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Riga meeting April 2017 Primrose Report

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The meeting was held on two days in Riga, the fascinating capital of Latvia. It was attended by colleagues from each of the  partner institutions:  Turiba University (Latvia), Ekonomska šola Murska Sobota (Slovenia), IPSSA Nino Bergese (Italy), Universitatea Sapientia din Cluj-Napoca (Romania),) Tourism & Catering School Dubrovnik (Croatia), Primrose Publishing (UK) 

Although only a short period had elapsed since the project meeting in January in Vilnius, there was still a lot to be discussed. 

As always at these meetings, lively discussions were held on many subjects. There was still concern about the case studies.  Some  of the subjects chosen by partners had been downloaded from the Internet with the inevitable result that much of the language was of doubtful quality. 

I reported on the additions and modifications that I have completed on the digital maps. I have added the names of the additional languages now included in the new project, inserted a lot of photographs to make the maps appear more real, and corrected a number of items where the text needed to be improved. 

I explained that the maps should ideally be used on a PC or laptop, because it is rarely possible to access the photos on a smartphone, and the text can only be read comfortably by enlarging small sections of the screen.  On a good-sized tablet the results are rather better, but are still not ideal.

I gave an account of the real interest generated by the series of disseminations that I gave in Italy in March, especially in the four smartphone apps. 

The visit was rounded off by a long walk through a lovely area of countryside but it rained so persistently that much of the pleasure was lost.

David Sephton

Director

Primrose Publishing Ltd

Report on Dubrovnik meeting June 2018

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This took place in the beautiful and tranquil setting of a small bay on the Dubrovnik Riviera about 15 km south of the city. This is where the hotel was situated It consisted of a number of villas separated by wooded areas leading down to a rocky beach with views across to nearby islands. 

It was the culmination of the present project and included a multiplier event in which all partners brought their stakeholders so that everyone taking an active part in the project could see the results, share their views, form their opinions and make their comments. 

The event itself included detailed reports on what the project had sought to do and what had so far been achieved, and individual presentations by some of the partners on their particular contributions. 

Having been responsible in this project and the previous project for creating and maintaining the digital maps and the four smartphone apps I was asked to summarize the work done and give an assessment of the reactions they had generated amongst the key users of the materials created by the project. This included a description of how the smartphone apps are used along with screenshots on a large display. 

During the event it was a special pleasure to make the acquaintance of many of the stakeholders and to renew friendships with others that we had previously worked with.  I was asked to introduce the Italian stakeholder who gave a report on the detailed involvement that she had had with the project.  

The event itself was on the Monday. This was followed by the final meeting of partners to check the results so far and agree the work that still had to be completed before the project ends on 31^st August. A highlight of the trip was a guided tour of the old city of Ragusa/Dubrovnik and a visit to an ancient water-mill producing olive-oil, situated over a small river in a pretty village. 

The meeting itself ended with an excellent lunch prepared by the students, in the Croatian partner’s school situated high up on a hill giving a wonderful view over Dubrovnik’s harbour. It was a fitting culmination of a fascinating get-together, splendidly organized by the Croatian partner.

David Sephton

Director

Primrose Publishing Ltd

Unity in Diversity – Multiplier Event at Sapientia University

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On 13 June 2018, the Campus of Miercurea Ciuc of Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania hosted the multiplier event of the Erasmus+ project entitled Language skills and intercultural issues in the hospitality industry: unity in diversity in the EU labour market.  

Multilingualism has become an essential part of our lives while language, intercultural and digital competences play an important role in the labour market. This is the central idea of our project, the main aim of which was to develop, together with the other eight partner countries, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Turkey and the UK, a multilevel, interactive online language teaching and learning material primarily for those working and studying in the hospitality industry but also for anyone interested in the language and culture of other countries:

1)     an A1 level material, available in 16 languages (also in Hungarian and Romanian),

2)     an A2/B1 level material, also available in 16 languages,

3)     an advanced level (B2/C1 and C1) English language material.

An outstanding aim of the project was also to create an online learning platform where these materials can be accessed. After registration, the materials are available, free of charge, on the site: http://esolams.eu/unity/.

      During the multiplier event, Dr Erika-Mária Tódor, head of the Department of Humanities greeted those present, then the members of Sapientia team presented the project and its methodology, the Open Educational Resources (OER) in general, the language materials and online games. During the workshop following the presentations the participants could also try them out in the computer labs, with the help of the team members.

 Dr Zsuzsanna Ajtony 

Sapientia team coordinator

Unity in Diversity – Final Project Meeting in Dubrovnik

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Our Erasmus+ project entitled “Language skills and intercultural issues in the hospitality industry: unity in diversity in the EU labour market” is coming to an end. The 5^th project meeting took place between 4-6 June 2018 and was hosted by the lead partner’s institution, Turistička i ugostiteljska škola Dubrovnik, Croatia, where the team of Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania was represented by Dr Zsuzsanna Ajtony and Katalin Sipos. Colleagues from the eight other partner countries (Croatia, the Czech Republic, Great Britain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Turkey) took part in the event, together with one or two of their stakeholders.

The first day of the meeting consisted of an international conference during which we presented the project and its results to those interested and to the press. The main outcome of the project is a multi-level and highly interactive online and face-to-face language teaching and learning material, primarily designed for the hospitality industry and VET institutions, but also to anyone interested in intercultural issues (the e-learning platform of the project, where these materials are accessible is: http://esolams.eu/unity/). The A1 and the A2/B1 language course consists of language materials created in 16 languages (among others, Hungarian and Romanian), the B2/C1 course in English which also includes interactive maps and smartphone applications, as well as the English language C1 course which includes intercultural and country modules, drawing the users’ attention to the sensitivities of the cultures that the partner countries are responsible for.

During the conference, the task of Sapientia team was to present the B2/C1 and the C1 course. In doing this, Zsuzsanna Ajtony highlighted the materials that were created by Sapientia teachers. Similarly, Katalin Kolozsváry, stakeholder of Sapientia University, stressed the beneficial effect of the project, especially pointing out the fact that it enhances communication and problem-solving skills and develops learners’ “respect, openness and curiosity towards other cultures”.

The last two days of the meeting were necessary for the partners to assess the work that has been done and is still ahead until the end of August, and prepare the project sustainability plan.

Dubrovnik also welcomed us with its breathtaking sights, its appetizing meals and the unforgettable view of the Adriatic Sea. We would like to thank our hosts for their hospitality and for the perfect organization, and to all the partners for the fruitful collaboration we shared in the past two years! Hope to meet in later projects!

 Dr. Zsuzsanna Ajtony

 coordinator of Sapientia team