EMPOWERING UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC STAFF THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED ENGLISH TRAINING: A LANGUAGE CENTER INITIATIVE FOR STRENGTHENING PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

Abstract

Limited access to relevant English training remains a major obstacle to the professional development of university lecturers and academic staff, especially in the context of scholarly communication and international collaboration. This issue is rarely addressed through university-led community service initiatives. This paper aims to demonstrate how a community service program conducted by lecturers at the Language Center of UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang can offer a practical solution to improving academic English proficiency. This writing is based on quantitative and qualitative data collected through pre-tests, post-tests, participant satisfaction surveys, and direct observations during a six-session training program structured using the ASSURE model. The findings indicate that short-term training, which incorporates Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), and AI-assisted learning tools, can significantly improve participants’ academic skills, particularly in writing and speaking, while also enhancing their confidence. This community service activity proves that well-designed and context-sensitive training can effectively meet the actual needs of academic professionals. The study recommends that community service by university lecturers should not only be framed as social contribution, but also as a strategic pedagogical intervention for institutional capacity building.

Keywords: English language training, community service, language center lecturers, academic communication, professional development