomas Vogel), has resulted in an annual meeting ever since.
Each meeting focuses on a specific theme and examines a range of topics. The conclusions, compiled in the Wulkow Group Memoranda, reflect the view of a wide range of institutions, represented by a leading community of practice. European Language Centres in Higher Education foster not only successful language teaching but also act as a driver for mobility, employability and intercultural communication.
Wulkow Timeline
2026 Wulkow Meeting 2.5 “Bringing back Human Intelligence to Language Centres."
05.02.- 08.02.2026
With so much focus on Artificial Intelligence, are we not taking a risky bet by going “all in”? This year, Wulkow will provide us with the opportunity to take a step back and reflect on our role as humans, whether we’re students, teachers or managers.Artificial Intelligence (AI) has undeniably entered the university world – and we at the Language Centres are no exception. But are we ready to face the questions it brings? Does our university have clear policies on the use of AI tools? And if so, how well do they apply to language teaching and learning? Do our teachers and learners have the AI literacy they need to navigate this landscape? How should we assess language productions that have been created with AI assistance? Where does our responsibility lie in helping students develop real communication skills and soft skills – to overcome not only post-pandemic social anxiety, but also various forms of techno-stress (e.g. FOMO).
At this year’s Wulkow Meeting, we aim to bring Human Intelligence back into focus. Together, we will explore how to blunt the double-edged sword of AI in our Language Centres — before it cuts deeper than we intend.
2025 Wulkow Meeting 2.4 “Beyond Languages?”
30.01.- 02.02.2025
Our Language departments and centres, as you know, have been constantly faced with ever varied demands from the learning community around us. We have embraced this. Over time, our core business has transformed significantly. What once primarily involved traditional language instruction now encompasses a broad spectrum of innovative teaching methods, digital resources, and interdisciplinary approaches. This evolution bears witness to our dedication to remaining relevant, learner centered and effective in a constantly changing educational landscape.
Indeed the very boundaries of our work are continually being challenged, redrawn and redefined. We are no longer confined to the conventional classroom setting; instead, we engage learners through online platforms, immersive experiences, and collaborative projects that bridge cultural divides. These shifts not only respond to the needs of our learners but also push us to explore new frontiers in language education. This Wulkow workshop entitled “Beyond Languages?” will give us an opportunity to take stock of the changes we have dealt with and hopefully give us some insights into how better anticipate the next ones.
2024 Wulkow Meeting 2.3 “Troubled waters? Navigating change"
18.01.- 21.01.2024
These past few years we have witnessed many shifts and turns not only within the realm of language appropriation but in our society(ies) as a whole. As a learning community (whether learners, teachers, line managers, directors or prescribers) many of our long-held certitudes have been questioned if not debunked.
Through these rough seas we have tried to run a tight(ish) ship at our institutions but we have entered little known waters now and may need to check our compasses. As the well-being of our learners remains and will always remain the cornerstone of our missions/vocations it is important that we gain a clearer overview of the challenges that this generation is facing.
Sustainability issues within the context of our climate emergency are leading students and institutions to rethink academic and professional mobility. The advent of artificial intelligence is forcing our community towards a paradigm change that will have lasting effects on learning and teaching. Political and personal turmoil are so accessibly visible on social media that our learners, in an attempt to craft an “acceptable” persona, are leaving an indelible internet footprint with unknown future repercussions.
The objective our 15th (yes 15th!) workshop from January 18th to January 21st 2024 in Frankfort Oder will be to proactively explore, accommodate and find ways to adapt to these unchartered waters while maintaining a steady course (pun intended) in pursuit of our educational goals.
2023 Wulkow Meeting 2.2 “The Third Space" Leaving the whispering corners of the tavern behind to take up our rightful place in/as «the third space».
04.05.-07.05.2023
A space where learners’ and practitioners’ cultural capital may be shared to co construct curriculum content; where language centers and departments can moderate the void between decision makers and users, where the learning community can place their cursor on the “the real” and “the virtual” spectrum……
The objective of this Wulkow workshop will be to explore and define the contours and limits of this “third space” and recognize language centers as community builders.
The term „Third Space“ is traced to the work of Homi Bhabha, a leading figure in post-colonial theory, who suggests that in order for meaning to exist, it is not sufficient to have two opposite parties meet; there must be a third space where they have enough in common to be able to meet.
This term evokes hybrid spaces, yet in the post(?)-Covid era, „hybrid“ has become a problematic term used and abused in the sphere of higher education. The 14th Wulkow meeting welcomes contributions related (but not limited) to Third Spaces vis-à-vis physical/remote, print/digital, human/machine, teaching/learning, majority/minority, integration/assimalation, cognitive/social, academia/industry, and so forth.
2022 Wulkow Meeting 2.1 “Back to the future - Challenges of Hybrid Management and Leadership in an ever globalizing world"
12.05.-15.05.2022
To explore and analyze the international pandemic/post-pandemic impacts on language centres and departments. To rise to the challenges of fostering language appropriation strategies and intercultural communication skills within the current context of enhanced remote interdependence.
- 2021 Wulkow Conference (Online) 11.06.2021
Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe:
„Wolves are back again – enhancing long distance communication in pandemic times“
- 2020 Wulkow XII 16.01.-19.01.2020
Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe:
„Academia: Multilingual Utopias and Plurilingual Realities?“
- 2019 Wulkow XI 17.01. – 20.01.2019
Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe:
„Languages in Higher Education in Europe: Re-Defining the Teacher“
2019 Wulkow XI Memorandum
- 2018 Wulkow X 18.01. – 21.01.2018
Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe:
“Language Teaching in Higher Education in Dangerous Times –
the Role of the Wulkow Network”
2018 Wulkow X Memorandum
- 2017 Wulkow IX 19.01.-22.01.2017
Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe:
“Learning Spaces – The University Language Centre as a Great Good Place”
- 2016 Wulkow VIII 21.01.-24.01.2016
Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe:
“The Next Generation”
- 2015 Wulkow VII 22.01.-25.01.2015
Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe:
“A Journey through the Landscape of European Language Centres in Higher Education”
- 2014 Wulkow VI 23.01.-26.01.2014
Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe:
“Integration”
2014 Wulkow VI Memorandum
- 2013 Wulkow V 24.01.-27.01.2013
Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe:
“Our Identitie(s), Our Roles, Our Challenges”
- 2012 Wulkow IV 19.01.-22.01.2012
Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe:
“The Human Factor: Recruiting, Management and Development”
2012 Wulkow IV Memorandum
- 2011 Wulkow III 27.01.-30.01.2011
Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe:
“Money Matters: Budgets, Resources and Entrepreneurship”
2011 Wulkow III Memorandum
- 2010 Wulkow II 14.01.-17.01.2010
Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe:
“Quality Benchmarks for Language Teaching in Higher Education”
2010 Wulkow II Memorandum
- 2009 Wulkow I 22.01.-25.01.2009
Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe:
“Language Learning in Higher Education inEurope: A View from the Inside”
2009 Wulkow I Memorandum
