INTER-INSTITUTIONAL LANGUAGE COURSES - BRUSSELS

session February 2005 – July 2005

• INTRODUCTION

• GENERAL INFORMATION

• TYPES OF COURSES

• APPLICATION FORM

INTRODUCTION

The language training sector of the training unit (ADMIN.A.3) organises more or less 700 courses in 27 languages for more or less 11000 participants a year, mainly at an inter-institutional level. To accomplish this, all our resources (financial, human and logistical) are utilised to the full.

In spite of this, it is not always possible to organise all the courses requested or to satisfy all the requests for training. Priorities have been therefore determined as follows:

• Priority 1: requests made in the context of article 45, point 2 (see page 5), of the Staff Regulations in force as from 1st May 2004. Staff members may join a language course (all E.U. languages) until the end of the 2nd course month (except for level 1 beginner courses in which it is essential to participate from the start of the session);

• Priority 2: requests made in the interest of the service by newcomers and staff returning to Headquarters (here less than 3 months). They may join an English or French course until the end of the 2nd course month (except for level 1 beginner courses in which it is essential to participate from the start of the session), if their service makes a special request;

• Priority 3: requests made in the interest of the service which enable staff to work effectively;

• Priority 4: requests made in the interest of the individual.

In practical terms, we have to follow very tight time-scales established at an inter-institutional level. Please, therefore, remember that we must apply strict deadlines for enrolment in SYSLOG Web Formation. Consequently, before enrolling, participants are asked to consider the implications in terms of time and effort (for them and their service). Potential participants are also invited to consider the costs of lost opportunity - should you sign up for a course and then drop out, you prevent another colleague from availing of the opportunity to attend the course, as well as raising the average costs per participant.

Moreover, in order to ensure optimal use of resources and to ensure that each student achieves the pre-established training objectives, regular attendance at all courses is required. Consult the attendance rules (see point 7). In this respect, you are also reminded that arrival more than 30 minutes late to a class or departure 30 minutes before the end of the class is considered as non-attendance.

All members of staff (or other participants) are reminded of the necessity to comply with all rules and administrative practices drawn up to ensure the smooth functioning of courses and participants are invited to ensure that they do not hinder the work of the Administration and of Teachers (recording of presences/absences, non-attendance, etc.)

Please note that participants who have enrolled for a course, but who have not turned up for a language test to which they have been invited on two consecutive semesters, will not be accepted on a course. Their request for enrolment will be considered null and void and they will have to re-enrol for any subsequent sessions.

Participants are reminded that it is their responsibility to purchase course textbooks. Use of photocopies of published works constitutes an infringement of international copyright laws.

I wish you an excellent course and I trust that this language training will be beneficial in your professional life.

Guido Vervaet
Head of Unit “Training”

ATTENTION “Survival Level” / “Niveau de survie” courses aimed at those with little or no knowledge (= beginners) of FR or EN These courses are intended to supply a rapid response to the operational needs of the services (recruitment, internal transfer, etc.). Four sessions will be run throughout the year and will be communicated by the training coordinators and via our web-site. These courses are characterised by a training approach entirely based on real professional situations and on material (internal publications, notes, forms, etc.) used daily in the European institutions. The aim is to enable beginners in more or less 6 months (holidays not included) to communicate in a satisfactory way within their working environment, orally and in writing. The details have been published in the Administrative notice n° 49-2000 of 23 May 2000 (please note that the person in charge of the survival level courses is Mrs Valérie De Koninck, and not anymore Mrs Maas and Mrs Van Loo).

 

Timetable 16 h 10-18 h 00 Please note that as a result of shortage of training rooms at peak hours, and to ensure continuity of the range of courses offered, more courses will be scheduled at the 16 h 10-18 h 00 timeslot.

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. CALENDAR

The semester will start on Monday 28 February 2005 and will end on Friday 01 July 2005. The detailed timetable will be indicated in the classrooms and on our web-site (http://www.cc.cec/pers_admin/training_bxl/catalogue/language_inscriptions_fr.html#calendrier)

2. LANGUAGES OFFERED

Languages of the European Union Member-States: CS (Czech), DA (Danish), DE (German), EL (Greek), EN (English), ES (Spanish), ET (Estonian), FI (Finnish), FR (French), HU (Hungarian), IT (Italian), LT (Lithuanian), LV (Latvian), MT (Maltese), NL (Dutch), PL (Polish), PT (Portuguese), SK (Slovak), SL (Slovenian), SV (Swedish).
Non Member-States languages: AR (Arabic), BG (Bulgarian), HR (Croatian), JA (Japanese), RO (Rumanian), RU (Russian), TR (Turkish).

3. TIMETABLE

If you are given a place on a course, you will be allocated to one of the following time slots.

08 h 30 – 10 h 20
11 h 40 – 13 h 30
13 h 45 – 15 h 35
16 h 10 – 18 h 00

These time slots have been chosen in order to optimise the use of our training rooms and suit the hours of the teachers, ensuring at the same time a minimum disruption to the daily work of the participants. When applying in Syslog Web Formation, it is highly recommended to indicate a preferred timetable (even if not guaranteed) in the field provided.

