The aim of this Programme, as an element of the education and training system in the Ministry of Defence and the Army of Serbia is to provide institutional support to the personnel management in the Ministry of Defence and the Army of Serbia and achieving the interoperability needed for the commitments in multinational environment.
Objectives:
To identify the level of proficiency in English in the MoD and Army of Serbia (by establishing a comprehensive data base, as a part of the MoD Personnel Information System), related to the practical skills needed in the professional service;
To carry out the procedures for accepting STANAG 6001 and adjusting the legal, normative and other standardisation regulations related to the system of foreign languages education in the MoD and the Army of Serbia;
To develop and advance the system of language proficiency assessment according to STANAG 6001;
To improve the teaching methods of English language teachers, engaged in the Programme;
To organise courses aimed for achieving the language interoperability;
To evaluate the English language proficiency in authentic situations – tests according to STANAG 6001, verify the proficiency level and issue certificates valid for the three-year period.
Partners
PELT is the partnership project of the Ministry of Defence of Republic of Serbia and the following countries: United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden. British Council Belgrade and the PEP Manager for Serbia collaborate in the project. The activities are coordinated by the PELT Directorate. The Serbian Ministry of Defence participates in this project providing the infrastructure and personnel, while the donor countries provide financial support for the equipment, literature, teachers’ training and advisors’ consultancy. The project is planned for the period 2006-2010.
Achievements
Only in the first two years of the project implementation, the certificate according to STANAG 6001 was issued to almost 1000 of the defence system personnel. In the following years, the maximum number of the tested candidates was increased. Aimed at developing more efficient regional military cooperation and achieving the international affirmation of our test developed according to STANAG 6001, the tests were also organized for the personnel of the Ministry of Defence of Montenegro. PELT also tested the students who attended the garrison English language courses.
Seven regional Self-Access English Language Learning Centres (SACs) were opened during this project. The first SAC had been opened before the project started – at the Military Academy, in 2002.
Centre 1 – The Army Club, NIŠ
The Centre was opened by the Assistant Minister of Defence for Human Resources Bojan Dimitrijević and the UK Defence Attaché in Belgrade Col Simon Vandeleur. The ceremony was attended by the Serbian Army Commander LTG Mladen Ćirković, the Head of the Military Academy MG Vidosav Kovačević, the representatives of the Netherlands, Danmark, Norway and other guests.
Assistant Minister Bojan Dimitrijević expressed his gratitude for the support in this project and added that the Centre will give the officers and NCOs in this region in Serbia the opportunity to learn English and get the verification needed for their further education within the Army of Serbia. Col Simon Vandeleur announced that the similar centres were to be opened in Novi Sad, Pančevo and Vranje.
Centre 2 - BARRACKS „PRVI PEŠADIJSKI PUK KNJAZA MILOŠA VELIKOG”, VRANJE
25 January 2008
The opening ceremony was attended by the UK Ambassador in Serbia John Wordsworth,
the Serbian Army Commander LTG Mladen Ćirković, the Head of the GS Department for Training and Doctrine (J-7) MG Petar Ćornakov, the representatives of the donor countries’ embassies – Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Denmark, as well as the representatives of the PELT Directorate.
MG Petar Ćornakov emphasised that English language training is important for the officers in the Serbian Army in order to achieve interoperability and compatibility with the developed armies. UK Ambassador Wordsworth confirmed the United Kingdom plans to continue its support to the projects aimed at modernisation of the Army of Serbia and defence sector reform.
The Self-Access Learning Centre is equipped with computers, the most up-to-date learning software and permanent internet connection.
Centre 3 – BARRACKS „RIBNICA“, KRALJEVO
10 July 2008
The Centre was opened by the Brig. Gen. Vidoje Živković and the Dutch Defence Attaché Jan Van den Elsen. Deputy Head of the Department for Training and Doctrine Col Branko Deletić and Defence Attachés from the United Kingdom, Norway and Sweden, Col Nigel Fenn, LtC. Terje Haaverstad and LtC Björn Torstenson attended the ceremony.
BG Vidoje Živković informed the guests about the activities carried out by the Second Brigade. Col Jan Van den Elsen expressed his view that the investments in the English language training will accelerate the process of gaining language proficiency. The Regional Centre in Kraljevo is equipped with the computers with the most up-to-date software and permanent internet connection, and students have access to the special websites designed for English and English Military language distance learning.
