Higher Education Language skills certification

The directors committee

5 people make up the CLES Steering Committee: 1 CLES Director and 4 assistant directors.

The CLES Director represents the National Coordination to academic and scientific bodies and guarantees the pedagogical elements of the CLES tests and quality project work.

The 4 assistant directors have specific missions:

• General affairs
• Training and support for teachers and CLES stakeholders
• B1 and C1 tests
• B2 tests

The steering committee

In order to implement the missions entrusted to it, the CLES national management team is supported by the steering committee. This committee is the pedagogical and operational guarantor of the inter-university pooling system.

The steering committee is chaired by the CLES National Coordination director. The assistant directors and cluster coordinators are permanent members of the steering committee.

The steering committee meets at least four times a year when convened by the NC CLES management, and exceptionally at the request of two thirds of the members.

Steering committee tasks:

• To define the didactic orientations and the organisational questions of the CLES certification
• Arbitrate questions related to the centres (composition, attachment of the centres, etc.)
• Formulate an opinion on requests for centre accreditation
• Ensure pay harmonisation
• Define communication strategies

The Scientific Council

The CLES International Scientific Council advises and makes proposals on the scientific quality of certification content and procedures, to the Steering Committee and CLES management.

The Scientific Council is chaired by the CLES National Coordination Director. It is made up of 10 members, all occupying research professor posts in higher education institutions in France and abroad. The members of the scientific council are recognised experts in fields of competence related to the CLES (linguistics, foreign language didactics, formative and certifying evaluation, etc.).

The CLES Scientific Council is an external advisory body, the members of which are not members of the CLES National Coordination team.

The Strategic Orientation Committee

The Strategic Orientation Committee is supported by the Steering Committee and the CLES national management. Its role is to make decisions concerning the strategic orientation of the CLES.

• 2 members of the CLES National Coordination, including its director
• 2 members of the University of Grenoble Alpes
• 2 members of France University
• 2 members from the Ministry of Higher Education and Research
• 2 representatives of the socio-professional world
• Potential guests, as required

Validation committees

Each CLES proficiency test is validated by a validation committee (COVAL). There are 11 validation committees in total: 1 per language and 1 per level for English.
Each COVAL is composed of at least two test designers who ensure compliance with test specifications. Each COVAL is overseen by a manager, appointed for a four-year renewable term and who can make a final decision in the event of disagreement between designers.

Validation committee tasks:

• Accompany the design process, ensure follow-up and that specifications are respected.
• Ensure test quality, in accordance with specifications and possible modifications proposed by the NC CLES
• Organise test renewal in collaboration with the directors concerned
• Ensure test layout