Bedarf an berufsbezogenen und sprachkommunikativen Fähigkeiten im Bereich akademischer Ausbildung
A Need for Job-Related and Language Communication Skills in Academic Education)

Summary/Abstract: The study addresses the growing importance of the so-called „third mission“ of universities, which, in addition to research and teaching, encompasses a third central task: knowledge and technology transfer, continuous education, and social engagement. The aim is to strengthen the social relevance of universities and meet the challenges of a globalized world of work. The University of Łódź serves as an example of an institution that trains skilled workers for the local labor market through close cooperation with the regional economy. The study focuses on the question of which job-specific and language skills should be taught as part of academic education in order to optimally prepare students for the requirements of the labor market. A central concern is the understanding of institutional communication, especially in educational institutions, administrations, legal institutions, and international companies. It is emphasized that globalization requires new linguistic strategies in institutional contexts. Technical language and technical communication are understood not only as tools, but as integral components of knowledge transfer and progress. Institutional and individual multilingualism is also becoming particularly relevant, especially in the outsourcing sector. The socioeconomic analysis shows Poland to be a leading location for the outsourcing industry, benefiting from competitive labor costs, technological modernization, and digitization. The study examines the extent to which philology courses meet the linguistic and technical requirements of this industry and calls for a stronger link between language and technical knowledge. As part of the „Łódź Language Barometer 2014–2024“ project, quantitative and qualitative studies were conducted on language use and competence requirements in outsourcing companies. The results provide differentiated data on language skills, professional experience, and relevant language skills and form the basis for the development of practice-oriented, career-relevant study programs. In conclusion, it is emphasized that the findings contribute significantly to the optimization of academic language and technical training and enable universities to effectively fulfill their „third mission“.

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