INTER-INSTITUTIONAL LANGUAGE COURSES - BRUSSELS
Session September 2007 - February 2008
Deadline for
enrolment and signature by the hierarchy in SYSLOG Web
Formation:
20 April 2007
Please read attentively all the information contained
in the following pages as they contain the answers to nearly all of
your questions |
INTRODUCTION
The Language Training Sector of the Learning and Development Unit
organises around 900 courses in 28 languages for approximately 13,500
participants each year from across all the Institutions. This is a major
challenge, which places a significant demand on Language Sector staff.
This guide describes the training offer for the session September
2007-February 2008 and outlines the procedures required for enrolment in
the courses. In addition, it highlights a number of important regulations
that need to be respected in order to ensure the most effective
organisation of this important project.
We are required to follow the tight timescales established at
inter-institutional level. This means that we apply short deadlines for
enrolment in Syslog Web Formation. Please respect these deadlines and, in
addition, please ensure that you consider the implications of your
enrolment in a language course, both for you personally and for your work.
Each course consists of 64 hours of lessons, which is a major investment
of time. You should also be aware of the need to be flexible regarding
course hours, as you may be offered a place at a time that does not meet
your initial request.
It is important that you also note the following points prior to your
enrolment on a course:
- Your enrolment constitutes a contract to participate fully in the
course. Applicants who enrol and subsequently drop out jeopardise the
participation of others.
- Regular attendance is essential. This is not only to ensure the
optimal use of resources but also to ensure that the pedagogical
objectives of the course are met. You should be clear that a maximum of
9 absences will be allowed, regardless of the reason. Participants who
reach a level of 10 absences will be expelled from the course.
- Late arrival more than 30 minutes after the start of the course, and
early departure more than 30 minutes before the end, will be regarded as
absence.
- If a training request is not met for any reason, it will be formally
cancelled three weeks after the beginning of the session for which the
request was made.
- Staff who do not attend a language placement test to which they have
been invited will not be accepted on the course. Their request will be
cancelled and they will have to enrol for subsequent sessions.
- You will be given a list of recommended textbooks, which you will
have to purchase. Some second-hand copies are advertised for sale on the
Language Sector notice board on the 1st Floor of the Guimard building.
Be wary of using photocopies of published works, as this may constitute
an infringement of international copyright laws.
I wish you an excellent course and I trust that your language training
will be beneficial in your professional life.
Norman Jardine
Head of Unit
‘Learning and Development’
ATTENTION
Semi-intensive courses in EN or FR - from levels 1 to 3 - aimed at
staff with little or no knowledge (= beginners) of EN or FR
These courses are intended to provide a rapid response to the
operational needs of the services (recruitment, internal transfer,
etc.). Four sessions will run throughout the year and will be
communicated by the Training Coordinators and via our website.
These courses enable participants, in more or less 6 months, to
acquire the language skills which are necessary to communicate in a
satisfactory way within their working environment, orally and in
writing. The focus of these courses is on professional and European
topics, with grammatical points taught in a traditional way.
These semi-intensive courses in English and French cover levels 1 to 3
of the standard courses; this will enable an easy transfer to
twice-weekly courses, after level 3.
Please note: there is no automatic enrolment to twice-weekly courses
after the semi-intensive courses: a request for the twice-weekly
courses has to be entered in Syslog during the twice-weekly courses
enrolment period.
Contact person: Mrs Monica Mauris, GUIM 1/40, tel. 96269. |
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” in
SYSLOG WEB FORMATION
. |
GENERAL INFORMATION
- CALENDAR
The session will start on Monday 17 September 2007 and will end on Friday
1st February 2008. The detailed timetable will be indicated in the
classrooms and on our
website
.
- LANGUAGES OFFERED
Languages of the European Union Member-States: BG (Bulgarian), CS (Czech),
DA (Danish), DE (German), EL (Greek), EN (English), ES (Spanish), ET
(Estonian), FI (Finnish), FR (French), GA (Irish), HU (Hungarian), IT
(Italian), LT (Lithuanian), LV (Latvian), MT (Maltese), NL (Dutch), PL
(Polish), PT (Portuguese), RO (Rumanian), SK (Slovak), SL (Slovenian), SV
(Swedish).
Non Member-States languages: AR (Arabic), HR (Croatian), JA (Japanese), RU
(Russian), TR (Turkish).
- CRITERIA WHICH DETERMINE THE ORGANISATION OF A COURSE
The elements determining the decision on whether or not to organise a
course are as follows:
- Availability of financial resources ;
- The number of places available (limited course numbers according to the
available budget) ;
- A sufficient number of participants (minimum 8 applications "article
45.2" or “in the interest of the service”).
- 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 the working 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, you must indicate a preferred schedule
in the field provided. Learning and Development Unit staff will endeavour
to meet all requests as far as possible, but cannot guarantee that all
preferences will be met.
