Message on the occasion of the successful completion of Pilot Project entitled Web and multimedia Training for Medical English promoted by Elanguest English Language School

It is with satisfaction that after two years from the selection of Elanguest English Language School, we witness the successful closure of this pilot project. The acceptance of the project for funding under the Leonardo programme is evidence of the excellent quality of the presentation, content, innovation, aims and commercial viability of the project.

In the selection process, the project competes with other projects that would have been submitted to the European Commission for funding. This project was the first project submitted by a Maltese promoter to have been approved by the commission for funding, in the amount of Euro 334,863. So far three projects have been selected for funding by the Commission within the Leonardo framework since 2001.

Elanguest have successfully tapped the resources of the Leonardo da Vinci programme. Many place the emphasis on the funding aspect. However, this is conditional on good practice and excellence. There is no funding unless the project itself, compared to other projects submitted from all EU member and accession countries, is of the required standard. Elanguest have met this standard, both at the submission phase for selection by the Commission as well as during the implementation of the project itself.

The nature of the project, entitled «Web and Multimedia Training for Medical English», is evidence of the competence and professionalism of Maltese enterprise. The creation of a new and innovative idea does not just ’happen’ — there is always a history behind its emergence. Mobility of health workers in mainland Europe, and differing national approaches to patient care, creates problems in the work place and in training programmes. Investigations show that a similar problem was encountered in the medical profession in England where efficient foreign nurses and doctors sometimes had difficulty understanding everyday English associated with their profession.

The aim of the Elanguest project was to provide e-learning solutions for Medical English which would be both effective and accessible to as wide an audience as possible, using the latest web and multimedia technology. Real-life situations were simulated to familiarise users with conversations between patients, doctors, nurses and pharmacists.

The promoters were particularly fortunate to obtain the collaboration of excellent partners with extensive knowledge and experience in English teaching, medical training and computer application. I congratulate Elanguest for having teamed up with organisations from Spain, France, the United Kingdom and Hungary who undertook research to offer a tool which presents authentic, familiar situations that take place in a medical environment.

It is obvious that in the face of such complex matters, the partners’ enthusiasm played a very important role. We are confident that the end users of the product developed in the Pilot Project will not be disappointed.

I trust that following Malta’ accession into the European Union, there will be other Maltese promoters who add value to their competence and resources by tapping such an important source of funding as the Leonardo da Vinci to create tools relevant to vocational training. Others may act as partners to projects promoted by other European Union nationals. This would complement the investment that Government has placed in upgrading the vocational educational training institutions and in widening the accessibility of such institutions to all.

Louis Galea
Minister of Education