ABOUT

Koya University (KOYU) is located in the city of Koya (Koysinjaq), which is almost 1.0 hr drive to the East of Erbil (Arbil, Hewlér), the Capital of Kurdistan Region in the North of Iraq. It is on the foothills of a beautiful high mountain. Its campus has been carefully laid out to embrace the beautiful mountainous nature.

Behar English Language Centre (BELC) at Koya University provides instruction to national and international students who need to improve their English language skills before beginning the academic course work. BELC serves the students throguh providing intensive and semi-intensive English language courses against a backdrop of Global life and academia.

It also serves individuals who are not seeking academic future but who want to improve their English skills. Such students can apply to BELC.

In the recent years, further studies and continuous academic development have become a new trend in Kurdistan region. However, to maintain progress, a large number of students and academic staff cross Kurdistan Region are willing to study abroad, many with the benefit of a scholarship from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (hereinafter “MHE”) in Kurdistan under the Human Capacity Development Programme (hereinafter “HCDP”). Yet for many potential candidates, their level of English is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the programmes they have applied for, or the new requirements under the Tier 4 visa system of the UKBA. Accordingly, in order to be offered a place involving a preparatory course in conjunction with the desired degree, applicants need to have achieved the required IELTS or TOEFL score. For higher education staff, on the other hand, many have not had the opportunity to have training according to the contemporary methods of teaching and learning in higher education. There is thus an urgent need for staff development to support the ambitious goals for curriculum development and research, to ensure capability of teaching staff in delivering up-to-date and dynamic education programmes of high quality and have the leadership and management skills to support the realisation of plans, and to enable KOYU to play a leading role in delivering better quality higher education in Kurdistan.

BELC aims at enhancing the student’s English Language cultural awareness and study skills to the levels needed for successful engagement in higher education and which meet the requirements of the Kurdish Ministry of Higher Education, through a pedagogical approach and academic materials developed and managed by Spring International Language Center at the University of Arkansas.

BELC follows a new pedagogy in English Language Teaching and Learning, which is known as Student-Centered Teaching and Learning. This pedagogical approach emphasises the importance of active students' engagement in tasks which encourage the development of holistic communicative competence, rather than learning discrete language elements. Contrary to the traditional Teacher-Centered pedagogy, this approach enhances the students' inductive learning of English, with more emphasis on fluency and accuracy simultaneously.

BELC also aims at creating English speaking community, and English language is the only language allowed to be used inside the building. The aim of this English community is to encourage people to practice their English outside the classroom. This will lead eventually to more exposure exposure to English language and more practice of it.

زانكۆى كۆيە لە شارى كۆيە (كۆيسنجاق) كە دەكەوێتە ڕۆژهەلآتى هەولێرى پايتەختى هەرێمى كوردستان، دووريەكەى نزيكەى يەك كاتژمێر بە ئوتومبێل دەبێت. ئەم زانكۆيە دەكەوێتە دامێنى چيايەكى بەرزو جوان. كامپەسى زانكۆ كە بە جۆريك بينا نراوە كە سروشتێكى شاخاوى جوان لە باوەش دەگرێت.