About the Expert Group Nordic Language Council

Mandate for the Expert Group Nordic Language Council (2014 – 2016)

Background
On 5 December 2012, the Committee of Senior Officials for Education and Research (EK-U) decided on a new organization and coordination of activities in the language area. The organization of the language area for the period 2014 – 2018 is designed on the basis of an evaluation of the units in the language area under the Council of Ministers for Education and Research (MR-U). The evaluation report “With language comprehension in focus – Evaluation of the units in the language area under the Nordic Council of Ministers 2012” delivered on 17 May 2012 a number of recommendations for organizing and implementing a new coordination of activities in the language area funded by MR-U.

In the same meeting, EK-U decided that Nordic language co-operation will focus on the following three areas from 2014 (until otherwise decided):

”The four working questions in the ‘Declaration on Nordic Language Policy’
EK-U confirmed in 2008 that the responsibility for following up the Language Declaration is national.

From 2014, it must be identified to a greater extent whether measures in the language area can support national efforts in the follow-up of the Language Declaration.

Efforts to strengthen children’s and young people’s language comprehension
There must be a focused and targeted effort to strengthen children and young people’s language comprehension in Danish, Norwegian and Swedish.

EK-U took the decision on a special focus on work with children and young people on 11 September 2008: “The decision on language cooperation is about the organization [which came into force in 2009] to contribute to a prioritization of a focused and goal-oriented effort to children’s and young people’s understanding of the neighboring country languages must be strengthened and that all northerners must be able to communicate with each other in a Scandinavian language. […] ÄK-U decided the following: […] Special focus must be placed on work with children and young people. […] ”

Listening comprehension
So far, the schools have focused on children and young people’s reading skills, also when it comes to the so-called neighboring language teaching in the subjects Danish, Norwegian and Swedish. However, a study of inter-Nordic language comprehension has shown that it is in the understanding of spoken language that the challenges of understanding each other lie. ”

In connection with the new organization of the language area for the period 2014 – 2018, EK-U decided on 5 December 2012 to establish a professional reference group for activities in the language area, in line with the recommendations in the evaluation report: Expert group Nordic Language Council (ENS).

The expert group shall take care of the function as a professional reference group for the portfolio of the tasks and services that make up the business in the language area. In view of the professional breadth necessary to be able to provide the administrative body with a relevant professional discussion partner, the evaluation report further recommends that not only geographical considerations be taken into account in the composition of the Expert Group, but that «ENS composition be changed so that it is primarily based on competence. applies to children’s and young people’s language comprehension and also includes representatives from the cultural sector. » The evaluation report therefore recommends that the appointment of members of the ENS first and foremost «take into account the functions of the group and that the most professionally initiated and research-related expertise be appointed, secondarily to geographical representation.

This recommendation is to be understood on the basis that the Council of Ministers for Education and Research (MR-U) has a main responsibility for the language area in Nordic co-operation, while the Council of Ministers for Culture (MR-K) has a partial responsibility for the language area. An initial discussion of the joint responsibility for the language area will primarily take place under the auspices of an ad hoc group for the language area, which has a term of office from 2013 – 2014, but a dialogue between the ad hoc group, the administrative body and ENS is necessary in the establishment phase.

Objectives for the work of the Nordic Language Council
Expert
Group In principle, the Nordic Language Council expert group is appointed as a professional reference group for activities in the language area that are funded under MR-U. The company is coordinated by an administrative body, which will use the Expert Group partly to obtain the necessary professional advice, partly to ensure the necessary professional weight in the quality assurance of the company and partly to ensure coherence between companies across the sectors.

Specific
The expert group must be able to be consulted in connection with strategic issues as well as in connection with planning, implementation and follow-up of specific activities. The administrative body and project managers related to the activities in the language area must be able to contact the entire group or the members that are relevant in connection with specific subject-related issues. Primarily, contact shall be maintained between the head of Nordic language coordination in the administrative body and the chairman of the Expert Group. The chairmanship of the Expert Group follows the countries’ chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

The administrative body is responsible for ensuring the quality of the activities in the language area and thus also responsible for seeking professional assistance from the Expert Group where necessary and appropriate.

At an annual meeting, the administrative body discusses the activities in the language area with the Expert Group, and ENS participates both in following up the activities in connection with annual reporting and in planning the activities in connection with the work plan. ENS has a particularly important task as a professional discussion partner for the administrative body and the ad hoc group for the language area in connection with strategic discussions in a long-term perspective, to ensure both professional weight and sensible coherence in investments in the language area, also across sectors.

Members of the Expert Group
EK-U appoint members to the Expert Group during 2013 by order of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Secretariat. The composition of the group must reflect a professional breadth, as recommended in the evaluation report.

On 11 September 2013, EK-U approved the mandate for the Expert Group, but decided on a mandate period of 3 years: 2014-2016. The mandate and composition of the ESA can be revised if necessary after the ad hoc group in the language area has submitted its report.

EK-U decided that the secretariat enters into a dialogue with the countries and the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland regarding the appointment of members to ENS.

Schedule for the Expert Group (provisional)
The Expert Group’s mandate applies for a limited period from January 2014 to December 2016. The Expert Group shall hold an annual meeting with the administrative body to discuss progress, results and further plans for the future.

EK-U is the steering group for the activities in the language area and the Nordic Council of Ministers’ secretariat has a follow-up responsibility. The administrative body in the language area, the Nordic Association for Nordic Language Coordination, takes care of the secretariat function for the Expert Language Nordic Council. The Expert Group’s activities are described through the administrative body’s strategy plan, work plans and annual reports.

September 2013 EK-U discusses and approves the mandate for the Expert Group

In the autumn of 2013, EK-U will appoint members to the Expert Group

Spring 2014 The expert group meets with the administrative body in the language area to discuss the strategy for the term of office and the work plan for 2014.

Budget
On 5 December 2012, EK-U decided that the Expert Group of the Nordic Language Council will receive DKK 250,000 annually for meeting activities in the period 2014 – 2016. The expert group has the opportunity to transfer funds from one year to the next.

Members of the Expert Group, who do not perform the work as part of their permanent employment, may be remunerated for the work by agreement and at fixed rates. The funds for fees are covered by the budget of DKK 250,000.

EK-U decided on 11 September 2013 that remuneration of individual members shall be possible in special cases, such as a freelance cultural worker. Remuneration must be considered in each individual case. Any fees must be within the Expert Group’s budget framework.

EK-U decided the mandate in EK-U 3/13 on 11 September with the changes that appear in the minutes. *

* EK-U approved the mandate for the Expert Group, but decided on a mandate period of 3 years: 2014-2016. The mandate and composition of the ESA can be revised if necessary after the ad hoc group in the language area has submitted its report.
EK-U decided that the secretariat enters into a dialogue with the countries and the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland regarding the appointment of members to ENS.
EK-U decided that remuneration of individual members should be possible in special cases, such as a freelance cultural worker. Remuneration must be considered in each individual case. Any fees must be within the Expert Group’s budget framework.