A British university has launched an English-language course aimed at China's future engineers.
The cost-free course by the University of Birmingham will provide intensive on-line training to help engineering students in China improve their technical language skills.
Although the course has been devised at direct-entry students planning to study electronic, electrical and systems engineering disciplines at the university, the content is being made available to any student planning to study any engineering discipline.
The new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is based on real first-year modules at the university.
The three-week course runs from Nov. 13 and has been developed by the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, led by Dr. Tim Jackson, Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering.
Jackson said: "This is a great opportunity for students whose first language is not English to brush up their language skills and get to grips with the key terms and concepts associated with engineering."
"The course will be delivered in English with Mandarin Chinese transcripts to help students to gradually develop their language skills," explained Jackson.
A spokesman at the University of Birmingham said: "The course will help participants build their confidence in communicating ideas and using technical vocabulary."
