Page 11 - StudyTravel Magazine April 2022 Issue

eduCAtor Q&A Agents on...

EVENTS
Industry speAKs RETURN TO F-2-F

This issue, david o’grady, CEO of Mei, talks
about its association merger and issues the Fulya Yalezan,
sector faces as it emerges from the pandemic. Test Education
Centre www.
fulyayalezan.com.tr, Turkey

“ICEF Berlin is the main event for
my diary. I also participated in ST
Alphe Spain because the ST Network
has worked very hard during the
pandemic. I felt it would be a way to
payback to support their event and
also a change of atmosphere. Both
events were very well-organised
www.mei.ie and all the measures were in place. I
info@mei.ie am really looking forward to recon-
necting, handshaking and hugging
Number of members: 74 friends and colleagues again. We
Types of members: English language schools in Ireland have taken the beautiful dynamics
such as personal connections of
this close-knit industry for granted
what impact has the Covid-19 pandemic had on Irish for so long. I always loved my job
schools and how has the association supported them? but it just means so much more to
Luckily we had no closures. We are constantly reassessing and reviewing me to be in international education
our plans/operations so that we are in a position to represent our members post-pandemic."
in every way possible. We lowered membership fees. They remain at a
discounted price for 2022. We had two online workshops, the fi rst taking
place in March 2021, which was free for our members, and the second online Christine Top,
workshop was in December 2021. We also held monthly member meetings. Top School www.
topschool.es,
what major challenges do Irish ElT providers now face? Spain
The immediate challenge is student recruitment, a major focus and eff ort is
being made in welcoming students back to Ireland. Managing that in terms of “I attended ST Alphe Spain in
capacity and host family capacity. Also, staff /teacher recruitment. Malaga [in January this year]
because I could drive there. It
MEI and Independent language Schools Group (IlSG) merged was fantastic. Everybody was so
last year. please tell us more. happy to meet after two years! It
The merger was to unify the sector in Ireland and have one voice. The merger was very well-organised as usual
happened during the pandemic so that the industry lobbied for government and we felt very safe. I am going
support as a unifi ed sector. The merger has been very successful. The exper- to ST Alphe Secondary Focus in
tise, experience and knowledge of the ILSG group is a brilliant addition to MEI. London in April and then I will go
back to normal and attend all the
what else has the association been working on? workshops I used to attend before
A strategic review of MEI is being undertaken and we are working closely with the pandemic began.”
our member schools to address their needs.
Read more at: https://studytravel.
Read more at: https://studytravel.network/magazine/issues/819 network/magazine/industry-issues

8 STUDYTRAVEl MAGAzINE