Press release 17 June 2005

Issued by Idris Consultancy (http://www.idrisconsultancy.co.uk)

Multinational team develops free language learning website for eCommerce

A multinational team has launched a new project to build a language learning internet resource for students of eCommerce throughout the European Union. The project teaches how to overcome European language barriers and how to use commercial websites to reach customers who don’t speak your language.

The project, ‘Languages for eCommerce’ is financed by the European Union’s Leonardo da Vinci programme. It will take three years to complete and when it is finished, students will be able to access three interactive courses which carry credits under the European Credit Transfer System. The project will also produce a multilingual eCommerce dictionary.

eCommerce has come a long way since the first purchase of an item via a website in August 1994 (it was a CD by the singer Sting).  It has grown so much that this year, Europeans will spend an average of €223 online, bringing Europe's online retail market to €40 billion. Despite this phenomenal growth, the old European bugbear of language still impedes trading and though the Internet crosses borders like nothing else, it is still difficult to get your message across to potential clients and customers when their language is not yours. Misunderstandings are common and the practice of international business has many dos and don’ts to avoid cross-cultural confusion. ‘Languages for eCommerce’ addresses the language and cultural issues of doing business with foreigners and aims to teach students how to make the best of the Internet to reach markets beyond their borders.

 ‘Languages for eCommerce’ will be of interest to students of business and to employees in companies involved in marketing and website design and maintenance. It is also a language teaching resource for anyone learning or teaching English, German or Spanish for business.

Students doing the courses will look at real websites and assess them for their effectiveness. They will work in small groups, translating and editing web pages and the courses’ electronic environment will be structured to develop peer learning.

‘Languages for eCommerce’ is the work of a team of 33 people from six different European countries. The project is headed by Seinäjoki Polytechnic in Finland. Heli Simon, the coordinator, believes the project will ‘help to improve the competitiveness of European small businesses in the global commercial environment’.

The project website is currently at http://giga.cps.unizar.es/%7Eimena/en/index.html. Use of the facility, when it is completed, will be entirely free of charge.