Unicollege Language Center (ULC)

The ULC

History, Structure, and Functions

Unicollege is part of the Adiuva Group, a leading international educational provider specializing in the fields of foreign language and international studies.

With over 50 years of expertise in language education and international collaboration, Unicollege has been indeed a leader in the field since the establishment of its Mantova campus in the 1970s. As part of a global network of more than 60 strategic partners across 20 countries, it continues to foster excellence in linguistic and cultural studies.

The Unicollege Language Center (ULC) is a premier institution dedicated to the study, enhancement, and accreditation of over 10 languages, providing tailored support to students, faculty, and staff. Designed as a comprehensive reference hub, the center fosters linguistic proficiency, academic research, and professional expertise in language-related fields while promoting global collaboration and excellence.

Activities, actions and objectives of Unicollege Language Center

The Unicollege Language Center (ULC) is a leading institution dedicated to the study, development, and accreditation of over 10 languages, offering specialized support to students, faculty, and staff. It serves as a comprehensive hub for linguistic proficiency, academic research, and professional training while fostering global collaboration.

At its core, the Language Support Desk provides services for language acquisition and skill enhancement, offering tailored guidance to students at all proficiency levels. Meanwhile, the Center for Pedagogical, Academic, and International Analysis conducts research on language education trends, ensuring that programs remain competitive and aligned with international standards.

ULC is committed to academic and professional accreditation, integrating national and international qualifications through compliance assessments. It also actively engages in global partnerships, facilitating knowledge exchange and best practices in multilingual education.

To maintain consistency and quality, ULC has established standardized proficiency levels across all languages, ensuring a structured learning path from enrollment to graduation. Beyond instruction, it serves as a multidisciplinary hub, connecting students, faculty, and external partners to advance research, teaching, and professional development in language studies.

With a strong emphasis on pedagogical research, institutional policy, and innovation, ULC drives excellence in language education and mediation, equipping individuals with the skills to succeed in an increasingly interconnected, multilingual world.

Accreditations

Unicollege, recognized as one of the leading institutions in Italy for language education and international language liaising, is ISO 9001/2015 certified and distinguished by numerous prestigious accreditations, including:

  • First university in the Tuscany region accredited as an official test center for British Council/IELTS and Aptis ESOL exams.
  • Second university in Italy accredited for the Oxford Test of English.
  • Among the top universities in Tuscany and Piedmont serving as a LanguageCert test center.
  • One of the most active accreditation centers for TOLES Legal and CELI exams in Milan.
  • The Turin campus is an official Cambridge preparation center.

I servizi del CLU

Free language compensation courses

For all new Unicollege freshmen with prior knowledge of European languages (or, in exceptional cases, Asian languages), these courses provide an opportunity to refresh essential language skills during a summer session (September) before integrating them into their academic career. The courses are taught by selected university professors and are specifically designed for language studies and linguistic mediation (translation and/or interpreting).

Individual and/or group language tutoring courses

Make-up sessions tailored to specific topics, duration, and complexity, provided individually and/or in groups in one or more languages (among the 10 available) offered by Unicollege.

Extracurricular language courses (for credit and/or vocational)

Non-curricular language courses (and therefore not included in the official academic calendar) consist of 36/40 annual hours (and globally, if pursued over the three-year period, 96 total hours over three years). They can be attended for credit (drawing from the 12 free credits provided in the academic career, receiving an official evaluation, and adhering to the attendance policies of an academic course*) or in vocational mode (limiting attendance to mere class participation, without grade and/or attendance constraints, and obtaining a Certificate of Completion issued by Unicollege at the end of the course). These courses are offered at a discounted rate for all students in the Unicollege community.

*Which require at least 75% attendance in the course, otherwise resulting in its formal non-completion.
Recognition of language certifications

For all Unicollege students who hold a recognized language certification* at B2 level or higher according to the CEFR. With authorization from the Directorate, these students may be exempted from attending the language course (for the certified language) only for the first year of studies. However, registration and completion of the final exam for that course remain mandatory. This means that while students may be excused from mandatory attendance, they are still required to take the final exam.

*The complete list of certificates eligible for exemption is provided below.
Recognition of foreign academic qualifications

For all candidates coming from school systems legally recognized by the MUR, for whom, in agreement with the Academic Directorate, equivalency is applied for enrollment in Unicollege study programs.

Competitions and events

Designed to celebrate the significance and value of languages and linguistic mediation, such as the Unicollege Mock Conference, Unicollege Language Olympics, and Unicollege Annual Global Conference.

Preparation for language certification exams

Designed for the targeted attainment of various proficiency levels, based on the certification catalog listed in the ‘Accreditations’ section.

Summer School and Bootcamp

High-intensity preparation courses that, through a structured curriculum and full-time activities, offer executive training to students and candidates aiming to achieve competitive proficiency levels in an accredited university environment. With over 50 years of experience and a faculty of selected university professors, these programs ensure rigorous preparation.

Note: Upon completing the Summer Schools and Bootcamps, candidates will have the opportunity to take official certification exams on campus (see the ‘Accreditations’ section for the list of available providers).