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The emergence of the hybrid multimodal paradigm of communication “makes use of different communication modes, transfers information via multiple channels and functions on different planes” (Platonova et al 2016; 70). The changes in the communication paradigm, in their turn, induce changes in the composition and structure of their professional portfolio. Therefore, the profile of a contemporary student of an engineering study programme contains a variety of competences, which s/he should possess, e.g. apart from having a domain specific knowledge, it concerns developing terminological competence, addressing the issues of cultural sensitivity and linguistic diversity, which implies perfect mastering of a foreign LSP, English in particular.

The necessity to acquire multiple languages within higher education study programmes not majoring in linguistics is governed by the fact that nowadays multiliteracy is no longer seen as a “pedagogical phenomenon” (Čok in Sollars 2002, 5), but rather as a pedagogical necessity, as it is perceived as an important “general European value and criteria” (ibid). The concept of multiliteracy however has (r)evolutionized in the course of the years, as it has developed into the phenomenon, which, alongside other things, concerns enhancing literacy in the foreign LSP by exploring cultural diversity in the multilingual environment for multimodal information transfer. In other words, contemporary language acquisition theories and practices are aimed at exploring “how to use the range of students’ linguistic repertoires and transcultural knowledge in the learning of any language at whatever level using multiliteracies perspective” (Janks in Kumagai et al 2015; xi).

The aim of the paper is, therefore, by adopting a multimodal approach to foreign LSP acquisition to find out the core competences and organize them into the matrix of related levels that students should possess to enhance literacy in the English language for specific purposes, pursuing their academic excellence, and achieving individual professional proficiency.