USM PENANG, 23 July 2024 – The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Languages, Literacies and Translation (SoLLaT) recently had the distinct honour of hosting the Ambassador of Spain to Malaysia, His Excellency Mr. José Luis Pardo Cuerdo, in a special courtesy visit to commemorate the university being designated as an official centre for the DELE (Diploma in Spanish as a Foreign Language) examinations.

Earlier in March 2024, SoLLaT USM formalised a landmark agreement with Instituto Cervantes, a worldwide non-profit organisation founded by the Spanish Government. This Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) officially designates USM as an authorised DELE examination centre.

Being the only public university in Malaysia authorised to conduct DELE examinations, particularly for the northern region, this milestone underscores USM's commitment to fostering Spanish language proficiency.

USM, strategically located and equipped with superb facilities, is well-prepared to accommodate all examination levels.

Ummu Salmah Rahamatullah, who has over 15 years of experience as a DELE examiner, will oversee all examination levels, working alongside fellow staff Cheow Sze Huay, both of whom are DELE-accredited examiners from SoLLaT.

During the meeting, USM SoLLaT Acting Dean, Azril Ali gave an overview regarding the DELE Spanish Diplomas as official certificates that attest to one’s competency and proficiency in the Spanish language.

“Securing the diplomas is an excellent way to validate Spanish language skills. These examinations cater to a diverse range of candidates, including school students, young people, and adults learning Spanish as a second or foreign language, with proficiency levels ranging from A1 to C2 based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

“Issued by Instituto Cervantes on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, and Sports, DELE certificates are internationally recognised and valid indefinitely,” he said.

Azril Ali also expressed his anticipation for the opportunities this partnership will bring and reaffirmed the university's commitment to strengthen international collaborations and enhance foreign language offerings to equip students with global knowledge.

Following that, José Luis congratulated SoLLaT’s Foreign Language Section, especially the Spanish language unit, for this significant achievement and international recognition.

During his brief interaction with the Spanish language students, José Luis expressed his enthusiasm for future collaborations beyond the classroom between USM, Aula Cervantes (a branch of Instituto Cervantes in Malaysia), and the Spanish Embassy, aimed at further enriching the students' learning experiences.

SoLLaT plans to conduct its inaugural DELE examinations intake in November 2024. For more information, please visit DELE@USM or email dele@usm.my.

Text: Ummu Salmah Rahamatullah, Foreign Language Section (Spanish), USM SoLLaT
Editing: Nur Farrah Ezlin Mohd Suhaimi, Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin & Aizat Hisham Ahmad
Photo: Shahnizam Ab Rahim