Academic CentreOne of the activities of the State institution implementing the language policy of the European Union is the development of requirements for the assessment of foreign language levels. For this purpose, the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) was established, which is currently also joined by Russia. In Latvia, it is possible to evaluate foreign language levels in English, German and other foreign languages in the organisations entitled to determine the language level of those interested and to issue a corresponding certificate to them (e.g. British Council, Goethe Institute, etc.). Examination Centre for Russian as a Foreign Language performs analogous functions. The Centre was founded in 2004. It organizes and performs the evaluation of Russian language as foreign language levels for students of Latvian universities and foreigners who live, study or work in Latvia. The Centre is constructed on the basis of a cooperation agreement between the University of Latvia and the Russian language testing centre for foreign citizens (Moscow), the Saint Petersburg State University's Russian language testing centre for foreign citizens (Saint Petersburg).
The tasks of the Centre:
- to promote information about the Examination Centre for Russian as a Foreign Language and the services it offers;
- to consult everyone who wants to define the level of Russian as a foreign language skills;
- to consult everyone who wants to improve their knowledge of Russian language;
- to carry out joint studies with the Saint Petersburg State University's Russian language testing centre for foreign citizens in the field of Russian language teaching methodologies;
- to provide methodological assistance to the teachers and senior lecturers of Russian as a foreign language in Latvia;
- to send specialists from Latvia for further training in the field of linguodidactical testing to the seminars organized by the Saint Petersburg State University.