Department of languages and intercultural competences
The Department of Language Training and Intercultural Competences offers a wide range of professionally and academically oriented language modules complemented by teaching of intercultural and communicative competences to both Bachelor and Master students. The department is also a registered examination centre for the Cambridge International Certificate. The academic staff of the Department is involved in a number of educational projects, publishes, is in contact with the professional public and constantly monitors not only current language trends but also the current requirements of everyday practice. Thanks to the feedback from students and employers from the Czech Republic and abroad, we are able to prepare well-equipped graduates for the labour market.
This department offers the students of Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes a wide range of professionally and academically oriented language modules together with courses in intercultural and communication competences. The department is also a registered examination centre for the Cambridge international certificates. The academic personnel of the department are involved in a number of educational projects and publishing and are in contact with the professional public. They continuously monitor not only the current trends in languages, but also the current requirements of everyday work. Thanks to feedback from students and employers from the Czech Republic and abroad, the department has succeeded in producing linguistically well-trained graduates for the labour market.
Mgr. Dagmar Sieglová, MSEd., Ph.D.
Head of Languages and Intercultural Competences Department
Dagmar Sieglová specialises in diversity management in management and marketing, English teaching and pedagogical methodology. She has a PhD in General and Applied Linguistics at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University in Prague. During her studies, Dagmar worked at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA. She studied for her Master’s degree at the same US university in the field of intercultural communication and didactics of languages, and didactics of the German language at the Masaryk University in Brno. Between 2013 and 2016, she worked as an assistant professor at the Department of Languages and Department of Marketing of the University of Finance and Administration. Between 2010 and 2013, she was the director of the non-profit organisation MKC Praha, between 1996 and 2004, she managed the Lexia International programme in Prague. Between 2006 and 2010, Dagmar worked as a researcher in the international European research project Language in a Network of European Excellence. She attends international research conferences on a regular basis. Her pedagogical experience starts in 1994 and consists of long-term cooperation with academic institutions (UPenn, Faculty of Arts at Charles University, Faculty of Science at Charles University, University of Technology, University of Finance and Administration) as well as adaptation trainings and corporate education in the field of diversity management and English. Her work, pedagogical and managerial experience also includes working in the USA, where she taught Czech for foreigners, managed international research teams and participated in research of digitalisation of English and preparation of electronic dictionaries. She also engages in volunteering activities. Dagmar has worked with Škoda Auto University since 2013.
Specialisation:
- Diversity management, intercultural marketing, marketing communication, public relations, sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, conversational analysis, sociocultural adaptation, business English, academic English, academic writing, methods of critical thinking.
Courses at Škoda Auto University:
- Public relations in Czech and English (Master’s)
- English C1 (Master’s) – Module 1 (management)
- English C1 (Master’s) – Module 2 (marketing)
- English C1 (Master’s) – Module 3 (economics)
- Thesis management in Czech and English (Bachelor’s, Master’s)
Mgr. Pavlína Příbramská
Member of Languages and Intercultural Competences Department
Pavlína Příbramská is the head of the Department of Languages and Intercultural Competences. She graduated from the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Pardubice in the field of English language teaching. She has worked in language teaching since 1999. Pavlína has taught English for economics at Škoda Auto University at the Bachelor level. Since 2013, she has been the course coordinator of English B2 at the Bachelor level. She is also responsible for the management and preparation of the e-learning project for English B2 on the Moodle platform for Bachelor’s degree students, both full-time and part-time. Pavlína also contributes to preparation and administration of e-testing in AIS for students of all English B2 modules. Since 2017, she has worked on organising and managing the Cambridge exams at Škoda Auto University. In 2018 she was appointed as a Cambridge English examiner. Under her leadership, Škoda Auto University became a certified preparation centre for the Cambridge exams. She is currently working on intercultural aspects in videoconferencing lessons in cooperation with a partner university in Siena.
