The central objective of the METANET4U project is to contribute to the establishment of a pan-European digital platform that makes available language resources and services, encompassing both datasets and software tools, for speech and language processing, and supports a new generation of exchange facilities for them.

This central objective is articulated in terms of the following main goals:

assessment:

to collect, organize and disseminate information that permits an updated insight into the current status and the potential of language related activities, for each of the national and/or language communities represented in the project. This includes organizing and providing a description of: language usage and its economic dimensions; language technologies and resources, products and services; main actors in different areas, including research, industry, government and society in general; public policies and programs; prevailing standards and practices; current level of development, main drivers and roadblocks; etc.

collection:

to assemble and prepare language resources for distribution. This includes collecting languages resources; documenting these language resources; upgrading them to agreed standards and guidelines; linking and cross-lingual aligning them where appropriate.

distribution:

to distribute the assembled language resources through exchange facilities that can be used by language researchers, developers and professionals. This includes collaboration with other projects and, where useful, with other relevant multi-national fora or activities. It also includes helping to build and operate broad inter-connected repositories and exchange facilities.

dissemination:

to mobilize national and regional actors, public bodies and funding agencies by raising awareness with respect to the activities and results of the project, in particular, and of the whole area of language resources and technology, in general.