School of MLAL Virtual Exchange Project wins European Language Label Award 2021

ERASMUS SPEAKS, the Transnational Virtual Exchange Project (TEP) between the University of Limerick (UL) and five European partner Universities has won the European Language Label Award 2021. The Award coordinated by the European Commission recognises innovative approaches to language learning.  

The project was initiated in Autumn 2020 to provide third-year students with a virtual alternative to Erasmus mobility after it was cancelled due to Covid-19 emergency travel restrictions. Students from a number of disciplines (Applied Languages, Arts, European Studies, Business) learning either French, Spanish, German or English took part in the project. More information about the initiative can be found here. 

The jury commended the project for enhancing the communication between Irish and European students in their Erasmus+ destinations: “The scale of this project is admirable. To have 600 students involved in language learning and in a linguistic exchange programme with students in 4 countries is a huge logistic achievement. Even though the complications of a physical exchange were removed from the project, there were new hurdles to negotiate, as students and staff upskilled in the use of digital technologies”. 

An online Award ceremony is scheduled for 11 November 2021. 

The ERASMUS SPEAKS UL Team 

The UL team of coordinators and facilitators who implemented ERASMUS SPEAKS was comprised of: Dr Florence Le Baron-Earle, Dr Marie-Thérèse Batardière, Dr Veronica O’Regan, Natascha Guggi Dr Marta Giralt, Angel Catala Sempere, Marta Fortez Saez.