The Centre for English Teacher Training (CETT) of Eötvös Loránd University was established in order to meet the increased demand for English teachers which followed the collapse of the Soviet block and the resulting relaxation of foreign language education policy in Hungary. CETT's BEd TEFL programme combines a substantial professional training component with language improvement and more traditional philological studies. This paper describes the way in which the academic-writing component developed over the first four years of CETT's existence, in response to the needs of the trainees taking the BEd. The collaborative process of programme design included tutors who were not directly involved with language improvement. The resulting programme reflects principles shared by the whole staff, and contributes directly to the aim of efficient teacher education which is CETT's main raison d'être.