Timetable 16h10-18h00
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 16h10-18h00 timeslot. |
- ROOMS
The Brussels language courses will take place in the Commission buildings
(GUIMARD: rue Guimard 10 - 1040 Brussels; SCIENCE 29: rue de la Science 29
- 1040 Brussels, GENEVE 12: rue de Genève 12 – 1140 Evere); in the Council
of the Union (new rooms to be precised - 1040 Brussels) and in the
European Parliament (MONTOYER 63: rue Montoyer 63 – 1040 Brussels). It is
also possible to have some courses in the premises of the service
providers (in Brussels).
- ADMISSION CRITERIA
- Who can apply:
Candidates who, at the closing date for applications
and/or at the start
of the course, are either officials, temporary, auxiliary, contract or
local agents or seconded national experts (SNEs), are eligible to apply
for a course.
- Who cannot apply:
Candidates who, at the closing date for applications
or at the start of
the course, are ‘intérimaires’, service providers (‘prestataires’),
trainees, consultants, staff in receipt of an invalidity pension or on
leave on personal grounds or on sick leave. People working part-time can
attend a course only during their working hours (time spent training is
considered equivalent to work time).
- Particularities:
- Participation of the spouses/partners and former officials
Spouses/partners of staff mentioned under point A above and former
officials will be admitted to courses, only if there are places available.
Please note:
- Not for French and English (for which there is always a very large
number of requests),
- Not for level 1 in Arabic, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Russian and
- Not for other European country languages (Croatian and Turkish),
for
which a request made in the interest of the service is required.
Please note: spouses/partners and former officials can be temporarily
removed from courses, if necessary, to satisfy priority requests.
- Restrictions regarding requests made in the interest of the individual
Due to the huge number of requests received and in view of budgetary
constraints (limiting the number of courses we can organise), we cannot
accept requests made in the interest of the individual in:
- level 1 (beginner’s level) in Arabic, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish
and Russian, and
- all the levels in Croatian and Turkish.
- Order of priority for new requests
- Priority 1: requests made in the context of article 45.2 of the Staff
Regulations1 .
- 1.a): by newcomers. Requests must be entered within the first 3 months
of the recruitment. If there are places available, they may join a
language course (all E.U. languages) until the end of the 3rd course week
(except for level 1 beginner courses in which it is essential to
participate from the start of the session).
- 1.b): the other persons concerned by article 45.2 of the Staff
Regulations must enter a request within the deadlines;
- Priority 2: requests in English, French or German made in the interest
of the service by newcomers and staff returning to Headquarters and
entered within the first 3 months of the recruitment or return to
Headquarters. If there are places available, they may join an English,
French or German course until the end of the 3rd 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.
Please note: requests for standard courses (levels 1 to 6) have priority
over requests for advanced and task-based courses in order to provide at
least basic language training to those staff who need it.
- PROCEDURE FOR ENROLMENT
- All requests must be made only via
Syslog Web Formation at . DG ADMIN will deal
with your request only AFTER the electronic validation by the Training
Coordinator of your DG/Service (list of Training Coordinators is at).
Deadline for enrolment and signature by the hierarchy in Syslog Web
formation: 20 April 2007.
! Please note that late requests will always be refused. Please ensure
that your line manager signs 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 have only an estimation of your level in the context of
the article 45.2, the request for the « article 45.2 – UNIQUEMENT
estimation de votre niveau » 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.
- 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 (in Syslog Web Formation:
choose “TEST + COURS”)
- 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 twice-weekly 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.
- To follow a semi-intensive or an intensive course, staff members must
always make a separate request.
Please note: where requests are unable to be met, for whatever reason,
they will be cancelled three weeks after the beginning of the session for
which the requests have been entered. To follow a course during a
subsequent session, a new request will have to be entered in Syslog Web
Formation. |
- 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
.
In addition, you will be personally informed by e-mail of the outcome of
your application on 18 July 2007.
Due to the limited human resources in our team, no information can be sent
out to you before this date. As we are very busy during June and July,
please do not contact us by phone or by e-mail before this date.
- ABSENCES
It is important to remember 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: please note that
arriving more than 30 minutes late to your class or leaving 30 minutes
before the end of the class is considered as non-attendance (maximum 30
minutes missed per lesson).
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 OR
- 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, staff who wish to continue their training must submit a
new request during a subsequent enrolment period.
NB: presence is required until the end of the course, this including the
days following the final test, which is compulsory. Absences will 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).
à 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 may be launched in order to
avoid an exclusion from the course or to be reinstated in a 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 to 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;
Please note that the appeal procedure can only be taken into consideration
if introduced by 1st February 2008 at the latest.
- 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 and who has not been excluded from the
course.
The final mark corresponds to the average of the mark from the
obligatory
final test and the 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 sent only to participants who have succeeded in the
course (minimum 60 %) at the end of the levels 4 and 5 if a special
request is made (and if it concerns a certificate to meet the requirements
of the art. 45.2 of the Staff Regulations) and automatically at the end of
the level 6 of the standard courses, at the end of an advanced course and
at the end of a task-based course.
The results of all language tests are final.
