1. Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning Alex Riemersma www.mercator-research.eu 4 april 2008 www.mercator-research.eu

2. 2 Outline 1.Mercator team 2.Mercator’s history 3.European perspective 4.Mercator’s current position 5.Research 6.Networking activities 7.Mercator’s ambitions

3. 3 Mercator team

4. 4 Mercator’s history Mercator Education (1987-2006): EU project EU programme and earmarked budget Information and data collection on education in / about regional and minority languages in EU

5. 5 European perspective (1) Fryslân not unique in Europe All European countries are multilingual Fryslân is in the heart of Europe

6. 6

7. 7 European perspective (2) More than 60 % of EU citizens use more languages in daily life 10 % of European citizens speak a minority language Let us not reinvent the wheel !

8. 8 Mercator’s current position (1) Broadened scope: EU + CoE RMLs + immigrant languages + smaller state langauges Research activities Partner in various European Networks

9. 9 Mercator’s current position (2) European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning Spearhead of the Fryske Akademy Bilingual Fryslân Leeuwarden “hotspot of knowledge”

10. 10 Research Creating knowledge: language transmission added value Applying research results: Minimum Standards CEFR Regional Dossiers

11. 11 Regional Dossiers Series > 40 Update every 5 year Online available

12. 12 Networking activities Network of Schools & Teacher Training Institutes Mercator Network Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity EUNoM

13. 13 Foto fan bern Leafst bern yn de klasse

14. 14 Mercator’s ambitions Development of research activities: - creating knowledge; - sharing and disseminating; - application of research results Focus on Fryslân and Europe (EU & CoE) New partners: NPLD & EUNoM

15. 15 Mercator’s ambitions Fryslân: International “knowledge hotspot” Multilingualism & Language Learning Mercator: European Agency on Multilingualism & Language Learning

16. 16