4. ROOMS

The language courses can take place in the Brussels Commission buildings (GUIMARD : rue Guimard 10 - 1040 Brussels; SCIENCE 29: rue de la Science 29 - 1040 Brussels; JECL: avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée 24 – 1040 Brussels), in the Brussels Council of the Union (ORBAN : square Frère Orban 10 - 1040 Brussels) and in the Brussels European Parliament (MONTOYER 63: rue Montoyer 63 – 1040 Brussels).

5. ADMISSION CRITERIA

Candidates who at the closing date for applications and at the start of the course are either an official, a temporary, auxiliary or local agent or a seconded national expert (SNE) are eligible to apply for a course.

Due to the huge number of requests received for level 1 in Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Russian and Arabic, and in view of budgetary constraints which limit the number of courses we can organise, we cannot accept requests for this level made only in the interest of the individual. Attention : spouses of officials and former officials could be temporarily taken off the courses if it is necessary to serve priority requests.

Spouses of officials and former officials will be admitted, if there are places available, to courses in all the languages on offer ; except for French and English (for which there is always a very large number of requests), except for level 1 in Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Russian and Arabic and except for other European country languages (Bulgarian, Croatian, Rumanian, Turkish), for which a request made in the interest of the service is required.

Requests made in the context of article 45, point 2 *, of the Staff Regulations in force as from 1st May 2004 have the priority. Staff members concerned may join a language course (all E.U. languages) until the end of the 2nd course month (except for level 1 beginner courses in which it is essential to participate from the start of the session).

* Officials shall be required to demonstrate before their first promotion after recruitment the ability to work in a third language among those referred to in Article 314 of the EC Treaty. The institutions shall adopt common rules by agreement between them for implementing this paragraph. These rules shall require access to training for officials in a third language and lay down the detailed arrangements for the assessment of officials' ability to work in a third language, in accordance with Article 7(2)(d) of Annex III.

The second priority is granted to officials and other servants who have been newly recruited and staff returning to Headquarters (within the previous 3 months). They may join an English or French course until the end of the 2nd course month (except for level 1 beginner courses in which it is essential to participate from the start of the session), if their service makes a special request.

Please note: requests for standard courses (levels 1 to 6) have the priority over requests for advanced and task-based courses in order to provide at least a basic language training.

The following categories of applicants will not be accepted if at the closing date for applications and at the start of the course they are ‘intérimaires’, service providers (‘prestataires’), trainees, consultants, staff in receipt of an invalidity pension or on leave on personal grounds or on sick leave or on maternity leave. People working part-time can attend a course only during their working hours (time spent training is considered equivalent to work time).

6. APPLICATION PROCEDURE

• All requests must be made only via SYSLOG at http://www.cc.cec/di/syslog_formation/home/formation.cfm?langue=EN. The DG ADMIN will deal with your request only AFTER the electonic validation done by the Training Coordinator of your DG/Service (list of Training Coordinators is at http://www.cc.cec/pers_admin/training_bxl/cofolist_fr.html).
   

• Deadline for enrolment in Syslog Web formation: 19 November 2004.
   

• You are only allowed to enrol for one course per semester.
   

• You will not be allowed to change language once the training coordinator of your DG/Service has validated your request electronically.
   

• People who are currently attending level 1 to 5 of a standard course do not need to submit a new application as their enrolment is automatic until they complete level 6.
   

• To follow an advanced or task-based course (after level 6), participants must always make a new request.
   

• Information on the status of your request can be viewed by clicking the “My training”, “My current applications” buttons in SYSLOG WEB FORMATION http://www.cc.cec/di/syslog_formation/home/formation.cfm?langue=EN. 
  
  Nevertherless, you will be personnally informed by e-mail of the outcome of your application by 21 February 2005 at the latest. Because of the limited human resources available in our team, no information can be sent out to you before this date. So please, do not contact us by phone or by e-mail before this date.

7. ABSENCES

It's worth remembering that the learning of any language means regular attendance at all courses. Repeated absences inevitably slow down the learning pace of the individual and the whole group and risk compromising the training objectives. A similar problem is posed by chronic latecomers to courses or by early departures: which is why arriving more than 30 minutes late to your class or leaving 30 minutes before the end of the class is considered as non-attendance.

It is therefore advisable not to apply for a course if you are not sure that you can attend regularly.

Participants who throughout a course reach:

• 6 consecutive absences or 10 non-consecutive absences for a twice-weekly standard course

• 5 absences for an advanced or a task-based course,

regardless of the reason for the absences will be excluded from the course and will not be allowed to sit the final test.

In these cases, if they wish to continue their training, these participants must submit a new request for the following semester.

NB: presence is requested until the end of the course, this includes days following the course exam. Absences will then be counted until the last course hour and exclusion rules will be strictly applied (attention : it means that the exam results will be cancelled if there is a total of 10 absences).

