Associations

A record number of delegates (800) attended APAIE at Thailand's first institution of higher education, Mahidol University. Attendance continued to rise year on year, said organisers.

Eighteen educators from US institutions had the opportunity to meet with potential partner campuses in Brazil last month as the culmination of the IIE's International Academic Partnership Programme (IAPP). Delegates insist closer relations will now foster greater opportunity, with institutions mindful that language programmes are an integral bridge to greater academic exchange.

Educators and agents have praised the networking opportunities at English UK’s latest fair in Panama, which also provided intelligence on the Latin American market

English Australia has launched a new programme which unites two major export industries, education and tourism, in confronting the challenges of the strong Australian dollar. Tourism suppliers will be able to promote services to international students.

Russian agency association, Association of Russian Educational Advisors (AREA), which comprises 20 members from across Russia, is giving its members access to specialist CRM software to manage their work in a deal with AMS...

Feltom in Malta has heralded its third annual workshop a huge success, helping to affirm Malta's reputation as a quality English language teaching destination among education agencies...

Beijing Overseas Study Service Association (BOSSA) in China is to launch an online application form for clients applying to Korean institutions to circumvent fraudulent Chinese agents. The move was one of many Asia-centric topics discussed at K Conference in Korea, with key agency associations aiming to leverage student traffic to and within Asia.

The Extended Student Visitor Visa (ESVV), a short-term student visa which can be used by English language students in the UK for up to 11 months, has been declared a success in its first year by English UK. It has called on the UK government to mandate the visa category permanently.

Study abroad scholarships, language courses and test preparation programmes were all in high demand at a recent education fair in Spain. This is the prognosis of ASEPROCE, the country's agency association which has more than 70 members. It estimates an additional 30,000 will leave home to learn a language this year.

English Australia, which represents the interests of English language teaching operations in the country, has unveiled a new brand identity which marks a new direction for the dynamic association. EA represents the majority of educators in the country and is engaged with consumers and government.

The International Association of Language Centres (IALC) has announced four new members for the global grouping. These include two schools in Malta, one in Spain and one on the beach in Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa.

Six English language schools in Northern Ireland, all of which are members of English UK, have formed a geographical sub-group of the association with an aim of putting Northern Ireland more firmly on the map in terms of tourism and study travel opportunities. The group cites benefits such as low density of international students...

Languages Canada member schools have helped raise more than CAN$1million for a scholarship scheme commemorating the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The Hope for Youth programme offers Japanese students affected by the disaster full scholarships for English and French language education...

A group of 14 London universities plan to use high profile events in London this summer, such as the Olympic Games, to promote the city as a study destination abroad. The LUIP collaboration aims to help London maintain its position as one of the world's most popular student cities in a competitive marketplace.

UK membership association, English UK held a fair in Greece last week, to help build business opportunities for members in south and east Europe...