Name Activity "Academic Language Centre" "ACTO is the Academic Language Centre of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. ACTO provides language support at the request of VUB faculties and services." "Applied Language Studies" "The research unit for Applied Language Studies investigates language skills processes and products in tertiary education. Language awareness raising and language training in higher education typically take place in an academic context. However, they also attempt to serve future professional objectives, i.e. academic and specific (business and medical) purposes. Currently, the following topics play a central role: language awareness teaching, learning and learner variables (e.g. attitudes, perceptions, metacognitive knowledge and skills), genres such as academic literacy (e.g. academic writing and reading), forms of academic and professional communication, and learner contexts (institutionalised versus informal learning)." "Brussels Institute for Applied Linguistics" "Sonja LavaertHélène Stengers" "BIAL (Brussels Institute for Applied Linguistics) is a research group within the Applied Linguistics Department of the VUB that conducts applied linguistic research with a focus on transculturalism. We define transculturalism as a form of cultural hybridity which emerges when different cultural elements interact and eventually integrate with each other. Since Brussels is a natural melting pot of cultures, the emphasis on transculturalism is contained in the B of BIAL (""Brussels""). We approach our overarching research theme from different angles. The research can be categorised according to the following lines of enquiry: - Translation and Interpreting This line of research comprises a variety of topics within translation and interpreting studies. Examples of translation research include text-based, contrastive studies (including literary translation and translation in specialized contexts such as institutional translation), the translation of migration literature and intersemiotic translation, intermediality and adaptation, as well as studies on transculturalism in translation practice. Research topics in interpreting science include studies on the practice of interpreting (e.g. community interpreting) and the evaluation of interpreting skills according to the European Framework of Reference with a view to the professionalization of sworn interpreters. - Foreign Language Acquisition and Multilingualism Research within this domain focuses on the validation of teaching methods with a view to optimizing foreign language teaching, as well as research on multilingualism from the perspective of migration, transculturalism and education. - Jargon, terminology and communication in a multilingual, transcultural perspective Lines of enquiry in this field include application-specific terminological analyses in a socio-cognitive perspective, the possibilities and limitations of ontology-based terminological databases, the importance of terminology (neologisms) within the dynamic process of understanding, multilingual neology, European terminology and equal authenticity of texts in different languages, terminological variation, and the role of vagueness and indeterminacy in language. One of the current research projects in this field relates to multilingual transcultural communication in Brussels hospitals, with an emphasis on the negotiation of meaning in patient-oriented communication, paying particular attention to misunderstandings in multilingual contexts. - Language Practice in transcultural society This category concerns interdisciplinary research on the relationship between political concepts and language use in different languages and their associated cultures. The focus lies on the philosophy of language, language and ethics, and language and critical theory, themes which are then applied to and linked with translation issues, discourse analysis and social theories." "Center for Applied Linguistics" "The research group Centre for Applied Linguistics (CTL) carries out pluridisciplinary research. Important research domains of CTL are:-          cross-cultural research (mainly verbal and non verbal communication)-          communication needs and problems of specific populations (mainly business-oriented, possibly targeting a specific sector and/or job category)-          semi-autonomous blended learning (effectiveness and efficiency of language education and didactic methods, in particular those including the use of ICT in support of semi-autonomous learning)" "Center of Applied Linguistics" "Our main activity : the language needs of employees of small and medium sized companies (how to describe them? how to find an adequate solution for their problems ? how to create effective language learning material for that type of public ? how to test their communicative competence and their intercultural awareness?) - the possibilities and limits of new technology enhanced language learning (NTELL). In our view it should be selfstudying multimedia condensed material, for instance on CD ROM/internet." "Centre for Applied Linguistics" "Niet beschikbaar" "Centre for Dutch Studies" "The members and the activities of NEER -Centre for Dutch Studies- have been integrated in CLIN -the Centre for Linguistic Research." "Centre for Information, Documentation and Research on Brussels" "Dimokritos Kavadias" "BRIO, the Centre for Information, Documentation and Research on Brussels, is an interuniversity research consortium with research centres of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel (HUBrussel) as founding partners. Its mission is to create a platform for exchanging ideas and information on several aspects of the Brussels Capital Region, in interaction with the Flemish surrounding municipalities and other levels of government, and to stimulate new research on the matter. Therefore an important pillar of BRIO is the development and the maintainance of a specialised scientific virtual documentation centre on Brussels: www.briobrussel.be and another on the Flemish Periphery: www.docu.vlaamserand.be. It also resulted in different research projects, the organisation of colloquia, the publication of a series entitled Brusselse Thema's (Brussels Themes). Recent research topics are: - language use and language situation - language and identity - language policies and legislation - federalisation all analysed as a combined action of social, economic, demographic, political and psychological factors." "Centre for Linguistics" "Rik Vosters" "The main objective of the Centre for Linguistics (CLIN) is to promote basic research in theoretical and applied linguistics and the application of this research in the wider society. Research at CLIN addresses a broad spectrum of issues related to the structure, use, learning and teaching, historical development, and the social and political contexts of languages. Recent work includes studies on morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics, dialectology, sociolinguistics, sociohistorical linguistics, bilingualism and bilingual education, sign language, aphasia, second language acquisition, and methodology and practice in language teaching. Applications of research at CLIN include consultancy for private and public organisations in the areas of language and education policy, curriculum design, language teaching material development, language assessment, speech pathology, and natural language processing. The Centre has currently 35 members, 11 of whom have a tenure position at the university. CLIN is part of the Linguistics and Literary Studies department (TALK)." "Communication for Academic and Professional purposes (C-APP)" "The C-APP research group brings together researchers in the areas of applied linguistics, academic literacies, and discourse studies to consolidate research on language use in: (i) public or private organizational settings - health communication - corporate communication - intercultural communication - multilingualism - language, media and ideology - digital communication (ii) (higher) education - teaching communication for special purposes - language testing - second language acquisition - academic acculturation"