En
Fr
De

  MEMBER AREA 

Assessment

Language certification systems tailored to the linguistic and academic needs

For over 25 years, universities across Europe have developed language certification systems tailored to the linguistic and academic needs of students, faculty, and researchers. These university-led certification systems ensure that language assessment is embedded in academic and professional communication contexts, providing students with recognised qualifications that support mobility programmes, higher education admissions, and career advancement. Despite the diversity of national higher education systems, a shared challenge emerged: the need for transparent, university-driven language assessment that is mutually recognised across institutions and borders.

In response, the Network of University Language Testers in Europe (NULTE) was established within the framework of CercleS, drawing on the work of the Focus Group on Language Testing and Assessment and bringing together several CercleS member organisations. NULTE provides a platform for collaboration among national university certification systems, fostering mutual recognition, ensuring high standards in assessment, and enhancing cooperation among higher education institutions. The foundations of NULTE rest on a shared commitment to developing certification systems that reflect the linguistic, academic, and professional needs of higher education while ensuring that assessment practices promote positive washback.

A key strength of NULTE certification systems is their emphasis on productive skills—speaking and writing—which are essential for effective academic and professional communication. NULTE assessments are context-sensitive, university-based, and aligned with the realities of higher education environments. Each system adheres to rigorous validation and quality assurance procedures, ensuring fairness, reliability, and institutional relevance.

NULTE serves as a forum for university language testers to engage in knowledge exchange, standard-setting, and mutual recognition of certification systems. For CercleS members, NULTE represents an opportunity to engage with a network of language centres and academic experts who prioritise university-led, research-informed approaches to language certification.

By fostering transparency, comparability, and institutional cooperation, CercleS contributes to a European framework for university-based language assessment, reinforcing the role of language centres in language policy, certification, and quality assurance, while drawing on their expertise in teaching, testing, and assessment. It increases student mobility and international recognition of university language qualifications, supporting institutional strategies for academic exchange and professional advancement. It also provides a structured and collaborative approach to university language certification, enabling different systems to exchange expertise, refine best practices, and ensure alignment with the linguistic and academic demands of higher education.
NULTE currently includes six national certification systems:

This collaboration was formally established with the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation on 7 September 2018 in Poznań.
NULTE remains open to collaborating with additional university certification systems that share its core principles and commitment to advancing language assessment in higher education.