This volume is composed of 24 papers originally presented as talks at the VIII National Conference of the Italian Association of University Language Centres (Associazione Italiana dei Centri Linguistici Universitari: AICLU), held at the University of Foggia, Italy, between 30 May and 1st June 2013.

The contributions fall into five sections: 1) keynote addresses from plenary speakers; 2) innovative challenges for language centres; 3) new developments in teaching language for specific purposes; 4) proposals and case studies in Content and Language Integrated Learning; and 5) the use of new technologies in language learning.

18 papers are in English, four in Italian, one in French and one in German. The fact that three-quarters of the papers are in English reflects the way English has become the lingua franca of academic conferences today. However, in keeping with the ethos of CercleS (Confédération Européenne des Centres de Langues de l’Enseignement Supérieur, the pan-European organisation to which AICLU belongs), which is strongly committed to promoting plurilingualism, it was crucial that contributions would also be accepted in other languages.

The volume represents the ‘state of the art’ in the field of language teaching and theory in university language centres not only in Italy, but also in other parts of Europe and the Mediterranean, and testifies to the rich variety of ways in which these centres are adapting and thriving in rapidly changing times.