Spain Launches New Police Language Learning Centre

In recognition of Spain’s multicultural society and the importance of tourism, the General Directorate of the Police has launched the National Police Language Centre.

On Friday, July 14, a press release from Policia National announced a new training programme aimed at civil servant personnel of the National Police and personnel attached to the Directorate General of the Police.

Recognising A Need For Modernisation

The Regulation of selective processes and training of the National Police, has recommended a profound modernisation of the selection, promotion and training system of the National Police.

The report specified a programme of modernisation and an updating of the capacities of the National Police with a firm commitment to language training.

The Directorate General of the Police has been put in charge of organising a system that would allow access to learning a foreign language that would also enable career progression and internal promotion.

Promoting the knowledge of languages is a strategic priority of the Directorate General of the Police and for this reason, the National Police Language Centre has been set up.

It will have its headquarters in Madrid, attached to the General Secretariat of the Training and Development Division, which will be fully qualified for training, evaluation and certification in language teaching.

The training actions will be aimed at civil servant personnel of the National Police and personnel attached to the Directorate General of the Police. After passing the corresponding courses, it will allow applicants to obtain accreditation of the level reached by means of a certificate valid in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

The Importance Of Foreign Language Skills In Spain

The report went on to say that for the correct exercise of police work, knowledge of foreign languages is an essential tool. Police authorities recognise the multicultural nature of Spanish society, globalisation and the importance of the tourist sector in our country.

It was also noted that new forms of criminality, especially cybercrime, as well as multinational organised crime and terrorism, have created a new environment in which a command of different languages has become a key and essential element.

The Aims Of The National Police Language Centre

• Drawing up and proposing training plans and actions for the improvement of language skills.
• To carry out the annual programming of language training, its organisation in the different modalities and levels, as well as the curricular design of the courses.
• To provide language teaching, in accordance with the annual programme, as well as to coordinate and unify the criteria for language learning.
• To assess the levels of knowledge of foreign languages in accordance with the standards determined for this purpose, ensuring their conformity with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
• To manage the Centre’s teaching staff, identifying and applying criteria that ensure the quality of the teaching staff.
• Research into teaching methodology in order to update and improve methods, teaching aids and training materials for language teaching.
• To propose collaborate with public and private institutions, as well as with other national and foreign language teaching and research centres or institutions on training and certification of the level of foreign languages.
• Promote, standardise and supervise distance language teaching in its field of application.
• To certify the level of language knowledge required for the performance of a specific job.
• Participate in the selection processes for admission, access and internal promotion. It will also assist in training, refresher and specialisation courses, both in the preparation of the tests and in the accreditation of the level of knowledge of the language.
• Any others entrusted to it in the field of language teaching.