09:42 19.08.2015

English becomes mandatory for Ukrainian diplomats

2 min read
English becomes mandatory for Ukrainian diplomats

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has made English a mandatory language for all diplomats, as well as the administrative and technical staff at the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

"I sent out letters to my colleagues. For the first time, English has become mandatory for all diplomats and the administrative and technical personnel at the Foreign Ministry," Klimkin wrote on his Twitter page on Tuesday.

"A year ago I announced higher requirements for the staff's language training. The relevant requirements have already been made part of diplomatic job descriptions. This concerns all members of the diplomatic, administrative and technical staff," Klimkin wrote in a letter that he posted on Twitter.

Diplomats must be proficient in English at the "operative" level, and the administrative and technical personnel, at the "functional" level, he said. Knowledge of other foreign languages is an asset.

Knowledge of English will be one of the key criteria in the future professional evaluation of the ministerial staff, the minister said.

"Those employees who fail to meet this requirement will be given an opportunity to raise their level of proficiency in English," Klimkin said in his letter to the staff.

"I urge everyone to start improving their foreign language skills rather than count on personal exceptions or a temporary application of these requirements," Klimkin said.

AD
AD
AD
AD
AD