EUROSPEAK:Online was commissioned by the Federal Chancellery to meet the specific requirements of civil servants: it provides specialised, tailor-made practice of the kind of language and communication skills thex really need, embeded in core topics from their fields of work. In other words, the programme reflects what civil servants actually have to to in English, rather than being a "one-size-fits-all" general language course. The whole programme covers approx. 50 hours of training.
Policy Context
With an EU of now 27 member states it shows that in many formal and informal communicative situations one cannot rely of one's own mother tongue. The need for a better understanding underlines the necessity to use of a foreign language. This programme helps to improve the language capabilities necessary in an EU environment.
Description of the way to implement the initiative
The Federal Chancellery conducted a Europe wide call for tenders following Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the coordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts before placing the order for the realization of EUROSPEAK:Online. The contract was divided between the persons in charge of the content and the technical implementation. The programme management rested with the Federal Chancellery. Multi-channel issues: Bearing in mind the motivational advantages of learner autonomy, EUROSPEAK:Online has been designed so that it can be used whenever or wherever learners wish to use it, by means of an access code that sllows them to enter the programme on the Internet, using a standard web-browser programme. It may indeed be used as a stand-alone form of training, as it comprises practically all of the aspects of language learning relevant to this target group. Nevertheless, one thing that cannot be satisfactorily trained in this computer-based language learning is face-to-face communication. The Federal Chancellery has opted to combine the e-learning programme with its existing face-to-face specialised English seminars in the form of a blended learning package that is more than the sum of its parts. Not only are authentic face-to-face communication and a thorough online preparation/review of the necessary language an ideal mix; in additon to this, each medium enhances the effect of the other, thus maximising its efficiency.
EUROSPEAK:Online consists of ten topic-based modules: 1. International organisations 2. EU structure and development 3. EU institutions 4. Decision-making in the EU 5. EU policy areas 6. EU law 7. Austria in the EU 8. National law 9. Government 10. The civil service
Each module is subdivided into five sections containing a number of interactive tasks:
- Texts: reading and listening to texts about the topics listed above
- Vocabulary: the terminology of European integration, law and public administration, as well as general vocabulary and useful phrases
- Grammar: exercises on key points of English grammar
- Communication: key areas of spoken and written communication, e.g. meetings, presentations, small talk; letters and e-mails, summaries, position papers
- Pronunciation: selected expressions from the topics covered in the modules.
There are a range of support tools to help to use the programme, e.g. tips for solving each task, as well as feedback on the user's answers and clear explanations. In addition, there are a grammar reference and a glossary of words (approx. 2.700 entries) used in EUROSPEAK:Online. After every two modules there is a self-check for being able to test the individual progress. EUROSPEAK:Online is extremely flexible: you can start at the beginning and work through it module for module, or you can choose to work on different sections according to your language learning needs (e.g. to improve your grammar, to expand your EU terminology, or to brush up your meetings language before a meeting next week). The envisaged target group is the public service (throughout Europe) working in an EU or international environment.
Main results, benefits and impacts
As this programme is in practice only since one and a half month. There is no differenticiated evidence on possible impacts available. As a significant proove of acceptance among the target group it can be seen that in a relativly short time period approx. 1.500 civil servants registered to use the programme. Innovation: The novelty of this programme is that it was customized to the specific needs of English language training and communication for the target group of civil servants in an EU environment. The design of the programme is driven by what this specific target group needs to be able to do in English. As they have little need of practising how to ask the way in English, for example; nor do they have much use for what is commonly termed "business English". What they do need is to be able to name specific structures and processes in their professional context (e.g. preliminary rulings of the Court of Justice), to be able to strike the right tone when negotiating in international meetings (e.g. to strongly assert their national position while maintaing a constructive level of flexibilty), to be able to correctly address the chair of a meeting in English, to be able to write English e-mails and letters on relevant subjects using the appropriate level of famality, and to be sufficiently grammatically accurate doing so that serious misunderstandings can be successfully avoided.
Return on investment
Return on investment: Not applicable / Not availableTrack record of sharing
During the Austrian EU-Presidency the Federal Chancellery organized the meeting of the European Directors of Schools and Institutes of Public Administration (DSIPA). This is an informal body with the objective of exchanging views and experiences about professional training troughout European public service. The principal topic for the meeting in Vienna was e-Learning. In this meeting educational and organisational aspects of e-Learning were discussed as well as practical aspects regarding the design and realization of e-Learning programmes. When the concept of EUROSPEAK:Online was presented to the heads of schools we learned in the discussion that a similar project in another member state does not exist. Further EUROSPEAK:Online was presented to the directors general during their meeting in Vienna on May 28 and 29, 2006.
Lessons learnt
There is a big demand for an internet based e-learning programme for English language and communication training for the specific needs of public service in an EU context New target groups can be obtained for the necessity of English language Training (who normally never would engage in face-to-face seminars) EUROSPEAK-Online is a unique offer
Scope: Regional (sub-national)