Quality through Networking--From Reactive Administration to Proactive Cooperation

The Language Centre functions as an independent institute within the University of Helsinki. It provides services to all the faculties and units of the university by offering language services and doing its share in creating an international learning environment. Together, the Language Centre and the faculties have one goal in common, namely, a high level of quality in degrees and research. In recent years the Language Centre has been actively developing its profile from solitary institute to cooperative partner. The Language Centre unit of Academic Affairs has a key role in both creating and maintaining the Language Centre's networking at university, national and international levels. In addition, the unit promotes interaction between other units within the Language Centre. Participating in various working groups on different levels helps the unit to get information and feedback from its partners, thereby giving it an important opportunity to influence decision making. The present proactive state is a result of systematic planning and clear visions. The recent transition to the new degree system gave the impetus to change the old ways of action. The Academic Affairs unit has gained its expertise not only by networking, but also by relevant training and by determinedly setting goals. The unit develops an annual plan of action, which helps it to prioritize its tasks and secure its resources. Ideal cooperation in the Language Centre requires intense interaction between teachers, administration and students. Likewise, in the Academic Affairs unit itself, the contribution of each staff member is seen as indispensable. In this article we describe the change of state from reactive to proactive cooperation and give concrete examples of forms of cooperation through different networks as carried out by the unit of Academic Affairs.