5. The Call for submissions – specification
5.1. General information
Applicants may choose between submitting project proposals or tenders. The main differences between the two kinds of submissions are described here:
Project proposals:
- A team of four experts (plus optional self-funded associate partners) represented by a prospective project coordinator puts forward a project proposal adopting the philosophy and fitting the structure of the ECML programme scheme. The submission template is provided by the ECML.
- The proposal includes details of all team members, indicating their role within the team (for details see section 6.2):
- project coordinator (key responsibility for a project);
- project website correspondent (team member with responsibility to continuously update the project website);
- second working language correspondent of the project (team member ensuring availability of key project documents in the second working language of the project);
- mediation link person (only applicable for development projects where a team member is expected to become actively involved in a mediation project in order to mediate the team’s work to a targeted audience).
- The proposal does not duplicate but rather complement the project descriptions presented in the Call for tender.
- The selection of projects will be based principally upon the quality of the proposal, the correspondence to the ECML programme scheme and ECML provision for projects.
Tender:
- An individual expert sends an application targeting a particular project outline provided in the Call for tender. The application form is provided by the ECML.
- In the application the expert indicates in which one the following roles he/she would like to contribute to project work:
- as project coordinator (key responsibility for a project);
- as project website correspondent (team member with responsibility to continuously update the project website);
- as second working language correspondent of the project (team member ensuring availability of key project documents in the second working language of the project);
- as mediation link person (only applicable for development projects);
- as a team member without any of the above mentioned responsibilities (only applicable for mediation projects).
- If the expert wishes to assume the role of project coordinator, he/she is requested to further develop the basic project outline provided by the ECML by providing a full project description.
- An applicant will be selected as coordinator for each project. Following this process the coordinator will be invited to determine the composition of the project team in consultation with the ECML on the basis of all applications received for the respective project through the Call for tender.
- The selection criteria for coordinators will focus on the qualification of the applicant and on the project description submitted.
Cooperation with additional partners is welcome for all projects. The ECML encourages the co-funding of projects through national or international institutions and associations where project content and aims are complementary with existing initiatives or planned activities.
Concerted action with activities carried out by the European Commission, particularly in the area of early language learning and in languages for business represents an added value for all projects. The modalities, financing and framework of such cooperation should be clearly detailed in the proposal (submission template of the Call for proposal) or in the application of the expert (application form of the Call for tender).
Further information relevant both for the Call for proposals and the Call for tender
ECML Workshops
To allow for involvement of all ECML member states in all projects, projects usually include an ECML central workshop in their proposed project activities. This workshop usually plays a key role in the life of an ECML project. Experts proposing a project and applicants for project coordination will be asked to indicate how they envisage the role of the participants of their workshop. These participants are experts nominated by the national nominating authorities of the ECML’s 34 member states. The nominations are based upon a profile of qualification provided by the project team.
Reference to Council of Europe and ECML policy documents and tools
As a Council of Europe institution, the ECML operates within the context of the ongoing language education work of the major European organisations. Projects are therefore expected to show how they will take account of existing European language education policies and tools. It is particularly recommended to build on such Council of Europe instruments as the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and the European Language Portfolio, and such ECML publications as EPOSTL (European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages) and CARAP (Framework of Reference for Pluralistic Approaches). Depending on the topic selected other Council of Europe and ECML publications may be relevant. A list of references is available in appendix III.
New technologies
The growing influence of new technologies on learning in particular with regard to media literacy should be reflected in ECML projects. It is recommended to consider if and how mobile technologies, online social networks and other interactive web applications will impact on further developments in the area of a particular project.