e-Tandem Partnerships
Overview
Our e-Tandem partnerships allow LRC members to connect and engage with native students of their target language in our partner institutions around the world.
We believe these opportunities are important not only in deepening our members’ language learning journeys, but also in promoting Newcastle University as a globally inclusive institution and encouraging a member community of interculturally informed global citizens through virtual mobility and peer assisted learning.
The activity consist of weekly online audio-video exchanges with a partner, lasting around 1 hour, where participants can have equal time in both practising their target language and helping their partner practise theirs. We provide conversation starter guides in each language for participants, and are available to support the pairings through every stage.
French
We currently offer the following e-Tandem opportunities to our NU LRC members:
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Université de Lorraine (Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France)
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Université de Strasbourg (Strasbourg, Bas Rhin, France)
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Université de Limoges (Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France)
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Université de Nantes (Nantes, Loire-Atlantique, France)
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Université de La Réunion (Moufia, Saint-Dénis, Réunion)
German
We currently offer the following e-Tandem opportunities to our NU LRC members:
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Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg (Halle and Wittenberg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany)
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Ruhr-Universität Bochum (Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
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Universität Duisberg-Essen (Duisberg and Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
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Heinrich-Heine-Universität (Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
Spanish
We currently offer the following e-Tandem opportunities to our NU LRC members:
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Universitat autonoma de Barcelona (Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain)
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Universitat Jaume I (Castelló de la Plana, Valencia, Spain)
- Escuela Oficial de Idiomas de Gandia (Gandia, Valencia, Spain)
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Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Mexico City, Mexico)
Catalan
We currently offer the following e-Tandem opportunities to our NU LRC members:
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Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain)
Italian
We currently offer the following e-Tandem opportunities to our NU LRC members:
- Università degli Studi di Firenze (Florence, Tuscany, Italy)
Japanese
We currently offer the following e-Tandem opportunities to our NU LRC members:
- グローバル教育センターGlobal Education Center, Hosei University (Tokyo, Kantō, Honshu, Japan)
Portuguese
We currently offer the following e-Tandem opportunities to our NU LRC members:
- Centro de Línguas da Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa (Lisbon, Portugal)
Why join?
e-Tandem exchange not only gives participants the ability to access the international experience wherever they are, but also provides a richer, more meaningful learning experience and develops essential employability skills such as intercultural competence, critical digital literacy, problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and global awareness.
Many of our participants have gone on to form great friendships with their partners, carrying on with their exchanges beyond their studies and time at Newcastle University.
Still not convinced? Read some of our past participants’ feedback:
- It’s great having someone to speak to in a different country and to make a new friend.
- I get on really well with my partner, we will continue to call now and want to meet up in the future – I am so glad I took part!
- I think the LRC did really well with the matchings, as me and my partner have a lot in common! It’s good practice to hear a native speaker speak!
- I have improved my fluency and feel more confident speaking my target language, and feel more immersed in the culture.
- I have enjoyed this immensely, my partner is so lovely! The conversation guides were very useful at first for us to direct the flow of our conversation, especially when we didn’t know each other very well!
- Learned new vocab, made a friend, got someone to casually ask all my language queries!
- We have both really enjoyed comparing our cultures and learning about the politics of our countries. My partner is coming to the UK next year, and I'm going to Catalonia over the summer, so we are going to try to meet in person!
- Learned about my partner’s culture and put myself out of my comfort zone – now I am more confident in Zoom calls!
