Presentation
A Centre to Promote Language Education in Europe
Understanding one another is a prerequisite for living together harmoniously. So to achieve the dream of a continent without dividing lines, Europe needs citizens who can all communicate in some of the many languages spoken within its borders.
To assist in this challenge, the Council of Europe has created the European Centre for Modern Languages – a unique institution whose mission is to encourage excellence and innovation in language teaching and to help Europeans learn languages more efficiently.
The ECML’s Strategic Objectives are to help its member states implement effective language teaching policies by:
- Focusing on the practice of the learning and teaching of languages
- Promoting dialogue and exchange among those active in the field
- Training multipliers
- Supporting programme-related networks and research projects
ECML-OLBI Agreement
On January 22, 2008 the European Center for Modern Languages (ECML), the Council of Europe and the University of Ottawa through OLBI signed a Protocol of Cooperation and Liaison with the following objectives:
- Ensure close contact with the ECML and Canadian language experts, in hopes of creating long-term favourable conditions for Canada’s complete compliance with the partial Accord of the creation of the ECML.
- Make OLBI a Canadian partner of the ECML with the double role of ensuring the distribution of the ECML’s work as its reference point and proposing Canadian experts as prospective participants in the projects and activities of the ECML.
The agreement has been renewed until 2015, corresponding to the duration of the ECML’s 4th medium-term program “Learning through languages” (2012-2015).