Developing Local EFL Teaching Platforms in Algerian Higher Education: A SWOT Analysis of the El@n Erasmus+ CBHE Project at the University of Tlemcen

Abstract

The digital transformation of higher education has fundamentally reshaped the teaching and learning of foreign languages, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. In Algeria, the EL@N Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) project was one of the central drivers of this transformation, aiming to strengthen universities’ capacity for online and blended learning at the level of language centres. This paper analyses the feasibility of developing a local English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching platform at the University of Tlemcen through a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) framework. Nine EFL teachers and the director of the Language Centre (CEIL) were interviewed, and questionnaires were completed by twenty-five students. Rogers’s (2003) Diffusion of Innovation model – specifically the attributes of compatibility, complexity, and observability -- guided the interpretation of the findings. Results reveal strong institutional enthusiasm and alignment with national policy but persistent weaknesses in training and infrastructure. The final discussion highlights practical implications for Algerian universities seeking sustainable e-learning networks and locally responsive platforms.