Page 17 - StudyTravel Magazine July 2014 Issue

inSide tHe induStry

on the move
Q&A

Miles Mackenzie is Principal of the
new langports www.langports.com
campus in Sydney, australia. With
more than 30 years’ experience in the industry,
with roles including director of Studies and Mar-
keting director, Mackenzie said the new school is This month Sarah Aitken,
the perfect place for him to realise his goals. john Executive Director of Eaquals,
France, Chief executive officer, added, “Person-
ally, i’m delighted to have Miles on board. He is talks to us about the association’s
a true educator and someone who embraces the rebranding as well as plans for the
same values as we all do at langports.” Full name: evaluation and accredi-
next 12 months. tation of Quality language Services
also in australia, lexis English year established: 1991
www.lexisenglish.com has added number of members: 116 and 27
two new recruits to its marketing TALK uS THRouGH THE LAuNCH oF THE NEW LoGo. associate
The new typestyle gives our logo more impact and is
team: Kate Karpati and nicolas Types of members: language,
easier to read for all. The design aims at evolution not
Roskams. originally from Hungary, associated
revolution. It continues to use our strapline “Excellence
Karpati has been living in australia Main role: accreditation
in Language Education” along with the blue and yellow
for seven years and joins from colours of the EU flag, signalling that Eaquals retains its Code of practice: yes
Shafston College. “it is my pleasure Complaints procedure: yes
strong links with European quality. But for some years
to be part of the lexis family and Agent workshops/fam trips: no
now, we have been active in accrediting language centres
be around amazing people,” she Contact details:
outside of Europe. As our
said. While she will be in charge of the eastern E: info@eaquals.org
european and Central asian markets, roskams “The new logo membership and influence W: www.eaquals.org
grows globally, the design
will be based at the noosa campus and previously design aims at
worked as activities Coordinator at the Maroochy- update highlights that
dore school. He said, “While i was working at evolution not Eaquals accreditation is relevant to those who deliver language
education wherever they are.
lexis Maroochydore, i especially enjoyed seeing revolution”
happy students – i want this to remain my prior- HoW DID THIS yEAR’S CoNFERENCE IN BuDAPEST, HuNGARy, Go?
ity.” roskams is originally from Belgium.
It brought together more than 200 delegates from 32 countries, five outside Europe. A
quarter of delegates were from institutions considering applying to join Eaquals including
Mark Branov has taken on the role of
universities – a mark of the growing influence of the association. Our conferences are strictly
School director at ilSC-new Delhi
non-commercial – we provide a forum for professional exchange for both academics and
www.ilsc.in in india. Beginning his ten-
business directors. This year we focussed on four main areas that underpin quality education:
ure at ilSC in 2012 working as an ielts
best practice in the classroom; best practice in quality management; business and marketing;
examiner, Branov brings over 15 years
and curriculum, assessment and CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for
of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he
Languages). It wasn’t all work though – we found time to enjoy the beautiful setting of the city
taught in japan, was Principal of a K12 american with a dinner cruise on the River Danube.
School in Macedonia and held various roles at eF
international language Schools. these included WHAT ELSE HAS THE ASSoCIATIoN BEEN uP To RECENTLy?
Senior teacher and internship Manager.
We have been busy with big education projects, some internal and others aimed at the wider
language teaching community. We have updated the Eaquals Accreditation Scheme – not
isabelle Bristrow has joined
changing our underlying quality standards, but making sure it remains fit for purpose and the
the global provider Cambridge
diversity of our membership grows. We played a key role in developing the European Profiling
Education Group (Ceg) www.
Grid – a multilingual tool in nine languages that describes the competencies needed to teach
cambridgeeducationgroup.com as
foreign languages effectively. And we have been growing – we have 15 new members and two
director of Student recruitment,
new associate members since last year, and Eaquals is now represented in 32 countries.
uSa. responsible for driving recruitment to the
uSa from europe, the Middle east, africa, Central WHAT CHALLENGES ARE youR MEMBERS CuRRENTLy FACING WHEN IT CoMES To RECRuITING
and South asia and the americas, Bristrow has 10 NEW STuDENTS?
years’ experience including five years at Kaplan
Schools with extensive offerings working in local markets are under heavy price pressure while
international. She said, “i am really excited to be
intensive schools face challenges such as currency fluctuations, new visa regimes and, for some,
joining Ceg at such an exciting
an unstable political situation. Offering both intensive and extensive programmes to both local
time.” Meanwhile, Henna Bhatti
and study travel students helps to balance these risks and more and more of our members are
has also been taken on board as
doing this. Differentiation is key and our members find the Eaquals brand helps.
Student recruitment Manager for
the Middle east and north africa. WHAT DoES EAquALS HAvE PLANNED FoR THE NExT 12 MoNTHS?
Previously from St giles interna-
Planning is well underway for our 2015 International Conference which will take place in
tional, Bhatti will be involved in developing the
Malaga from 16-18 April, as well as our Members’ Meeting in November. We aim to develop
agent network for the pathway programmes in
further practical training sessions at both these events. And we are now working on a Core
the uK, uSa and amsterdam. She commented, “i
Inventory for French to mirror the widely used Eaquals/British Council Core Inventory for
am very excited about broadening my remit from
General English – a practical tool to assist teachers to use CEFR. Eaquals will be represented
eFl to academic programmes, and look forward to
at Alphe UK in London this August and at ICEF Berlin in Germany in November. We look
strengthening Ceg’s position.”
forward to meeting prospective members at both events as our association continues to grow.
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