FEBRUARY 2018

UN Secretariat Global Learning and Career Support Programmes

Celebrating Mother Language Day and fostering MultilingualismInternational Mother Language Day was proclaimed by UNESCO in November 1999 (30C/62) and is observed every year on 21 February since 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.

Did you know that… ?- More than 50% of the approximately 7,000 languages spoken in the world are likely to die out within a few generations- 96% of these languages are spoken by a mere 4% of the world’s population- Less than 100 languages are used in the digital world.

To learn more about this, visit the Mother Language Day website and stay tuned for upcoming events on the day!

Harmonizing language learning across the Secretariat

Video of the month: Multilingualism and the UN Multilingualism is a founding principle and core value of our Organization. Watch this video to learn more about how it is linked to our mandates and to the work that we do every day.

Duration: 1m 30

WATCH VIDEO

The Language Programmes at UNHQ, UNOG and UNON are working together to harmonize the learning levels, assessment standards and curriculum offered of the six official languages across the Secretariat. In this respect, the creation of a UN Language Framework - unique to the needs of our Organization - will guide the description of four UN Language Competence Levels, common to the six official languages: I-Foundational, II-Intermediate, III-Advanced, and IV-Expert.

UN Level III-Advanced, will be equivalent to the UN Working Language Proficiency (WLP), which defines the level at which a staff member can perform generic or ordinary work-related duties and activities. The description of WLP may be used to revise the UN LPE and to develop other assessment tools for career development and recruitment processes.

For further updates, check the Language Learning page on the HR Portal.

Bonus video: Tomar el PeloLearn what idiomatic expressions are used in several different languages to say the same thing. Here is the winning video of the 2017 Native Language Video Contest.

Duration: 1m 53

WATCH VIDEO

GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING AND CAREER SUPPORT IN FEBRUARY

Online Chinese Pronunciation (LMS-2425) WebExDuration: 1hWeekly sessions on Fridays between 23 Feb and 30 Mar9:30 am (New York) 3:30 pm (Geneva) 9:30 pm (Bangkok)

Unconscious Bias for CBI panel members (LMS-2679) WebExDuration: 1h 30 min13 February4:30 am (New York) // 10:30 am (Geneva) // 4:30 pm (Bangkok) or9:00 am (New York) // 3:00 pm (Geneva) // 9:00 pm (Bangkok)

14 February4:30 am (New York) // 10:30 am (Geneva) // 4:30 pm (Bangkok) or9:00 am (New York) // 3:00 pm (Geneva) // 9:00 pm (Bangkok)

This programme is also available in a self-paced format under LMS-2679-10

For questions and more information, contact learning@un.org

Have you missed past Newsletters?You can now view all the issues on the HR portal. Click here to access them

SEE GUIDES ON HOW TO REGISTER FOR COURSES ON INSPIRACLICK HERE

Learn languages from anywhere!

ARABIC • CHINESE • ENGLISH • FRENCH • RUSSIAN • SPANISHLook at the offer for each language by clicking below the language you want to learn and consider the list of online courses.

To keep fostering the core value of multilingualism through the Organization, and as a supplement to the regular language programmes offer, OHRM has expanded the geographical reach of learning by providing access to Online Learning Language Licenses to staff in Offices Away from Headquarters (OAHs) and those serving in the field who do not have access to face-to-face language courses.

In 2017, over 1300 licenses have been distributed among staff members in 56 countries. OHRM sponsored a total of 892 of these licenses, whereas DPKO sponsored over 400 of them. The Language Learning Services Unit (LLSU) in OHRM collaborated with Learning Managers and Learning Focal Points to coordinate the distribution, the management and learning support of the different online language courses.

The next registration period will take place in March 2018. Learning focal points will invite eligible candidates to express their interest in February.