Sustainability and local knowledge: The case of the Brazilian ESP Project 1980–2005

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Brazilian ESP Project, this paper discusses why it has been able to sustain itself and develop over such a long period. The analysis focuses on two main areas of decision-making which led to this success: the structure of the project itself and the ESP methodology which was developed. Comparing the Brazilian experience with that of other projects, the paper identifies a number of decisions which determined the process-based nature of the project structure. These were crucial in ensuring a flexible and responsive administrative structure and enabled participants to feel ‘ownership’ of the project. With regard to the ESP methodology developed, the paper highlights the way that a ‘Brazilian’ or ‘Latin’ approach to the teaching of ESP was developed. In both areas the importance of using a local knowledge approach to decision-making is emphasised.