This is the presentation IC Clear project coordinator Karine Nicolay presented at the Clarity2012 Conference in Washington DC, May 2012.

2. What is IC Clear?

3. We had the idea to
apply for EU-funding to set up a 1-year-course
on plain communication (language and design)
out of the Lifelong Learning Program
from the European Commission

4. What is IC Clear?
IC Clear is an EU-funded project to develop an
international clear communication course
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5. Funding
Funding sources
• European Commission’s Lifelong
Learning Program
Budget and approved grant
• Budget: 462.532 euro
• Approved EU grant: 325.000 euro
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6. IC Clear course in clear
communication
The project partners will develop and pilot
the modules of a postgraduate course in
clear communication
to close the current educational gap
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7. Our working definition of clear communication
In a clear document, whether online or in print, people for whom the information
is intended can:
• quickly and easily find what they need
• understand what they find
• act appropriately on that understanding
Whether communication is ‘clear’ or not depends on the audience.
What is clear for one person may not be clear for another.
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8. Project partners

9. Partners
Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen
University college - Belgium
• plain language (for special audiences)
• project coordination
• curriculum and course development
• entrepreneurship
• (online) teaching
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10. Partners
Sigmund Freud University
University - Austria
• visual communication and empirical
research methods
• interdisciplinary cooperation
• cultural and media sensitive research
• usability and document testing
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11. Partners
Institute for the Estonian Language
Language institute - Estonia
• language planning
• compiling and editing dictionaries
• language-technological support
• EU terminology development
• translator education
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12. Partners
Instituto Superior de Educação e
Ciências
University - Portugal
• plain language
• information design
• entrepreneurship
• curriculum and course development
• clear writing in EU-institutes
• clear legal writing
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13. Partners
Simon Fraser University
SFU – Canada
• (online) plain language teaching
• cooperation with Plain Language
Association International (PLAIN)
• curriculum development
• distant and lifelong learning
• international cooperation
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14. Associated partners

15. Associated partners
Stockholm University Association for Swedish Université Paris Diderot Tallinn University
certified language
Swedish Language consultants
Consultancy Program
IPLWG
Plain Language Association International Plain International Institute
International Language Working Group of Information Design
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16. Advisory group

17. Members of our advisory group
Christopher Balmford Robert Linsky
Deborah Bosley Karen Schriver
Frances Gordon Ginny Redish
Joe Kimble Karel Van der Waarde
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18. you!

19. Survey
We want the course to cater for the current and future training needs in clear
communication
That’s why we will survey you to help us define the course learning
outcomes and design its modules
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20. Clear communication is interdisciplinary
Clear communication today should be an interdisciplinary field that covers
everything: writing and designing a document and testing it on typical readers.
The course will be a mix of:
• plain language
• information design
• usability techniques
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21. Course modules
Depending on what we will learn • legal plain language
from the survey optional modules • communicating with special audiences
might be:
• government communication
• document testing
• clear communication in European
institutes
• clear communication in English
• project management
• teaching clear communication
• introducing clear communication to your
organization
• installing a clear communication policy
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22. Research
Recent research proves clear documents save time and money, but more research is
needed.
Our students will:
• learn how to test their texts and documents on readability and ease of use
• work on expanding the scientific expertise on clear communication
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23. For whom?

24. For whom is the course intended?
Entry requirements:
• bachelor’s or master’s degree
• proven experience in communication
Aimed at people:
• working in communication
• who feel the need to produce clear documents as part of their job
All candidates will need to pass an admissions test.
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25. How will it be taught?

26. How the course is taught
The course is based to a large extent • face-to-face classroom learning
on blended learning: • distance e-learning
• self-paced instruction
• learning by doing
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27. Blended learning
• allows students flexible study schedules
• appealing to people who have full-time work or family responsibilities
• students can apply their new knowledge and practice in their jobs.
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28. International certificate

29. IC Clear certificate
• 750 to 900 hours of study and work
• 30 credits in the European system ECTS
• IC Clear certificate recognized in all partner countries
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30. More on the project

31. www.icclear.net
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32. www.icclear.net
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33. Important milestones

34. Milestones
2012 2014
• Survey to select mandatory and • Appoint teachers
optional course modules
• Enroll students for the course
2013
• Final project conference
• Enroll students for pilots
• Inauguration International Clear
Communication Institute
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35. Meet me
tomorrow
here!
Help us out
Take our survey
Participate!

36. K.H.Kempen
Belgium
Karine Nicolay
karine.nicolay@icclear.net
+32 14 80 22 10
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author,
and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.