Centre 4 - BARRACKS „PAVLE JURIŠIĆ ŠTURM“, POŽAREVAC
14 August 2008
The opening ceremony was attended by the Head of the MoD Human Resources Department Col Slađan Ðorđević, the Deputy Commander of the Training Command Col Miodrag Vukmirović, Deputy Head of the Department for Training and Doctrine Col Branko Deletić, the Commander of the Army Training Centre Col Vinko Markovski, Col Jan Van den Elsen representing the Royal Embassy of the Netherlands, Col Nigel Fenn, representing the British Embassy in Serbia and Andrew Glass, the Director of the British Council in Serbia. The computers, audio-equipment and the literature were donated by the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands, as the donor countries supporting the PELT Programme.
Centre 5 - BARRACKS „RASTKO NEMANJIĆ”, PANČEVO
2 October 2008
The English Language Self-Access Centre was opened.
Centre 6 – THE ARMY CLUB, NOVI SAD
9 October 2008
The opening ceremony was attended by the Head of the GS Department for Training and Doctrine (J-7) MG Petar Ćornakov, the representatives of the Army Command, the military representatives and diplomats from Denmark, the Netherland, United Kingdom, as well as the representatives of the Novi Sad City Council.
The Centre is equipped with the computers using the most up-to-date software designed for learning English. It has the permanent internet connection, providing self-access and teacher mentored learning, and a rich library of the Oxford, Longman, MacMillan and other language publications.
Centre 7 – THE ARMY OF SERBIA GENERAL STAFF
29 January 2009
The Head of the GS Department for Training and Doctrine (J-7) MG Petar Ćornakov General-major Petar Ćornakov and the UK Defence Attaché Col Nigel Fenn opened the Centre for the students. The opening ceremony was attended by the representatives of the MoD, the Army of Serbia, donor countries for PELT project, the Defence Attachés from Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the Head of the British Council in Serbia.
MG Ćornakov said that the Centre, with its twenty learning posts, will enable the individual English language training, with the aid of the top software and audio-visual equipment, and the selected library
On the behalf of the donor countries, Col Fenn expressed great satisfaction with the fact that the Army of Serbia recognizes the advantages of English language training and with the increasing number of the defence system personnel learning English. He emphasised that the two countries should develop their cooperation even more, so the Self-Access Learning Centre as only one of the activities completed in this field.
The project SMESTA was designed in 2008, as a sub-project of the PELT Programme. It was implemented in September 2008-December 2009. The title SMESTA stands for “Standards in Military English and Serbian and Terminology Access“.
The project aim is to assist members of the ministries of defence and armed forces in the region, as well as all other people interested in learning and usage of English language and English and Serbian military terminology, by developing a specialized internet website.
As the “language of interoperability”, English enables the regional military and other security forces to communicate effectively in peace support operations, to interact with non-governmental agencies in humanitarian activities and to get engaged with border guards and police transnational combat against drug smuggling and human trafficking.
Easily accessible and searchable English-Serbian Military Dictionary, List of Abbreviations and established formats of Written Military Communication in English will contribute to professionalism of the regional armed forces and civil servants and help them in international work, training courses and career development, and ultimately working together on military operations.
The basis for this edition of SMESTA was NATO Glossary of Terms and Definitions (2009). The list of sources for the dictionary and abbreviations is given at the end of the text. The basic formats of the military correspondence were selected from the UK Defence Writing Guide and US Army Regulation 25-50 on Preparing and Managing Correspondence, shortened and abridged.
The SMESTA Team included military consultants: Brankica Lukić-Potkonjak, Major-General Božidar Forca, Brigadier General Mitar Kovač, Colonel Goran Stojanović, Colonel Bane Anočić, Colonel Dragan Ćirković, Lt Colonel Goran Desančić, Lt Colonel Saša Veselinović, Lt Colonel Predrag Ilić, Lt Colonel Gordan Pavlović, Lt Colonel Predrag Prlic and Major Zoran Bobar, translators Žermen Filipović, Radmila Petković and Violeta Stojičić and the proof-reader Dobrila Miletić. The associates in the project were also military consultants Colonel Zoran Karić and Colonel Zvezdan Opačić, translators Borislav Gerzić, Rada Jordanović, Nikolina Šašo and Nataša Petrušić and the proof-reader Jelena Milentijević.
Omnicom Solutions was in charge for the webdesign and software development. British Council in
23/09/2009
With pleasure we are presenting you the most comprehensive and the fastest dictionary of military terminology with synonims, which can translate....
In more detail23/09/2009
With pleasure we are presenting you the most comprehensive and the fastest dictionary of military terminology with synonims, which can translate....
In more detail