History of Łódź University of Technology Language Centre

Our centre boasts a long history, during which its name, size and premises have changed – but its emphasis on maintaining the highest possible quality of education has always remained the same. The teaching of foreign languages at the Technical University of Łódź began in 1945, with the admission of the first cohort of students. The unit established for this purpose was called the "Team of Foreign Language Teachers" at the Department of General Chemistry. In 1951, the team became an independent unit, the name of which changed several times: the Studium of Practical Language Teaching, the Studium of Practical Foreign Language Learning, the Studium of Foreign Languages. Since 1 January 2013, in accordance with the decree of the Rector at Łódź University of Technology, the institute is known today as Centrum Językowe Politechniki Łódzkiej (Foreign Language Centre).

Until 1971, the Centre was located in the building of the Faculty of Textiles. It then received office space and several auditoriums in 11 Politechniki Av. In 2000, the University Senate decided to adapt the buildings at 12 Politechniki Av. for stand-alone use by the Centre. Since 2005, the Language Centre has been located in the building of a former factory, modernized and equipped as part of a project financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the IROP (March 2004 - January 2006). The Centre has 35 didactic rooms and a conference room, offices, utility rooms, bathrooms and a library.

The teaching staff has always been composed of excellent philologists with very good methodological preparation. At the beginning of its activity, the unit employed 8 teachers. Among them was Dr. Arno Will, a Germanist who taught secret classes during the occupation. In the years 1955-1965, he the position of head of the unit. He was later Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Philology at the University of Łódź and the head of the Institute of German Philology.

Currently, the team consists of more than 60 teaching staff and 15 administrative and technical employees. Annually, about 6000 students study at the Language Centre.