INTER-INSTITUTIONAL LANGUAGE COURSES

INTENSIVE COURSES
SUMMER 2006

1. LANGUAGES AND LEVELS
2. DATES AND DURATION OF THE COURSES
3. CRITERIA WHICH DETERMINE THE ORGANISATION OF A COURSE
4. ROOMS
5. ADMISSION CRITERIA
6. PRIORITIES
7. PROCEDURE FOR ENROLMENT
8. INVITATIONS
9. ABSENCES
10. END OF COURSE RESULTS
11. LEVEL TESTS
    SECRETARIAT OF THE INTER-INSTITUTIONAL LANGUAGE COURSES

The Training Services of the European Institutions in Brussels jointly organise summer intensive courses. This will enable participants to complete a level in three weeks.

The aim is to enable participants to acquire the language skills which are necessary to carry out their daily work and to express themselves in everyday situations (= standard courses).

The courses will be organised provided that there are sufficient resources and sufficient participants.

Priority will be given to the most requested languages.

1. LANGUAGES AND LEVELS
   
   Only languages of the European Union Member-States :

• EN (English), FR (French) :
   
  • Levels : 1 to 6
     
• CS (Czech), DA (Danish), DE (German), EL (Greek), ES (Spanish), ET (Estonian), FI (Finnish), GA (Irish), HU (Hungarian), IT (Italian), LT (Lithuanian), LV (Latvian), MT* (Maltese), NL (Dutch), PL (Polish), PT (Portuguese), SK (Slovak), SL (Slovenian), SV (Swedish) :
   
  • Levels : 1 to 4

* Maltese will be organised if a teacher is available.

2. DATES AND DURATION OF THE COURSES
   
   Two sessions will be organised :
    

   1st session :	Dates : from 24 July to 11 August 2006 Languages : - EN and FR : levels 1 to 6 - FI, HU, IT, LV, MT, PT, SK, SL : levels 1 to 4
   2nd session :	Dates : from 16 August to 01 September 2006 Languages : - EN and FR : levels 1 to 6 - CS, DA, DE, EL, ES, ET, GA, LT, NL, PL, SV : levels 1 to 4

3. 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”⁽¹⁾ and/or “in the interest of the service”).
       
4. ROOMS
   
   The Brussels summer intensive language courses will take place in the Commission buildings (GUIMARD: rue Guimard 10 - 1040 Brussels; SCIENCE 29: rue de la Science 29 - 1040 Brussels) and in the European Parliament (MONTOYER 63: rue Montoyer 63 – 1040 Brussels).
    
5. ADMISSION CRITERIA
   
   Applicants must :
    
   • be either an official, a temporary, auxiliary, contract or local agent or a seconded national expert (SNE) at the closing date for applications and during the course ;
      
   • never have participated in an advanced or task based course in the language requested (or not have been assessed as being of a higher level than level 6 in the level test).

   Applications will not be accepted from:
    

   • persons who, at the closing date for applications and at the start of the course, are “intérimaire”, service provider (“prestataire”), trainees, consultants, staff in receipt of an invalidity pension or on leave on personal grounds or on sick leave or on maternity leave. Staff working part-time can attend a course only during their working hours (time spent training is considered equivalent to work time).

   Staff members concerned by article 45.2 of the Staff Regulations may enrol in a language course (all E.U. languages) until the last working day preceding the beginning of the course session.
   
   If there are places available, newcomers and staff returning to Headquarters may enrol in an English, German or French course until the last working day preceding the beginning of the course session, if they did not take part in a course under another status (SNE, auxiliary agent, etc.). The request made in the interest of the service has to be entered within the first 3 months of the recruitment or return to Headquarters.
   
   Reminder :
    

   • Each student may only apply for one single course.
      
   • Spouses and former officials are not allowed to participate in these courses, as they are principally aimed for the specific needs of the DGs and to give access to language training for statutory members of staff who cannot attend such courses during the academic year and/or to accelerate the completion of the cycle.
      
6. PRIORITIES
   
   Taking the above into account, it is evident that all applications cannot be satisfied and so the following priorities will be applied (in order) :
    
   • 1st priority: requests made in the context of article 45.2, of the Staff Regulations in force as from 1st May 2004.
      
   • 2nd priority: applications in the interest of the service for those who are not already enrolled in a standard twice-weekly.
      
   • 3rd priority: applications in the interest of the service for those who are already enrolled in a standard twice-weekly course.
      
   • 4th priority: applications in the interest of the individual for those who are not already enrolled in a standard twice-weekly course.
      
   • 5th priority: applications in the interest of the individual for those who are already enrolled in a standard twice-weekly course.
      
