FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions - Call for projects "Multilingualism: foreign language curricula

1. Target audience / Eligible candidates

2. Timetable or duration of projects

3. How to apply

4. Type of projects supported

5. Types of actions and eligible expenditure

a. Transformation of foreign language courses

b. Teacher training

c. Training of students

d. Ineligible expenses

1. Target audience / Eligible candidates

• Can E2D teachers be RST? There may already be some as pedagogical managers (IUT, for example). No, the RST must be a full professor, a teacher-researcher attached to an AMU component, to Science Po Aix or to Centrale Marseille or a full researcher attached to an EPST on the Aix-Marseille site. The project must be led by a person anchored to the Aix-Marseille site over the long term and be consistent with the site's training and research projects.
• To be an RST, is it necessary to have a minimum number of teaching hours in the course that one wishes to transform into a foreign language? No.
• Is it necessary to be responsible for the curriculum to be an RST?No .
• Can a teacher-researcher who has already been awarded a prize in the 2017 Call for proposals for the Académie d'Excellence submit a proposal as a STN? Yes.

2. Timetable or duration of the projects

• Is it possible to take the foreign language curriculum as early as September 2022? Yes, it is possible.
• Is it possible to take the foreign language curriculum in September 2023 or September 2024? Yes. Candidates can start the course in September 2023 or September 2024 if they need more preparation time. Amidex funding can begin in September 2022 to allow for a preparation phase and then the launch of the full course in September 2024.

3. How to apply

• What is the link to the application form: https: //amidex-aap.univ-amu.fr/fr/appel-a-projets-multilinguisme-cursus-langue-etrangere
• Will the letters of intent receive an initial feedback before the project is submitted in February? Yes, however the first step (submission of intent is not subject to selection). It is an acknowledgement of receipt.
• Is the application form available? Yes, it is available for download as well as the budgetary model on the PAA page: https://www.univ-amu.fr/fr/public/appel-projet-academie-dexcellence
• In the online form, it is asked to specify the amount of aid requested from Amidex? Is it necessary to do it during step 1 or 2? If it must be done in step 1, will it be possible to modify the amount in step 2? It is a mandatory field in step 1, but it can be modified in step 2
• If all the departments want to participate, can each department submit its own project or will it be necessary to group the projects and submit one as a component? You can submit several projects per component, each course can submit its project, but the application must be made in agreement with the component. A letter from the component must be provided at step 2 indicating that it agrees with the project and is able to assume the administrative and financial management.
• How many applications will be funded? Approximately 10 projects

4. Type of projects supported

• Does the teaching material have to be in a foreign language for the course given in French (or vice versa) or does everything have to be in a foreign language? Both are in foreign language, the objective is to propose a complete curriculum in foreign language in order to allow the reception of foreign students.
• "Can it be one year of a Master's degree or one course? It can be one year of a Master's degree or the entire course.
• Can it be a year of a Bachelor's degree? Yes.
• Should the student be able to choose between the same course in French and in a foreign language? It is possible but not compulsory. For example, in the Bachelor cycle, the student may choose between a course in French or in a foreign language, depending on the group of courses. In the Master's programme, if there is only one group in the course, the student will have to take it in a foreign language. In this sense, it is important to indicate this to the candidate in the course expectations at the time of application.
• Can a new course be created or should an existing course be transformed? The projects supported in the framework of this call for proposals propose the transformation of an existing course, not the creation of a new foreign language course. It is a question of transforming a course and not duplicating the French language version in a foreign language.
• If among the 48 credits to be validated during an academic year, we include English courses (TOEIC preparation), will this be taken into account? Yes, if the course is in English (not if it is in another language).
• Can the end-of-studies internship be taken into account if the report and defense are in a foreign language, confirmation? Yes. If the internship, the reports and the defense are in a foreign language, the internship is included in the calculation of the 48 ECTS.
• Can it be more than 48 ECTS? Yes it is a minimum.
• In the case where a training course has several groups of TD, is it possible to open the course in foreign language to one of the groups of TD? Yes.
• Can the project combine an AMU course with a Science Po course, for example? Yes.
• How does this call for proposals relate to the TIGER internationalisation programme? This call for projects is designed to be consistent with the international reinforcement of TIGER, in the sense that this call for proposals must allow courses to meet the TIGER prerequisites.
• Are courses connected to Institutes eligible? Yes, if they are national degrees (Master)
• In the event that several years of a course are integrated into the project, what are your recommendations? Gradual opening (one year in the first year, two in the second, etc.) or total (all years of the course open from the first year)? This choice is left to the discretion of the teaching team. The strategy will be evaluated by the experts during the selection process, but there are no recommendations from the Foundation.
• Can A*Midex finance co-accredited courses between AMU and another French university? And is funding possible if the state diploma is awarded by the other university? (AMU's is a university degree)? The Amidex foundation cannot finance a training if the final diploma is delivered by another university.
• What is being done to avoid falling into the trap of everything being in English and few courses in other languages? Is priority given to foreign languages spoken at CIVIS partner universities? Is it possible to teach in a minority language? The call is open to all languages, which is why it contains the heading "Multilingualism". Projects will be selected on the basis of their pedagogical quality and the relevance of their internationalization strategy.
• Difficulties of expression for teachers and comprehension for students: the teaching time is longer. Is it possible to adapt the curriculum? The teaching methods can be adapted accordingly but the length of the module cannot be increased.
• Is it possible to change the model at constant cost? If so, what will be the deadlines for the components? Changes to the model will be possible if they are relevant to the project. They will follow the usual timetable for modifying the training offer.

