The Funding Scheme for Workplace English Training is now inviting course-development grant applications.

The Standing Committee on Language Education & Research said that employers' associations, trade organisations and professional bodies that want to develop English training courses for employees should apply to the Committee by March 31.

The requirements and conditions are:

* Eligibility - Employers' associations, trade and industry organisations, and professional bodies are eligible for subsidy under the scheme. Training institutions, testing bodies and organisations that run profit-making training courses are not eligible.

* Funding Subsidy - Funding will be provided to meet half the course-development costs, subject to a maximum grant of $500,000 for each applicant institution.

* Evaluation Criteria - Applications will be evaluated on the basis of the cost-effectiveness, feasibility and methodology of the proposed courses as well as the track records of the applicant institutions (including those course developers which are commissioned to develop the courses).

A vetting panel comprising Committee members will be formed to consider the applications received, on the basis of individual merits and subject to the availability of funds. The committee will have the final say in accepting or rejecting an application.

Since the scheme started in March 2000, 27 applications from trade associations and professional bodies for course development have been received. Seventeen of them were approved, involving a total grant of $1.3 million.