Category: News from Adam

Welcome to the latest edition of our CEO’s column News From Adam.

NEAS is an organisation that runs on passion.

This word, “passion” gets thrown around a lot these days in a range of settings. Everyone’s passionate about something, and there is a risk that it might be over-used. That said, one of my favourite usages is in education, where it serves to counterbalance bureaucracy and compliance. It IS a great “cut-through” word and it does actually return us to the heart of things in education. We’re in it because we’re passionate about people and transformation.

Anyway, enough of that!

I’m thrilled to announce that NEAS has appointed a new Manager for Quality and Professional Development.

Richard Stevenson comes to us most recently from University of Canberra College where he was College Director and later Director Quality Assurance and Compliance, a role serving the university as a whole in which he managed quality improvement projects. In addition to his university experience, Richard’s origins are as an English teacher in Korea. His later roles in ELICOS academic management for Study Group and Flinders University, make him a well-rounded and highly suitable successful candidate.

Most importantly – indeed the deciding factor in his selection – is his genuine and demonstrated passion for NEAS and this role. I’m sure Richard won’t mind me sharing his view that this role suits his career trajectory beautifully.

I’m really excited to be working with Richard and I am sure you will welcome him warmly after he starts on Monday. If you’re coming to the NEAS conference next week, he’ll be there to meet you in person.

May 2025

Welcome to the latest edition of our CEO’s column News From Adam.

It’s election time! There are all sorts of things being said about international students. In particular, I see reports about the impact of international students on the accommodation sector.

Regardless of whether international students put pressure on the rental market (and there’s plenty of evidence to refute this), NEAS offers a valuable contribution. We’ve now moved into quality assurance for the homestay industry. Often forgotten or considered an option for under 18s, this sector is vibrant and presents real opportunities for a great adult student experience as they transition into life in Australia – albeit temporarily.

Homestay also plays a role in building communities and provides genuine assistance to offset the cost of living with an income to the homestay hosts. If there is any pressure on the rental market, growing the homestay sector under quality-endorsed conditions offers a sustainable solution.

How do students know they’re being placed well and will be looked after? As always, look for the NEAS tick. NEAS recently issued a media release on the topic.

You can read more here.

Apr 2025

Welcome to the latest edition of our CEO’s column News From Adam.

I’ve just come from reading the news for the morning. There’s a lot going on. Donald Trump attracts attention; conflicts and tensions continue and here in Australia, we have an election coming up. Should we brace for change? Regardless of the actors and which party, politician or nation state holds sway, whether we agree with the direction or not, we’re always in the midst of change.

The same is true for us here at NEAS.

Rima Ibrahim, our Manager of Quality and Professional Development, has decided to move on to other things. We’re sad to see her go and we are very grateful for all the work she has done, especially during the pandemic. Many of you know Rima and I’m sure with me you wish her all the best. Go well Rima!

Here at NEAS, rather than bracing for change we’re embracing it! I have advertised The Manager Quality and Professional Development role. You can find out more about the role here. You will see that the role is very project oriented and future focused. It contributes to a packed, positive NEAS agenda all aimed at improvements for our members. Some of our member-focused initiatives include:

• Delivering our much-loved annual Sydney conference. With its theme of belonging, NEAS commits to diversity, to inclusion and to our role in welcoming others to Australia.  We’re set to introduce you to new ideas and new people opening a new window on the world
• Introducing a new platform making it easier for members to access their NEAS services
• Securing a stronger member presence in Asia so that we can bring people together on the international stage
• Reinvigorating our professional development offering 
• Completing a review of our own performance and implementing some of the changes you have suggested.

There’s so much more to say and share with you. I could write extensively on each of the above. If you want to know more about Rima’s role or if you’d like to talk to me about any of the above, please get in touch with me.

Mar 2025

Welcome to the latest edition of our CEO’s column News From Adam.

I’m lucky that I have the opportunity to travel with my work. It gives me perspective in a way that staying at home would not.

Here in Malaysia, I visited Wai Cheng from ELC and Sean Chee and his team from ELS, both schools of integrity, dedicated to quality. In fact, both of them made the same appeal: “We want more NEAS”. They see quality and improvement as business-critical. For them, it’s not a nice to have but a must have.

On this same trip I visited the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA) with whom NEAS hopes to finalise an MoU soon. As I write, MQA does not have any particular ELT standards in place for providers, although guidelines and standards are under consideration. Careful what you wish for, you may say.

I like the counter argument: a strong, relevant and effective regulatory or continuous improvement framework for quality means that those who do things well and for all the right reasons are protected from those who don’t. Just as importantly, our students and prospective students are also protected.

