INTER-INSTITUTIONAL LANGUAGE COURSES - BRUSSELS

session February 2006 – June 2006

• INTRODUCTION
   
• GENERAL INFORMATION
  • I. CALENDAR
  • II. LANGUAGES OFFERED
  • III. CRITERIA WHICH DETERMINE THE ORGANISATION OF A COURSE
  • IV. TIMETABLE
  • V. ROOMS
  • VI. ADMISSION CRITERIA
  • VII. APPLICATION PROCEDURE
  • VIII. INVITATIONS
  • IX. ABSENCES
  • X. END OF COURSE RESULTS
  • XI. PLACEMENT TESTS
     
• TYPES OF COURSES
  • STANDARD COURSES
  • ADVANCED COURSES
  • TASK-BASED COURSES
     
• APPLICATION FORM
   
• List of course managers

INTRODUCTION

The language training sector of the training unit (ADMIN.A.3) organises more or less 900 courses in 28 languages for more or less 13500 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. Therefore priorities have had to be determined and are given on page 6.

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, candidates 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 IX). 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.)

New (1): where requests were not met for whatever the reason, they will be rejected three weeks after the beginning of the session for which the requests have been entered.

New (2): candidates who have enrolled for a course for one (1) session, but who have not turned up for a language test to which they have been invited 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.

Norman Jardine                 
Head of Unit “Training”, f.f.

GENERAL INFORMATION

I. CALENDAR

The semester will start on Monday 27 February 2006 and will end on Friday 30 June 2006. The detailed timetable will be indicated in the classrooms and on our website (http://www.cc.cec/pers_admin/training_bxl/catalogue/language_en.html).

II. 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).

NB: Irish (GA) is also proposed.

Non Member-States languages: AR (Arabic), BG (Bulgarian), HR (Croatian), JA (Japanese), RO (Rumanian), RU (Russian), TR (Turkish).


III. CRITERIA WHICH DETERMINE THE ORGANISATION OF A COURSE

The elements determining the decision on whether to organise a course or not are as follows:

1. Available financial resources ;
    
2. The number of places available (limited course numbers according to the available budget) ;
    
3. A sufficient number of participants (minimum 8 applications: “article 45§2” and/or “in the interest of the service”).

IV. TIMETABLE

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

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.
 

V. ROOMS

The Brussels language courses can take place in the 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 Council of the Union (ORBAN : square Frère Orban 10 - 1040 Brussels) and in the European Parliament (MONTOYER 63: rue Montoyer 63 – 1040 Brussels).

VI. ADMISSION CRITERIA

1. Can sign up for a course:
   
   Candidates who at the closing date for applications and at the start of the course are either an official, a temporary, auxiliary, contract or local agent or a seconded national expert (SNE) are eligible to apply for a course.
    
2. Cannot sign up for a course:
   
   Candidates who 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).
    
3. Particularities:
    
   1. Participation of the spouses/partners and former officials
      
      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 Arabic, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Russian and
         
      • Except for other European country languages (Bulgarian, Croatian, Rumanian, Turkish), for which a request made in the interest of the service is required.

      Attention : spouses of officials and former officials could be temporarily taken off the courses if it is necessary to serve priority requests.
       

   2. Restrictions
      
      We cannot accept requests for this level made only in the interest of the individual for level 1 in Arabic, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish and Russian, due to the huge number of requests received for this level and in view of budgetary constraints which limit the number of courses we can organise.
       
   3. Order of priority for the new requests
       
      • Priority 1: requests made in the context of article 45§2 of the Staff Regulations in force as from 1^st May 2004. Staff members may join a language course (all E.U. languages) until the end of the 3^rd course week (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 (the request must be entered within the first 3 months of the recruitement or return to Headquarters). If there are places available, they may join an English, German or French course until the end of the 3^rd course week (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, if there are places available;
         
      • Priority 4: requests made in the interest of the individual, if there are places available.

      * Article 45§2 of the Staff Regulations in force as from 1^st May 2004: 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.
      
      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.

VII. APPLICATION PROCEDURE

• All requests must be made only via Syslog Web Formation . The DG ADMIN will deal with your request only AFTER the electronic validation done by the Training Coordinator of your DG/Service (list of Training Coordinators)
   

  Deadline for enrolment and signature by the hierarchy in Syslog Web formation: 18 November 2005. Late requests will be refused. Please make sure that your line manager has signed your request in time.

  
  
• You are only allowed to enrol for one course per semester.
   
• ! ! If your level has to be tested (see point XI), please note the following :
   
  • if you wish to take part in a course after having been tested, the request for the placement test is sufficient and it is not necessary to enter a second request for the course itself.
     
