Foreign Languages Education and Research Centre

Chief, Foreign Languages Education and Research Centre Colonel
Natalia Vasiukova

Management

Chief of the Foreign Languages Education and Research Centre – Colonel Nataliia VASIUKOVA, Candidate of Philological Sciences.
Deputy Chief of the Foreign Languages Education and Research Centre – Colonel Roman DUZHYI.
Chief of the Foreign Languages Department – Lieutenant Colonel Marharyta ARISTARKHOVA, Doctor of Philosophy (Educational, Pedagogical Sciences).
Chief of the Language Testing Research Center – Colonel Dmytro DEMYDKO, Doctor of Philosophy.

Historical Overview

The Foreign Languages Education and Research Centre was established in 2008 by merging existing separate structural units: the educational component (The Foreign Languages Department) and the research component (The Language Testing Research Center).

The center was headed by:

• Colonel Yurii Semenov, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences (2008-2013);
• Colonel Mykhailo Hrebeniuk, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Senior Researcher (2013-2022);
• Colonel Nataliia Vasiukova, Candidate of Philological Sciences (since 2022 to the present).

The Foreign Languages Department of the Academy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was established in 1994 based on the Foreign Languages Department of the Air Defence Military Academy of the Land Forces.
Since then, the department has been headed by:

• Employee of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Ninel Stepanova, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor (1994–1998);
• Colonel Yurii Semenov, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences (1998–2008);
• Employee of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Marharyta Fedorovych (2010 – 2024);
• Lieutenant Colonel Marharyta Aristarkhova, Doctor of Philosophy (Educational, Pedagogical Sciences) (since 2024 to the present).

The Language Testing and Research Center, was established in 2008. It became the successor of such units:

• the Language Training Department of the Scientific and Methodological Center for Military Education under the leadership of Colonel Serhii Shchehlov (2003 – 2004);
• the Language Training Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the National Defence Academy of Ukraine under the leadership of Colonel Serhii Shchehlov (2004 – 2008).

Later, the Center was headed by:

• Lieutenant Colonel Andrii Reshytko (2008 – 2010);
• Colonel Valerii Kachanov, Candidate of Military Sciences (2010 – 2013);
• Colonel Serhii Nevhad, Candidate of Military Sciences (since 2013 to the present).

Structure:

• Foreign Languages Department with the laboratory complex;
• Foreign Language Courses;
• Language Testing Research Center with two research sections;
• Planning and Scheduling Unit;
• Software and Technical Support Unit.

Assigned Tasks:

• education and training to achieve a standardized language proficiency profile in foreign languages required by regulatory documents;
• PhD student officers language training;
• development of language tests for four types of language activities (listening, writing, reading, speaking) in three foreign languages: English (SLP 1, SLP 2, SLP 3), French, German (SLP 1, SLP 2) according to NATO STANAG 6001 for all higher military education institutions;
• language testing according to NATO STANAG 6001;
• scientific, scientific-technical, and innovative activities in the field of language training and language testing;
• development (improvement) of the regulatory framework in the field of language training and language testing;
• сooperation with international and partner educational, scientific, and research institutions of the defence forces of Ukraine providing training for teaching staff, testers, and research in the field of language training and language testing.

Main Achievements and the Most Significant Accomplishments

Since 2005, when the National Defence Academy of Ukraine became a partner of the NATO-Ukraine Professional Development Programme in conducting courses initiated by the British Council, the Foreign Languages Department has been conducting:

• English language course for civil servants of the Ministry of Defence and law enforcement agencies;
• advanced training for English language teachers at higher education institutions of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and higher education institutions of the defence forces under the ICELT programme of Cambridge University. Currently, the course is conducted for higher education institutions of the defence forces to share advanced experience in foreign language teaching.

The Language Testing and Research Center annually conducts “Advanced Training for Academic Staff on the Language Testing Issues in Accordance with NATO STANAG 6001” for higher education institutions of the defence forces. As a contact point on the part of Ukraine, the Center cooperates internationally with the NATO Bureau for International Language Co-ordination (BILC) in the format of international conferences, seminars, working meetings to improve the language training system for the personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by studying advanced experience in language testing.

The gained experience is being shared to the structural units of the defence forces of Ukraine that initiate language testing in accordance with NATO STANAG 6001.

The scientific potential of the Foreign Languages Education and Research Centre includes 2 Candidates of Philological Sciences, 5 Candidates of Pedagogical Sciences, 1 Candidate of Military Sciences, 1 Candidate of Social Communication, 1 Candidate of Political Sciences, and 3 Doctors of Philosophy; among them – 2 have the academic title of the Associate Professor and 2 - Senior Researcher.