7. PROCEDURE FOR ENROLMENT
   
   All applications for an intensive course must be on the basis of a specific application even if the applicant is already attending a standard twice-weekly course. The application must be signed by the Head of Unit and by the Training Coordinator of the DG or the Service concerned.
   
   All applications must be made only via SYSLOG at http://www.cc.cec/di/syslog_formation/home/accueil.cfm?langue=EN.
   The DG ADMIN will deal with your application only AFTER the electronic validation done by the Training Coordinator of your DG/Service (list of Training Coordinators is at http://www.cc.cec/pers_admin/training_bxl/key_actors/cofolist_en.html#1).
   
   You will not be allowed to change language once the training coordinator of your DG/Service has validated your request electronically.
    

   Please note that late requests will always be refused. Please make sure that your line manager has signed your request in time.

   FIf the participant passes the examination at the end of the intensive course :
    

   • Those who are not enrolled in a standard twice-weekly course and wish to continue classes in that language must submit a new application for the next session of standard twice-weekly courses in Syslog (please refer to the administrative notice of the September 2006/February 2007 session, to be published).
      
   • Those who are already attending a standard twice-weekly course will be automatically enrolled at the next level when the courses restart (except for advanced courses where a new application is needed).

   Deadline for entering applications into Syslog Web Formation:
   
   28 February 2006.
    

8. 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 17 May 2006 at the latest.
   
   Please note : for the persons who are already attending a standard twice-weekly course on a regular basis, the invitation to the 2006 summer intensive course will be sent at the beginning of July 2006 (after the finish of the standard twice-weekly course). Also, the invitation to the September 2006/February 2007 session of the standard twice-weekly courses (which start at mid-September 2006) will be sent at the beginning of September 2006 (after the end of the 2006 summer intensive course). This is because we must know the end of course results before we can place those following standard twice-weekly courses in the right level.
   
   Because of the limited human resources available in our team, no information can be sent out to you before these dates. So please, do not contact us by phone or by e-mail before these dates.
    
9. ABSENCES
   
   It is important to note 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.
   
   The language training secretariat needs to ensure that all the following rules are strictly respected by the participants :
   
   Participants who throughout a course accumulate 3 seances of absence regardless of the reason for the absences will be excluded from the course and will not be allowed to sit the final test.
   
   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 absence of 3 seances).
   
   Appeal procedure
   
   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.
      
10. 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.
     
11. LEVEL TESTS
    
    For people whose level in the language requested is not known, level tests will be organised from 03 April to 07 April 2006, from 18 April to 21 April 2006 and from 24 April to 28 April 2006. An invitation will be sent on 24 March 2006.
    
    The result of the level test is not directly communicated by course managers to the candidates. Information on the status of your request – including the level defined during the level test - can be viewed by clicking the “My training”, “My current applications” or “My closed applications” buttons in Syslog Web Formation .
    
    Please note: persons who enter a request for a level test must not enter a 2nd request for a course. The request made for the level test will be modified according to the test results and used for the enrolment in a course.
     

    Syslog Web Formation This application enables you to: Consult the catalogue of scheduled courses,   Enrol for a course,   Follow the status of your request,   See the dates and course contents and   Follow your absences in class. Click on “My training” – “My current and/or closed applications” buttons in SYSLOG WEB FORMATION

    SECRETARIAT OF THE INTER-INSTITUTIONAL LANGUAGE COURSES

    UNIT ADMIN.A.3
    Language training sector

    Telephone n° (29)51160

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

    Head of Unit : Norman JARDINE, GUIM 3/56, tel. : 92852
    Head of Sector : Päivi ÖHMAN, GUIM 1/56, tel. : 21210
    Secretariat : Emmanuelle LOUEDEC, GUIM 1/51, tel. : 51160

    List of course managers (on 15 January 2006)
    (enquiries by phone or in person may be made between 10 and 12 a.m.)

    Language	Name	Office	(
    CS – Czech	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
    DA – Danish	VAN LOO Martine	1 / 50	52394
    DE – German	MROZ Magdalena	1 / 61	87329
    EL – Greek	VAN LOO Martine	1 / 50	52394
    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	LOUEDEC Emmanuelle	1 / 51	51160
    FR – French (only intensive courses)	MROZ Magdalena	1 / 61	87329
    GA – Irish	GONZALEZ CHAVES Alicia	1 / 47	99195
    HU – Hungarian	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
    IT – Italian	VAN LOO Martine	1 / 50	52394
    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	GONZALEZ CHAVES Alicia	1 / 47	99195
    SK – Slovak	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
    SL – Slovenian	KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta	1 / 60	61129
    SV – Swedish	VAN LOO Martine	1 / 50	52394

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FOOTNOTES

⁽¹⁾Article 45§2 of the Staff Regulations in force as from 1st 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.