Jan Capper was awarded an honorary membership of ALTO to recognise the integral role she has played in developing and championing the language travel sector.

A concern over education agencies selling language school courses "based on what makes us the same, not what makes us different", was a standpoint pitched against a process of standardisation in the Big Debate at the IALC Workshop last week in Leeds and York.

Despite economic and political tensions in key ELT source markets, national initiatives to promote foreign language learning and a strengthening link of languages to employability are continuing to drive demand for study abroad in Brazil, Spain, Russia and Turkey.

We all lead "digitally enabled" lives but what consequences does the rise in digital innovation have for the landscape of study travel, in particular for the booking process and the future of the education agencies who marshal the ambitions of students? Natalie Marsh finds out.

The Association of Language Travel Operators has proposed introducing an industry-wide standard for how language courses are presented to cut down the time and human resources it takes agents to interpret schools' offerings and make bookings.

Agencies can thrive in the study travel landscape, because they are closer to their client base and digitally agile, said an education strategist at the ALTO NY event. A campaign for an Industry Standard for pricing and product description was launched by agents at the same event.

Stakeholders should steer clear of social media myths, according to business strategist and digital media academic, Alex Grech, who delivered a webinar for ALTO members focused on study travel businesses.

The top-line results of the Association of Language Travel Organisations' first Deloitte-backed Language Travel Industry Survey were presented recently to members, with overall buoyancy in business cited by 176 companies that took part.