5. Types of actions and eligible expenses

1. Transformation of foreign language courses

• So the increased EQS will only be for the 1st year? Yes, on the model of the EQS of "conception of innovative pedagogical practices" they are attributed "the only year of conception". (see EQS reference guide ).
• For the translation/proofreading of specialised content, can we pay international doctoral students and post-docs who are specialists in the field? If the institution's regulations allow it.
• Can we ask for EQS AND translation/proofreading depending on the courses to be prepared (and teachers)? No, if you use a translation, you cannot request an SQE.
• On page 6 of the framework, it is specified that "The courses created in a foreign language within the framework of this call for projects are to be budgeted according to the standard proposed by Aix-Marseille University for the design of innovative pedagogical projects: a course of 1 hour for the student represents 1.5 hours of creation" We understand that for 1 hour of class, the valorization will be done in the form of EQS and that it will be 0.5h. Is this correct? Thedelivery of the foreign language course is remunerated by the component in the same way as it is today for the French version of the program. Amidex funding is provided for the design of the foreign language course, so for one hour of course created in a foreign language, the teacher can request 1.5 EQS.
• Is the funding of travel and accommodation for external speakers eligible? Yes
• Can linguists who already have some knowledge of a discipline be trained / improved in the discipline concerned and join the teaching team of the course taught in a foreign language? How are the teachers' skills assessed?Yes, this is possible if relevant. The composition of the teaching team and its skills are defined by the projects and presented in the application file. It is evaluated by the external experts in charge of the evaluation of the application files. The evaluation grid (available in the framework text on page 13) includes a criterion "relevance of the composition and coordination of the teaching team". The "competence" aspect of the team will also be evaluated in complementarity with the training plan of the teaching team included in the project.
• Concerning the translation of administrative documents (not specific to a course): is a global translation of all these documents by AMU planned? The translation of documents for which AMU does not have a translation can be included in the project budget. The link could be made by Amidex between the needs raised by the projects and the existing translations and vice versa in order to pool efforts.

Additional answer provided by Mr. Yann Garcenot, in charge of the language mission: SUFLE and MIRREL will merge into a common language service. In this context, FLE and language support will be offered. A translation, proofreading or subtitling service will be offered using AMU's permanent and temporary teachers. The translation of courses and documents could be a service offered. The costs must be anticipated (estimate given of 350 TTC for 2500 words.

• Should teachers from the CIVIS alliance be given priority for a course (hybrid or face-to-face?) Collaboration with partners from the CIVIS alliance is recommended if it is relevant to the project. It is not an obligation. The choice is to be made according to the project.
• Should we use existing AMU partnerships or can we create new ones? It is possible to create new partnerships.
• Concerning external contributors, is it only a question of financing mission expenses? No, their remuneration as well (On the other hand, external contributors cannot benefit from EQS for the design of courses.
• Could the foreign language teachers of the courses help with the translation of the courses? And in this sense, could they benefit from bonuses or SQE? Teachers can call on their language colleagues to translate, if it is relevant, but this would not be eligible for EQS, it would be necessary to use AMU regulations for this type of activity. It is possible to mobilise the site's skills but also to mobilise external skills when they are not available on the site.
• For the financial part, on which administrative department should we rely? The licence, the department on which we depend as a teacher, our research lab? It is on the component and the department that the administrative management of the project will rest, in close collaboration with the RST. To this end, a letter of commitment from the component must be obtained when the application is submitted (Step 2).

2. Teacher training

• Does the training of teachers to improve their language skills have to be done within AMU in order to be funded? If the training required to carry out the project exists within AMU, it is to be preferred. If it does not exist, then the training costs may be eligible for Idex credits.
• Will AMU training courses be valued (MIRREL, SUFFLE, Centre de formation en composantes) or will only external training courses be funded? Project leaders are encouraged to solicit the entire AMU and site ecosystem. When these supports do not meet the need, Amidex does not prohibit projects from calling on external organizations. This also applies to the language certification of students.

3. Student training

• Can international mobility be incoming? Yes if relevant to the project strategy.
• Can incoming mobility grants cover the year? Yes if relevant to the overall project. Cf. "A*Midex mobility grants" scheme https://daji.univ-amu.fr/sites/daji.univ-amu.fr/files/ca_deliberations/delib_10_bourses_amidex.pdf
• What about difficulties in understanding the students?The call for projects includes a "student training" section that can include mobility costs, refresher courses, and registration for evaluation tests.

4. Ineligible expenses

• Is it possible to buy video conferencing equipment for hybrid teaching (directional camera)? No. Investment/equipment expenses are not eligible.