The teaching of technical communication in Europe: A report from Britain

With the formation of the European Economic Area in 1992, the demand for good technical communicators has grown rapidly. To satisfy that demand under specifically European conditions, courses in technical communication must have high status, be flexible, use distance‐learning techniques, and meet the needs of in‐service communicators. Such courses should concentrate on four skill areas: composition, text‐handling, elicitation (including foreign languages), and specialized technical areas. Courses must also make use of experienced practitioners and be validated by the appropriate professional institutions.