In exceptional cases, an appeal procedure can be launched in order to avoid being excluded from the course or to be reinstated in the course, as follows:

• a note from the participant’s line superior to the language training Head of Sector certifying that participation in the course is in the interest of the service;

• a written declaration from the teacher stating that the participant is capable of continuing and successfully completing the course without slowing down the progress of the class as a whole;

• commitment from the participant to take part in all remaining classes and to review the material covered during his or her absence.

8. PLACEMENT TESTS

For people whose level in the language requested is not known or who have not attended a course in that language during the previous three years, placement tests will be organised from 6 to 10 December 2004, from 13 to 17 December 2004 and from 10 to 14 January 2005. An invitation to a test will be sent in due course.

NB : Candidates who have enrolled for a course, but who have not turned up for a language test to which they have been invited on two consecutive semesters, will not be accepted on a course. Their request for enrolment will be considered null and void and they will have to re-enrol for any subsequent sessions.

TYPES OF COURSES

Courses are organised within the limits of the available resources (financial, logistical and human). Requests will therefore be satisfied as long as there are places available and sufficient demand from candidates. If necessary, priority will be given to requests in the interest of the service, and to work languages (DE-EN-FR).

1. STANDARD COURSES (twice a week)

Languages
All languages mentioned in point 2 of the general information.

Aim
To enable participants to acquire the language skills which are necessary to carry out their daily work and to express themselves in everyday situations.

Levels
The levels on offer range from level 1 (complete beginner) to level 6.

Length and frequency
Course length is approximately 64 hours on a twice-weekly basis, 1 h 50 per day, for 16 weeks (excluding holidays).

2. ADVANCED COURSES (EX “SPECIALISED” COURSES) (once a week)

These courses are for candidates who have successfully completed the six standard courses or those who can demonstrate in the placement test that they are at an equivalent level. A specific request is necessary as automatic re-enrolment ends after level 6 of the standard courses. People who have previously successfully completed an advanced course can re-enrol for the same module after a period of two years has elapsed.

Languages
Courses will be organised for the languages of the European Union Member-States mentioned in point 2 of the general information if we have received enough applications and if there are sufficient resources available.

Aim
To improve the participants’ listening, speaking, reading or writing skills.

Content
There are four specialised modules :

• Oral expression (code 020)

• Listening comprehension (code 022)

• Written expression (code 024)

• Reading comprehension (code 025)

Length and frequency
Each module lasts approximately 32 hours, 1 h 50 once a week for 16 weeks (excluding holidays).

3. TASK-BASED COURSES (EX “SPECIFIC” COURSES) (once a week)

These courses are for candidates :

• who have finished level 6 of the standard courses and at least one of the advanced modules (from the same domain – written or oral), mentioned above or

• who can demonstrate in the placement test that they have an equivalent level.

A specific application is required.

Languages
Task-based courses are only organised in DE, EN, FR if there is sufficient demand and if the necessary resources are available.

Aim

• Specific writing courses focus on professional writing tasks (administrative writing).

• Specific speaking courses focus on professional oral tasks (speeches, meetings, negotiating).

Content

• Task-based writing courses

• Preparation for administrative writing (code 026) FR, EN, DE

• Letters and memos (code 027) FR, EN

• Note taking and minute writing (code 028) FR, EN

• Report writing (code 029) FR, EN

• Task-based oral courses

• Speeches and presentations (code 051) FR, EN, DE

• Meetings (code 052) FR, EN, DE

• Negotiating (code 053) FR, EN, DE

Length and frequency
Each module lasts approximately 32 hours, 1 h 50 once a week for 16 weeks (excluding holidays).

APPLICATION FORM

Those who cannot access SYSLOG WEB FORMATION must ask their training coordinators the procedure to follow in their DG/Service (list of Training Coordinators at: http://www.cc.cec/pers_admin/training_bxl/cofolist_fr.html) .
 

DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATION
Directorate A. Staff and Career
TRAINING UNIT - ADMIN.A.3 ; Language training sector

SECRETARIAT OF THE INTER-INSTITUTIONAL LANGUAGE TRAINING

 

Everything is in place to ensure rapid access to precise information about the progress of your application via SYSLOG WEB FORMATION which you should consult first (http://www.cc.cec/di/syslog_formation/home/accueil.cfm?langue=EN).

Address : rue Guimard, 10
Administrative address : GUIM 1/51

Head of Unit : Guido VERVAET, GUIM 3/56, tel. : 59224
Secretariat : Emmanuelle LOUEDEC, GUIM 1/53, tel. : 51160
Coordination and planning : Martine VAN LOO, GUIM 1/50, tel. : 52394
Administrative notices and website: Valérie DE KONINCK, GUIM 1/42, tel.: 58654

List of course managers (on 1^st October 2004)
(enquiries by phone or in person may be made between 10 and 12 a.m.)