It was Italy’s turn to host the fifth meeting of BALSTA at the Istituto di Istruzzione Superiore Leonardo da Vinci in Civitanova Marche. BALSTA (Bridging Academically Language and Skills Training Agendas) was officially launched in Malta in November 2005.

It is an Education and Culture Lifelong Learning Programme funded by the EU through Comenius Projects with the main aim of developing a new pedagogical tool that encourages technical and English language teachers to integrate their respective lessons. This in turn will make them more effective and therefore increase the motivation for learning.

This meeting was a follow up to the other meetings that were held in the participating countries during the last two years. Albert Bonnici, Claire Abela, Manuel Gatt, and Vanessa Mifsud, lecturers from the Institute of Mechanical Engineering (MCAST) coordinated the fifth meeting and together with other teachers from France, Italy, Finland and Slovenia analysed the progress of their activities.

The discussions in Civitanova Marche were held at the school library, after which the meeting adjourned for the final session planned to be held in June in Malta when the final manual will be presented which will be used throughout Europe by technical or language teachers.