Abstract:

The article elucidates the importance of academic mobility and the development of academic competence. In the era of globalization the question of academic mobility of both students and teachers is particularly acute. Active scientific activity, and in recent years, active international activity are one of the most important and leading indicators of the integration of a modern university into the global space (for this reason, international activity has become one of the leading indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of universities in Russia). Expansion of academic mobility programs is one of the reasons for reforming the entire educational process in the framework of the Bologna system. International contacts are aimed primarily at finding ways of sharing experience in teaching and research with colleagues and students of other universities located abroad.

Moscow City University, for instance, implements several academic mobility programs that have become possible within the framework of signed cooperation agreements with foreign partner universities: Fontis International School of Business (the Netherlands), University of Nottingham (the United Kingdom), University of Bayreuth (Germany).

The advantage of participation in these programs is the development of communicative competence, which is necessary for the training of a specialist who is ready for mobility in the context of globalization, and seems to be one of the indicators of the quality of vocational education. In the context of the growing importance of international contacts in the academic environment, the role of intercultural communication skills is increasing, the success of which is associated with the level of formation of the communicative competence of students.

Practice shows that academic mobility in the domestic academic environment is not yet widespread. Among the reasons are national-cultural differences and their interference in oral and written business communications.

The paper features a sample of the course in Academic English at Moscow City University. The study of written academic communication is inextricably linked with the study of academic discourse. Any discourse is a certain type of activity that carries information about this process, therefore, discourse is a means of studying a particular sphere of functioning of society and its representatives. Accordingly, academic discourse is a product of professional interaction in academic environment. Academic discourse is seen as a source of information about the social practices of scientists, researchers, students and the entire academic community.

The author argues that the academic competence plays an important role in enhancing academic contacts with foreign colleagues. That is why academic competence should be one of the goals of professional development of Masters both in Linguistics and Education.

Keywords:

Academic Mobility, Academic Discourse, Academic Competence, Master Program.