How important is language learning in the EU-U.S. Atlantis projects?
Language learning is a central component in each of FIPSE’s international programs. Students in the Atlantis program must have a structured opportunity to learn as much as possible of the language of the host country before and during their study abroad period. The most successful projects build language learning into the program from the beginning. This is best achieved by working closely with foreign language departments to ensure that student language competencies are adequate for study abroad. Some of our projects have developed content specific language programs (e.g. Spanish for Engineering) that train students to function in their specific disciplinary areas. The most competitive proposals are those that integrate language competency into the academic expectations of the project. Proposals that do not include language training are not competitive for funding. The evaluation plan must include a component to measure language skills. Policy-oriented measures projects do not need to