- PLACEMENT TESTS
For staff 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 – which become then compulsory - will be organised from
29
May to 1st June 2007, from 04 June to 08 June 2007 and from 11 June to 15
June 2007. Invitations will be issued by the Learning and Development
Unit.
If your level has to be tested, please note the following:
- If you wish to have only an estimation of your level in the context of
the article 45.2, the request for the « article 45.2 – UNIQUEMENT
estimation de votre niveau » 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.
- 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 (in Syslog Web Formation:
choose “TEST + COURS”).
Please note : 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 (during the enrolment period).
TYPES OF COURSES
Courses are organised within the limits of the available resources
(financial, logistical and staff). 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 working languages (DE-EN-FR).
- 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 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 lessons on a twice-weekly basis, 1 h 50
per day, for 16 weeks (excluding holidays).
- ADVANCED COURSES
(once a week)
These courses are for candidates who have successfully completed the six
levels of 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 lessons, 1 h 50 once a week for 16
weeks (excluding holidays).
- TASK-BASED COURSES
(once a week)
These courses are for candidates :
- who have completed 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 lessons, 1 h 50 once a week for 16
weeks (excluding holidays).
APPLICATION FORM
Those who cannot access SYSLOG WEB FORMATION must consult their training
coordinator on the required procedure to follow in their DG/Service (list
of Training Coordinators at:).
DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATION Directorate A. Staff and Careers LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT 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 can be consulted at:
. |
Telephone n° (02-29) 51160 Fax n° (02-29) 51106 |
Address : rue Guimard, 10 Administrative address : GUIM 1/53
Head of Unit : Norman JARDINE, GUIM 3/56, tel. : 92852 Head of Sector : Päivi ÖHMAN, GUIM 1/56, tel. : 21210 Assistant of Sector : Valérie DE KONINCK, GUIM 1/42, tel. : 58654 Secretariat: Stéphanie CLOUET, GUIM 1/53, tel. : 51160
List of course managers (on 16 March 2007)
(enquiries by phone or in person may be made between 10 and 12 a.m.)
Language
|
Name
|
Office
|
( |
BG –
Bulgarian |
KWIATKOWSKA
Elzbieta |
1 / 43 |
61129 |
CS –
Czech |
KWIATKOWSKA
Elzbieta |
1 / 43 |
61129 |
DA –
Danish |
MIKOLAJCZAK-THYRION Anna |
1 / 51
|
80770 |
DE –
German |
CARLOT
Bruno |
1 / 60
|
92035 |
EL
– Greek |
MIKOLAJCZAK-THYRION Anna
|
1 / 51
|
80770 |
EN – English |
GONZALEZ CHAVES Alicia
|
1 /
47 |
99195 |
ES – Spanish
|
VAN LOO Martine |
1
/ 50 |
52394 |
ET – Estonian
|
KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta
|
1 / 43 |
61129 |
FI – Finnish
|
MIKOLAJCZAK-THYRION
Anna |
1 / 51 |
80770 |
FR – French –
(twice)-weekly
courses
|
BLURIOT Fabienne
|
1 / 46 |
57551 |
GA – Irish
|
GONZALEZ
CHAVES Alicia
|
1 / 47 |
99195 |
HU –
Hungarian
|
KWIATKOWSKA
Elzbieta
|
1 / 43 |
61129 |
IT –
Italian
|
TOURNAI
Dina |
1 / 61
|
84247 |
LT –
Lithuanian
|
KWIATKOWSKA
Elzbieta
|
1 / 43
|
61129 |
LV
–
Latvian
|
KWIATKOWSKA
Elzbieta
|
1 / 43
|
61129 |
MT –
Maltese
|
KWIATKOWSKA
Elzbieta
|
1 /
43
|
61129 |
NL
–
Dutch
|
CARLOT
Bruno
|
1
/
60
|
92035 |
PL – Polish |
KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta |
1 / 43 |
61129 |
PT – Portuguese |
VAN LOO Martine |
1 / 50 |
52394 |
RO – Rumanian |
KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta |
1 / 43 |
61129 |
SK – Slovak |
KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta |
1 / 43 |
61129 |
SL – Slovenian |
KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta |
1 / 43 |
61129 |
SV – Swedish |
MIKOLAJCZAK-THYRION Anna |
1 / 51 |
80770 |
Other European country languages: HR - TR |
KWIATKOWSKA Elzbieta |
1 / 43 |
61129 |
Non EU languages: AR-JA-RU |
MIKOLAJCZAK-THYRION Anna |
1 / 51 |
80770 |
Semi-intensive courses FR/EN |
MAURIS Monica |
1 / 40 |
96269 |
__________________
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. This requirement is set at level 6 of inter-institutional language training, which is in accordance with level B.2 of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF). During a transitional period until 31 December 2008, the requirement is set at level 4 of inter-institutional language training, which is in accordance with level A.2 of the CEF, but with an obligation to follow the training until level 6 is reached or to pass an official level 6 test organised by EPSO. |