August saw the culmination of the 2024-25 Pre-sessional English (PSE) programme at English for Academic Study (EAS). The PSE builds from a modest start in January through Terms 2 + 3 towards the ‘Summer’ blocks with very large student intakes in June and July. Notwithstanding a decline in overall numbers, at its peak the ‘24-25 programme involved over 520 students, across 80 class groups, supported by a teaching team of over 70 colleagues: 22 ‘regular’ EAS team; 40 visiting teachers; 10 Course Convenors; a dozen Team Leaders, and a partridge in a pear tree.

A few notable highlights in the ‘24-25 PSE run include:

BALEAP Accreditation: EAS continued its strong record of excellence in achieving full accreditation in the BALEAP Accreditation Scheme. BALEAP is the principal professional body in English for Academic Purposes (EAP), the field most aligned to our provision at EAS. The BALEAP Accreditation Scheme (BAS) is a quadrennial quality assurance and enhancement exercise involving a comprehensive evaluation of provision and a rigorous 3-day on-site assessment by a visiting panel (June 2025). This represents a significant additional exercise in an already intensive period - huge thanks to all colleagues for their contributions towards securing this accolade.

EAS SoTL Conference: In July, EAS launched the inaugural EAS SoTL mini-Conference, a half-day event with a series of talks and discussion aimed at fostering and showcasing scholarly practice and innovation on and beyond the Pre-sessional. We enjoyed a great range of presentations and lightning talks in what we hope will become a fixed and expanding part of our PSE calendar.

In recognition: In a climate of growing uncertainty (e.g. HE precarity; AI), we are keen to foster good vibes and recognise exceptional effort in a high-pressured PSE environment. The noticeboard outside the Hetherington Admin Hub was our nod to that spirit of community and occasional silliness (and one that has happily remained!).

Inspired by the SMLC Joe Russo Kindness Award, we also launched a PSE award scheme to recognise the efforts of visiting, fixed-term PSE colleagues, in special memory of two much-missed former EAS colleagues, Judith Sclare and Carol Irvine, whose kindness and warmth brightened many Pre-sessionals past and who left us much too soon. Through the UofG Voucher Scheme, we were very glad to be able to share a small token of thanks to some of this year’s PSE team who went the extra mile to support colleagues and students.

In Recognition: For Judith & Carole - recipients

  • Francesca di Mambro
  • Elisabeth Jackson
  • Jane Santos
  • Wayne Brown
  • Lynne Kennedy

Peak PSE season lands in the difficult, and often unseen, ‘fourth’ term of the EAS calendar – sincere thanks to all colleagues in supporting our students towards over 200 individual programmes (PGT, PGR, UG) across every School in the University.

Special thanks to the PSE and wider SMLC Admin/PS team whose vital work goes on even further behind the scenes and who keep the whole thing moving. In particular to Carmen, Ishbel, Jenny, Kerry, Freya, Kate and Lynne – thank you.

And final thanks to our remarkable students who have done a very brave thing in coming to a strange city, far from home, to try something new. We learn so much from them every year, and it has been our privilege, again, to accompany them on the first part of their journeys.

First published: 14 November 2025

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