Specialisation:
- English
Courses at Škoda Auto University:
- English B2 module 1-5
- Bachelor’s Examination in English
- Business English
Mgr. Lenka Stejskalová, MBA
Member of Languages and Intercultural Competences Department
Lenka Stejskalová graduated from the Faculty of Science at Charles University in Prague, then she completed her supplementary pedagogical study at the Pedagogical Faculty of Charles University in Prague and passed the state examinations in English. In 2005, she received the Teaching English for Business certificate at IH London, and in 2011 she completed her MBA studies at IPFM Prague. Between 1991 and 1996, she was self-employed, teaching English and providing interpretation and translation services to corporate clients. From 1996 to 2000, she worked at the vocational college of industrial traders in Mladá Boleslav, where she prepared the concept of language teaching for the accreditation file of the then newly established Škoda Auto University. Between 2000 and 2018, she was the head of the Department of Languages and Intercultural Competences at Škoda Auto University. Since October 2014, she is the Vice-Rector for International Relations and contributes to the development of internationalisation and is involved in many international projects. In the field of pedagogy, she focuses on teaching English for academic purposes and English for specific purposes, focused on business practice. She works on the creation and implementation of digital supports in teaching, especially for part-time students. She is currently working on CLIL methodology and the support of teaching specialised courses in English. In addition to teaching, she organises and coordinates language summer schools and professionally oriented summer schools. She is also an examiner of the oral part of Cambridge language exams.
Specialisation:
- Business English, English for Academic Purposes
Courses at Škoda Auto University:
- English C1 (Master's)
- Management (EN) (Bachelor's)
Mgr. Zuzana Havlisová
Member of Languages and Intercultural Competences Department
Zuzana Havlisová graduated from the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Pardubice with a degree in the field of German language teaching. Since her graduation, she has been working as a teacher of German. She gained teaching experience during her stays in Germany and in companies where she taught German, occasionally interpreted and worked as an assistant and interpreter. She has been a member of the Department of Language Training and Intercultural Competences at Škoda Auto University since 2019. She is involved in the development of e-learning resources for the NJA2 and NJB1 courses.
Specialisation:
- German language
Courses at Škoda Auto University:
- German A2
- German B1
PhDr. Alena Bednářová
Member of Languages and Intercultural Competences Department
Alena Bednářová works as an external lecturer of Russian and Czech for foreigners. She graduated in Russian Language and Literature at the Faculty of Philology of the Volgograd University in Russia. She received her PhDr. in 1988 at the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University. Since 1982, she taught Russian at a secondary school, then since 2010 in a language school and at a university. She is the coordinator of Russian language A2 in the Bachelor's degree programme. Alena participates in the preparation of students for certified exams in Russian and Czech for foreigners. Since 2008 she has cooperated with the Center for Education Results (CERMAT) on the concept of state maturita exams from Russian language as a lecturer and evaluator of written assignments.
Specialisation:
- Russian language, Czech language for foreigners
Courses at Škoda Auto University:
- Russian language (Bachelor's)
Mgr. Miluše Löffelmannová
Member of Languages and Intercultural Competences Department
Miluše Löffelmannová studied language teaching at the Faculty of Economics and Administration at the University of Pardubice. Since then, she has taught English and worked as an interpreter. As part of postgraduate education, she prepared students for the English state exam (B2), the FCE Cambridge Exam and the STANAG 6001 military exam. Since 2007, Miluše has worked as an external lecturer at the Department of Languages and Intercultural Competences at Škoda Auto University. During her stay abroad between 2011 and 2014, she worked on intercultural communication and reading techniques at the British International School in Shanghai. She is currently a lecturer of English at B2 level in both full-time and part-time modes of the Bachelor’s degree programme. She participates in projects dealing with preparation of e-learning aids for professional English for students of both modes of study of the Bachelor’s degree programme. Miluše also has the examiner status for FCE and CAE Cambridge exams.
