Study & privacy

This is a EUROCONTROL study for the new ELPAC Paper 2 grading scheme, conducted in partnership with ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences). Its purpose is to validate a competency-based assessment approach — in which examiners grade test-taker output against communicative-competence descriptors rather than directly against the ICAO rating scale — and to establish how the results map onto that scale.

ELPAC examiners, other English-language proficiency (ELP) raters, and interested persons are invited to take part. Participants listen to four sample recordings and grade each one against six criteria, using the assessment criteria and descriptors shown during the grading exercise. Taking part is entirely voluntary.

The data controller for this study is EUROCONTROL (ELPAC service manager), which determines the purposes and means of processing your personal data. For any question about the study or your personal data, contact us at elpac@eurocontrol.int.

ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences) is the academic research partner. ZHAW supports the study and contributes to the analysis working with anonymised data only; it does not process data that can identify individual participants.

From participants who take part, we collect:

• your email address (used to sign in and to contact you about the study);
• your examiner status and background (for example, whether you are an ELPAC examiner);
• the gradings you enter for the sample recordings;
• any free-text comments you choose to provide.

We do not collect special-category data (as defined in GDPR Article 9), and participation does not require any operational, licensing, or other professional identifiers.

The legal basis for processing your personal data is your consent (GDPR Article 6(1)(a)), given when you take part. Your data is processed solely for the purposes of this study and is not used for any other purpose (purpose limitation).

Results are analysed and reported only in aggregated, anonymised form. No published, presented, or shared output identifies individual participants.

Participant data is hosted and processed within the European Union / European Economic Area (EU/EEA). No transfer of your personal data to a country outside the EEA takes place as part of this study.

Access to identifiable participant data is restricted to the EUROCONTROL study team. Accounts are protected by authentication, and data used for analysis is anonymised. We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data against unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure.

The personal data of participants will be deleted no later than 30 November 2026. After that point, only anonymised data is retained for research analysis; once anonymised, it can no longer be linked to you and is no longer personal data under the GDPR.

Under the GDPR, you have the right to:

• access the personal data we hold about you;
• request correction of inaccurate data;
• request erasure of your data;
• request restriction of, or object to, processing;
• data portability, where applicable;
• withdraw your consent at any time, without affecting prior processing;
• lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority.

To exercise any of these rights, email elpac@eurocontrol.int. We will respond without undue delay and, in any event, within one month of receiving your request (GDPR Article 12).