Higher education graduate foreign language competence versus the requirements for employability and transition to work

Abstract

Foreign language competence is one of the general skills necessary for the European knowledge society. It is an essential criterion for personality maturity subservient to mutual understanding, democratic stability, communication with the world, and employability. The European Council devotes a lot of attention to the language policy, emphasises the value of language diversity and the importance of possibilities for everybody to learn several languages. Learning of foreign languages is perceived as a part of life-long learning. Therefore, higher education institutions should, on the basis of what has been achieved in secondary education in the field of language teaching and learning, aim at further development of foreign language competence. As the document of European Commission states (2002) language competence is a part of general competences that ensure every person’s employability, education, and personal development possibilities. These competences have to be constantly refreshed and developed. The days when learning started and ended in secondary school have presently become history – today language learning has become an activity of life-long learning.