EMFEC’s commitment to supporting the international dimension in learning and skills has continued with a number of projects and activities as highlighted below.

Co-ordinated by EMFEC, the EMVET (East Midlands Vocational Education and Training) Group comprises a membership of nine colleges from the region.  Its purpose is to provide an overarching identity for the promotion of VET and English language courses offered by East Midlands FE colleges and a framework for collaboration for international partnership working.

Priority areas for collaboration are:

In-country training in the full range of VET curriculum areas;

*   Construction, Motor Vehicle, Land-based, Engineering, Electronics, Business  Management, Travel and Tourism, Health and Social Care, Motor sport, Footwear, Printing, Childcare, Sports Science, Hospitality and Catering, CAD-CAM;

*   English Language training for specific purposes (eg Business English);

*   Preparation and implementation of training courses for Chinese employees and trainees wishing to work in the UK and the wider global economy as well as working in international companies established in China;

*    Marketing of UK VET colleges and courses for employees, students and trainees wishing to study in the UK.

It was decided that the Group would take advantage of the long-established partnership between the East Midlands and Sichuan of China and continue to develop more substantial links with VET institutions in that Province.  Six colleges sent representatives to Chengdu and Chongching in early April, visiting a range of Sichuan VET colleges, covering a number of vocational disciplines.

Having secured financial support from the Prime Minister’s Initiative 2 Fund, a return inbound mission of Chinese educationalists will take place during November 2008. 

Languages for Tourism - modules on CD-Rom for those working in, or training to work in, the UK tourism industry

As part of an innovative project aimed at improving the language skills of the UK's tourism sector, EMFEC has produced language learning modules in CD-Rom format which, unlike traditional language learning modules that target those travelling abroad as tourists, are unique in that they equip people currently working within the sector and travel and tourism students with the appropriate language skills to give a warmer welcome to those inbound tourists whose first language is not English.  They are available in French (intermediate level) and Spanish, German and Italian (for beginners) and the training package features:

• Introduction, including tips for language learning

• Tourist Attractions module

• Accommodation Providers module

• Tourist Information Office module

• Travel and Transport module

• Reference and Grammar section

Included within the price of the CD-Rom is a range of supplementary texts with tourism-related scenarios and vocabulary in addition to integrated assignments to assess the progression of the learner towards National Language Standards, on which Awarding Bodies' accreditation is based. In its initial phase, the project was funded by European Social Fund Objective 3 monies, co-financed by the Nottinghamshire Learning and Skills Council.  Loughborough College was involved in the development of the language content of the modules and the Project Steering Group included representation from Nottingham Trent University and Experience Nottinghamshire.  The materials have been awarded both a 'European Award for Languages' (2004) and an 'East Midlands International Business Communication Award' (2006).  They have been trialled successfully with both employees within the tourism sector and travel and tourism students within Nottinghamshire FE colleges. 

For sample material please click here.

In January 2008, EMFEC signed a new partnership agreement with L'Académie de Strasbourg for a joint programme to be delivered over a further four years (2008-2011).  This marked 15 years of partnership working between the two institutions and reinforces work already achieved in building stronger links between the East Midlands FE sector and French 'Lycées Professionnels' through the organisation of a variety of trainer and student exchange programmes and other joint initiatives.  Examples of these are:

 ·         West Nottinghamshire College have to date welcomed five groups of vocational teachers to shadow their UK counterparts in
preparation for the teaching of their specialist subjects in English to their own students and to exchange best practice in teaching methodologies. 

·         In November 2007, EMFEC hosted a group visit of 18 French Education Inspectors who came to the UK to learn about self-assessment for quality improvement.  The training programme incorporated sessions at Derby College, New College Nottingham and Judgemeadow Community College in Leicester.

·         A Leonardo funded study visit of ten vocational teachers from East Midlands colleges took place to the Alsace region in April 2008.  The teachers experienced a 5-day training programme and witnessed their subjects being taught in French Lycées. They gained a first hand understanding of the French VET system and in particular the "classes européennes" concept, well developed in the Alsace.  The group also visited the European Parliament, the Strasbourg Chamber of Commerce and Industry Training Centre, an Apprentice Training College and a Careers Guidance Centre.  Feedback from the visit was so successful that it is intended to organise a similar visit in the spring of 2009.

For more information on EMFEC's International Services please contact Geoff Scaplehorn (geoffs@emfec.co.uk) or Pauline Guild (paulineg@emfec.co.uk) at EMFEC.