In Australia, I was pleased to learn that ASQA has been active in shutting down some bad faith actors. I’ve learned that almost 20,000 students have been affected and the investigations undertaken by ASQA in relation to the 3 non-genuine colleges have extended their knowledge of systematic poor behaviour. Such interventions guide ASQA in their approach, making them more efficient and targeted in their work.

I am very proud of the close and productive relationship NEAS has with ASQA and the relationships we are creating with global counterparts. Working with government for shared positive outcomes should be our goal.

November 2024

Welcome to the latest edition of our CEO’s column News From Adam.

Last week at the AIEC conference I was delighted to accept an award on behalf of NEAS and Study NSW in the category of Best Practice in International Education for Shaping the Future: The World’s First Homestay Quality Standards. This follows a PIEoneer Award presented in London for the same standards for public/private partnership of the year. 

While you might think that NEAS limits itself to English language training delivery, the new reality is that we work within what is a very diverse sector, and our approach to quality and continuous improvement is transferable. Launched back in March of this year, the NEAS Homestay Standards were many months in the making and are part of a considered strategy to apply our expertise beyond the traditional ELT realm. Special thanks should go to Ana Bratkovic for her work in writing the standards and to our endorsed providers with whom we consulted for genuine industry currency. This award is recognition that we’ve been successful in our strategy! But striving for success can’t stop there. With what is now a growing pool of interested hosted accommodation providers from industry providers to schools and universities eager to demonstrate their commitment to quality, NEAS has secured funding from our partners at Study NSW to scope the creation of a new Homestay Association. We’re attracting support from government and building communities of common interest.

We’re so excited about this initiative and our future! We hope you are too.

October 2024

Welcome to the latest edition of our CEO’s column News From Adam.

Someone asked me recently about the value of NEAS membership. I mean, what’s it worth in the current environment?

Though not yet legislation, we all know that the Australian government is introducing policy change with likely lasting implications for our sector. The recent announcement of caps, for example, is threatening the very existence of many quality providers.  NEAS has always and will always advocate for industry-based endorsement of quality provision. 

In fact, the NEAS definition of quality for ELT pre-dates current legislation and much of what exists there has been informed and supported by the ongoing work performed by NEAS. We foreground and help embed a positive approach to change and innovation for sustainable quality assurance. This work dates to the very origins of our sector. Performed continuously over decades, the NEAS purpose remains grounded in QA for ELT. We’re the only truly independent industry-led quality assurance association, with an inclusive and diverse international membership with a professional board. 

Also well-established is the NEAS relationship with ASQA. I meet with them this week (as I do regularly) to advance a program of complementary quality assurance activity. This includes information sharing about quality in our sector, a proposal for NEAS-provided training on ELT to ASQA officers and consideration of the NEAS role in informing and managing a risk-based approach to quality assurance.  

When threatened or challenged, it’s difficult to resist the urge to react. It’s human nature. It’s understandable. Sometimes though, sitting back, looking at the issues reflectively, in their totality is a better call. NEAS is backed by good, independent governance, longevity, a proven track record, strong relationships with government and a positive, constructive outlook. What’s NEAS worth? Well, it goes without saying, really.

September 2024

Welcome to the latest edition of our CEO’s column News From Adam.

The government’s recently announced legislative changes to the ESOS Act and the agenda they have described in their draft consultation document, Australia’s International Education and Skills Strategic Framework, gives us pause as a community to stop and reflect.  

It’s so very encouraging that the government is placing quality and integrity at the centre of their reforms. At NEAS, those two words “quality” and ”integrity” sit at the core of who we are. We are very well positioned to support the government in its understanding of the impact its suggested changes will have on our sector. For example, is the government aware of just how fundamental international education and migration has been, and still is, to our economy? International students are an important labour source across a range of skill levels. These skills are learned through courses at the education providers affected by the changes.  

It’s important for them to be armed with an understanding of the various nuances that exist within our sector. Universities are very different from TAFE providers, stand-alone ELICOS centres, and cross-sector private providers. NEAS knows the differences between this diversity of international education provision, and so understands the very meaning of quality in each of these contexts. Let’s not forget too, that NEAS quality assures in related areas of policy concern for the government. Namely, homestay provision. Has the government considered quality provision in this sector as a means of solving accommodation shortages? It is widely used by international students, young and old, and might be another avenue of consideration to support the incentive they are offering universities to deliver to students beyond their caps. NEAS is close to the homestay provider industry, and recently launched the NEAS Homestay Standards, which would facilitate improved quality capacity. 

Finally, NEAS is ready to engage with the government and similar member associations such as us, to achieve the best outcomes for everyone. 

May 2024