University language centres (ULCs) are often positioned as auxiliary service units responsible for foreign language instruction and proficiency testing. Yet, intensified internationalisation, the spread of English-medium instruction (EMI), and rising expectations for academic staff to teach and publish in English have expanded their role to staff development, language policy implementation, and research-quality support. Building on language policy theory, the multicompetence
perspective, and recent scholarship on EMI and university language centres, this review synthesises key strands of research and policy and proposes a conceptual framework that repositions ULCs as strategic institutional infrastructures. Evidence is drawn from peer-reviewed studies, cross-sector policy reports on institutional language policy in European higher education,
and illustrative institutional policies and organisational models. The analysis highlights five interlinked domains of ULC contribution: (1) internationalisation at home and campus multilingualism; (2) learner and staff language development for EMI; (3) assessment, certification, and quality assurance; (4) academic literacy and research communication; and (5)
language-policy mediation and governance. Persistent tensions between Englishisation and multilingual commitments, uneven governance visibility, and resourcing constraints remain key challenges. The paper concludes with propositions and a framework that can guide universities in integrating language centres into institutional strategy and quality assurance.
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