  • If you wish to have only an estimation of your level in the context of the article 45§2, the request for the « article 45 » test is sufficient. Please note : if you wish to take part in a course afterwards, it is necessary to enter a request for a course.
     
• 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.
   

  New: where requests were not met for whatever the reason, they will be rejected three weeks after the beginning of the session for which the requests have been entered.

VIII. INVITATIONS

Information on the status of your request can be viewed by clicking the “My training”, “My current applications” or “My closed applications” buttons in Syslog Web Formation.

Nevertherless, you will be personnally informed by e-mail of the outcome of your application by 20 February 2006 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.

IX. 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).

>> You can check the status of your participation in Syslog Web Formation at any time during the session by clicking the “My training”, “My closed applications” buttons in Syslog Web Formation

In very 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 manager to the language training Head of Sector certifying that participation in the course is in the interest of the service or in the context of article 45§2 of the Staff Regulations. The line manager must commit him(her)self to allow the participant take part regularly in the course;
• 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.

X. END OF COURSE RESULTS

At the end of each session, a final mark is given to each participant who has been present on a regular basis.

The final mark corresponds to the average between the final exam mark and a mark resulting from continuous assessment of work and participation during the whole session.

The final mark is communicated by the teacher in the final lesson. Please note: the pass mark is 60 %.

A certificate is only sent to participants who have succeeded in the course (minimum 60 %) at the end of the level 6 standard courses, at the end of an advanced course and at the end of a task-based course.

XI. 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 5 to 9 December 2005, from 12 to 16 December 2005, from 9 to 13 January 2006 and from 16 to 20 January 2006. An invitation to a test will be sent in due course.

! ! If your level has to be tested, please note the following:

• if you wish to take part in a course after having been tested, the request for the placement test is sufficient and it is not necessary to enter a second request for the course itself.
   
• If you wish to have only an estimation of your level in the context of the article 45§2, the request for the « article 45 » test is sufficient. Please note : if you wish to take part in a course afterwards, it is necessary to enter a request for a course.

New : Candidates who have enrolled for a course for one (1) session, but who have not turned up for a language test to which they have been invited 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 II of the general information; for which we have received enough applications and if there are sufficient resources available.
   
   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 32 seances on a twice-weekly basis, 1 h 50 per day, for 16 weeks (excluding holidays).
    
2. ADVANCED 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 II 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 16 seances, 1 h 50 once a week for 16 weeks (excluding holidays).
    
3. TASK-BASED COURSES (once a week)
   
   These courses are for candidates :
    
   • who have finished level 6 of the standard courses and/or 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.
   
   People who have previously successfully completed a task-based course can re-enrol for the same module after a period of two years has elapsed.
   
   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 16 seances, 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)

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

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

Head of Unit, f.f. : Norman JARDINE, GUIM 2/58, tel. : 92852
Head of Sector : Päivi ÖHMAN, GUIM 1/56, tel. : 21210
Secretariat : Emmanuelle LOUEDEC, GUIM 1/53, tel. : 51160
Administrative notices and website: Valérie DE KONINCK, GUIM 1/42, tel.: 58654

List of course managers (on 1st October 2005)
(enquiries by phone or in person may be made between 10 and 12 a.m.)
 

Language	Name	Office	(
AR – Arabic	GAMBOUELE Issena	1 / 60	66756
CS – Czech	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
DA – Danish	GAMBOUELE Issena	1 / 60	66756
DE – German	MROZ Magdalena	1 / 61	87329
EL – Greek	GAMBOUELE Issena	1 / 60	66756
EN – English	GONZALEZ CHAVES Alicia	1 / 47	99195
ES – Spanish	VAN LOO Martine	1 / 50	52394
ET – Estonian	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
FI – Finnish	GAMBOUELE Issena	1 / 60	66756
FR – French (only FR (twice)-weekly courses)	MAAS Marijke	1 / 46	57551
GA – Irish	GONZALEZ CHAVES Alicia	1 / 47	99195
HU – Hungarian	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
IT – Italian	VAN LOO Martine	1 / 50	52394
JA – Japanese	GAMBOUELE Issena	1 / 60	66756
LT – Lithuanian	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
LV – Latvian	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
MT – Maltese	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
NL – Dutch	MROZ Magdalena	1 / 61	87329
PL – Polish	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
PT – Portuguese	GAMBOUELE Issena	1 / 60	66756
SK – Slovak	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
SL – Slovenian	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
SV – Swedish	GAMBOUELE Issena	1 / 60	66756
RU – Russian	GAMBOUELE Issena	1 / 60	66756
Other European country languages: BG-HR-RO-TR	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
Semi-intensive courses FR / EN	DE KONINCK Valérie	1 / 42	58654