SPOT ON

I know you were one of the founding members of the ICC on the ICC board and were on the board until March this year. Can you tell me a little bit about your relationship to the ICC?

I am the chairperson of SICC (Swedish ICC Committee), which was founded in 1991 and is a member of the ICC. SICC consists of six Swedish adult education associations and our membership to the ICC proved to be very valuable from the beginning. It enabled us to offer the ICC examinations (today telc, The European Language Certificates) and more importantly to network with other organisations cooperating in the development of a scheme with regard to language learning and teaching to adults in Europe.

Folkuniversitetet has also been partner of three important EU projects, coordinated by the ICC, in which I have taken part:  These were 'Teacher Training and Accreditation', its follow up project Teacher Certification VOLL and Swedex www.icc-languages.eu/swedex_42337.php. The latter project was implemented by Folkuniversitetet, the Swedish Institute and the German Adult Education Association in Lower Saxony (Landesverband der Volkshochschulen Niedersachsens). Today the Swedex examinations are offered in 41 different centres all over the world – the most remote ones in Buenos Aires and Bangkok.

You have been involved with all your heart in the standardisation of the European Certificate in Language Teaching to Adults,  EUROLTA. Your organisation has only recently renewed their status as EUROLTA Training centre. 

 Folkuniversitetet was one of the partners in the EU project which initiated Eurolta, and hence our organisation was among the first institutions to get accreditation for running certified EUROLTA training courses.

Our recent renewal accreditation included a blended learning teacher training course design, for courses being delivered partially face-to-face and online.

Our new course design involves the cooperation of the three largest Folkuniversitetet foundations (Stockholm, Gothenburg and Lund). Our goal with this design was to create a very flexible system, which could fit all levels of experience.

Could you tell me a little about the recognition of the EUROLTA Scheme in Sweden? Are many people interested in the Certificate?

Personally I would like the certificate to get a wider recognition in Sweden as I think it is a great scheme. We have had trainees who said that they got much more out of their Eurolta training course than the official teacher training college. We find that people are highly interested in taking the courses, but seem to be less interested in the formal certification. However, with the new developments planned by the ICC, we believe that regocnition on an international or European level will have a great effect on the recognition of the Scheme in Sweden.

What would you call the highlights during your work with the ICC?

First and foremost I really appreciated the network the ICC built, through which I met many different people and got great inspirations. Of course I was also faced with difficulties, but this was part of the learning curve and I have learnt a great deal from it!

Another highlight of my work with the ICC is to always get the latest information in the field of language learning and teaching.

You mentioned earlier, that you will retire in January of next year. What are your feelings about this after such a successful conference in Stockholm?

I have mixed feelings about it. I have been active with every aspect of the organization from its very beginning, and all of a sudden it will all become quiet - or will it not? I must say I found this experience of the conference with Christel, Cristina, Jack and all the other colleagues on the board very inspiring and interesting, but of course it also ment hard work. My Swedish colleagues at Folkuniversitetet (especially Anna-Kristina Topalov) and the colleagues from other associations in SICC all did a great job. We were all very happy to see that the conference turned out so well and became such a success. 270 participants from 24 countries was a terrific result I think. Furthermore Folkuniversitetet and Studiefrämjandet in Stockholm, one of the SICC partners, will join the ICC as independent members.

What would you wish for the ICC and where do you see the ICC’s future going to?

Communication between people is fundamental for society and for democracy. For that reason language competence is indispensable. This is why I think that all efforts in order to improve the learning and teaching of languages are important. I also believe this is why the contributions of the ICC are so important and I am confident that the ICC will continue with their great work. The internet and therefore the website are key in an organisation like the ICC where members are spread out all over the world. Christel has done a terrific job on improving the website and continues to do so. This development is vital for members to become even more connected. Therefore I think it is important to get more organisations involved as well as individuals. There is a need for what we in Sweden call “fire souls”! So my wish for the ICC is that they keep up the great work!