Specialisation:
- English
Courses at Škoda Auto University:
- English B2 module 1-5
- Bachelor’s examination in English
Mgr. Vladimíra Soukupová
Member of Languages and Intercultural Competences Department
Vladimíra Soukupová graduated from the Faculty of Education at Charles University in Prague with a degree in General Education: English-German. After her graduation, she taught foreign languages at a secondary school and in language schools (corporate classes, public courses). She also worked as a course coordinator and methodologist of German. In 2018, after completing a one-year course at the Goethe Institute, she became a German language multiplier (lecturer). She is interested in modern approaches to teaching foreign languages and attends seminars and courses in the Czech Republic and abroad. Vladimíra has worked at the Department of Languages and Intercultural Competences at Škoda Auto University since 2018. She is a lecturer of German in both full-time and part-time modes of the Bachelor’s degree programme. She is also involved in the development of e-learning materials for the NJA2 course.
Specialisation:
- English language, German language
Courses at Škoda Auto University:
- German A2, B1, B2
- German A2 for foreigners
- German B1 for foreigners
Mgr. Michaela Odložilíková
Member of Languages and Intercultural Competences Department
Michaela Odložilíková graduated from the grammar school in Mladá Boleslav and then from the Pedagogical Faculty of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice in Spanish-Geography, where she also passed the state exam from English. From 2003 to 2011, she worked as a teacher of Spanish and English in language schools in Mladá Boleslav and managed language courses for the employees of Škoda Auto. She also used her language experience as a guide and representative of travel agencies in different European countries, especially in Spain. She has worked with Škoda Auto University since 2003 as an external lecturer. Since 2014 she has also taught Spanish and Geography at the eight-year grammar school in Mladá Boleslav.
Specialisation:
- Spanish and English
Courses at Škoda Auto University:
- Spanish language (Bachelor's) English language – preparatory course (Bachelor's)
Mgr. Zdeňka Patočková
Member of Languages and Intercultural Competences Department
Zdeňka Patočková works as an external lecturer. She graduated from the Faculty of Education of Charles University in Prague with a degree in teaching Czech and civics for lower and upper secondary schools. Since 2008, she has been teaching Czech for Foreigners and Czech for Academic Purposes at Škoda Auto University. She has collaborated on the development of electronic resources for teaching Czech in the Moodle environment. Since 2019, she has been teaching Czech language courses in the Centre for Support of Integration of Foreigners in Mladá Boleslav.
Specialization:
- Czech language
- Czech language for foreigners
Courses at Škoda Auto University:
- Czech language and culture for foreigners
- Czech for academic purposes
Mgr. Oleksandra Chaban
Member of Languages and Intercultural Competences Department
Oleksandra Chaban graduated from Nizhyn Pedagogical State University, Ukraine, with Master’s degree majoring in teaching English and German languages and Foreign Literature. She also studied Management of secondary schools and other educational institutions and finished the study with a Master thesis on the topic of Effective Leadership. To implement the knowledge into practice Oleksandra started working in the third Semester and had fallen in love with the process of teaching. She has worked with children and teenagers, top managers of high profile companies, taught General English and German to adults; worked on the development of teaching materials for an English course in a private language center. Methodology (new methods of teaching), task based learning, well-being of students, positive feedback and effective communication have always been her topics of her interest.
Specialization:
- English language and German language
Courses at Škoda Auto University:
- English language B2 module 1-5
- German language for foreigners
Ioana Kocurová Giurgiu, M.A.
Member of Languages and Intercultural Competences Department
Ioana Kocurová Giurgiu graduated from Lucia Blaga University in Sibiu, Romania, Journalism and Communication. She received the M.A. degree in English translation at the same university, focusing on Bible texts and adaptations of scripts for television. Her career then involved several different projects – writing, PR, business – all requiring different skills. She soon discovered that the key skills do not come from her university education, but practical experience. As a lecturer, she prepared a course called Business Communication Competences, which is successfully at Škoda Auto University and she also organises workshops that support skills indispensable for the current labour market. She also prepared the course English for Academic Purposes and Academic Writing in English, which are also offered by Škoda Auto University. She is currently exploring the fields of motivation and motivation factors in education.
Specialisation:
- English, business English, academic writing, communication competences, managerial psychology.
Courses at Škoda Auto University:
- English for Academic Purposes
- Academic Writing in English
- Business Communication Competencies
- Business English
- Managerial Psychology