Page 10 - StudyTravel Magazine February 2023 Issue
P. 10

AgenCy Q&A                                                          AgenCy of the


                                                                             Month

         industry speAKs                                                     This month,

                                                                             GEA https://
         This issue, yukari kato, President of Japanese                      www.
         agency association JAos, talks about increased                      geaworld.org
         demand for long-term study and reflects on the                      in Mongolia has been recommended
         association’s 30th anniversary and Japan’s                          by UCD English Language Academy
         Study Abroad Day.                                                   http://www.ucdela.com in Ireland.
                                                                             Giuliana Bonvini, at the academy,
                                                                             explains why.




                                                                             giuliana bonvini

                                                                             “We would like to
                                                                             recommend GEA (Mongolia). We’ve
                                          https://www.jaos.or.jp/            been working with them for a few
                                          info@jaos.or.jp                    years and we love having them as
                                                                             one of our key partners because
          number of members: 39 agencies, 3 associates, 11                   they are very much on top of their
          partners and 11 sponsors                                           game at all times. They are always
          types of members: Japanese outbound agencies                       well organised, quick and effi  cient
                                                                             in their communications. We share
          talk to us about sector recovery and association activity.         the same values with GEA as they
          We don’t have the exact fi gures but it seems like all members are having   are very focused on off ering the
          busy days every day now. I would estimate over 200 per cent of 2021   best quality education to their
          business. Travel confi dence has defi nitely returned. We had our fi rst ‘offl  ine’   students to ensure that they have a
          AGM in three years in 2022 so everyone was excited to meet face-to-face.   memorable and valuable experience
          Our highlight activity in 2022 was the JAOS Study Abroad Awards and its   during their stay in Ireland.”
          ceremony in November. We are very proud that JAOS made an initiative
          to make “Study Abroad Day” in Japan. It is the day that the fi rst time fi ve
          female students left Japan and accompanied the Iwakura Mission to the
          United States for a study-abroad programme under the sponsorship of the   enkh-od
          Japanese government in 1871. We would like to continue to do JAOS Study   dashnyam, gea,
          Abroad Awards projects. In 2022, IDP, SPACE and AIG sponsored us. We are   Mongolia
          looking for more sponsors for 2023. We also held our 30-year anniversary
          ceremony in December and became an affi  liate member of EnglishUSA. Since   “GEA Mongolia Education Agency
          the US is traditionally a very popular destination for Japanese students, it   has been working with UCD
          was very natural to be affi  liated with them. We would like to strengthen our   English Language Academy in
          brand to each of its members as well as the Japanese market.       Ireland for many years. UCD
                                                                             English Language Academy is very
          Have there been any new outbound student trends and what           responsive, assists students in
          are the main challenges for members currently?                     all possible ways and provides us
          We have seen longer and more serious studies such as secondary or degree   and the students with up-to-date
          programmes increase. Some Japanese students are going to Dubai to learn   information in a timely way. Our
          English now. The depreciation of the yen, high infl ation rates in major study   student’s satisfaction rate is always
          destinations as well as high fl ight fares/price increases are a major concern.  high and we proudly recommend
                                                                             UCD English Language Academy to
          Read more at: https://studytravel.network/magazine/issues/827      our potential student clients.”


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