Category: News from Adam

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

It’s strategic planning time at NEAS. We’ve been looking ahead, making decisions about where we want to be. You’d appreciate that this process has me doing some research, reflecting and, well, thinking fairly deeply about NEAS. In addition to all the usual market statistics and scans of our environment, I’ve been looking at documents from the past: board papers, financials, considerations of ways forward from others, strategic plans of the past. It’s fascinating. And what have I synthesised from all of this? NEAS has had some great staff and leaders in its midst (really, it has a history of contribution!) but there is an essence to NEAS that is somehow greater than any individual board member, employee or CEO, for that matter. The dedication to quality runs throughout, of course, and so it should!  For me, though, NEAS has always been about its membership.
 
And now?
 
NEAS is a community of ELT providers (and others!) banded by quality. It still is an association of members. Our new strategic plan will put members first. We offer great value, and we’re going to continue increasing that value to a growing, diversifying membership. In building communities, NEAS aims to meet the needs of its sponsors and other partners too. We feed an ecosystem of collaboration and innovation for our sector, with various parties making different contributions. Let’s not forget the role we play for students and the broader community. We’re a community that gives or shares, and this too will be part of our new plan.

NEAS is a forward-looking, learning organisation and I’m filled with anticipation for our future.  The near future holds our upcoming conference on May 9 and 10. I’ll be talking to you then about NEAS, its past, its present and its future, so I’ll stop now to hold you in some suspense! And if you’re not interested in any of this navel gazing: no worries! There are some excellent speakers of insight and intelligence lined up.
We’re making arrangements to fit in some extra places, but you’ve really got to get in and register now. It’s filling up.

April 2024

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

NEAS was well received by senior officials from the Education Department in Canberra last week. NEAS board member David Riordan and myself introduced them to the recently launched NEAS Homestay Standards. We also explained the NEAS Agent Quality Endorsement process. Both of these initiatives and the following they have attracted demonstrate the important leadership role taken by NEAS. We’re taking an active role in showing the way to quality improvement across a range of functions within our sector. Worth noting too is that these initiatives began some time ago. They weren’t reactions to passing trends. Don’t get me wrong. Responding to policy changes as they emerge is critical for us all. We’re subject to these forces and we must be responsive. What I’m saying though is that it’s important to be invested across time. And NEAS is invested. We’re looking forwards, finding insights in advance of what might be required right now. Another example is our quality standards for online English programs. Did you know these were developed before the COVID lock downs when we were all forced into online learning? The international student recruitment pipeline to Australia is suffering right now and I know budgets are tight. But playing the long game with us is important.

I am very grateful to David for his help in securing these meetings and his help had me reflecting on the value of the NEAS board. They’re a highly skilled group of individuals and by definition professional. Their number includes those elected by you as well as some from related sectors (such as David, a former TAFE Director) and others from industries and pursuits not directly related to ELT, including the important task of board sitting itself. Our model of governance gives us great strength.

Can I finish with some news that the NEAS Management Conference is nearing capacity in registrations. We’re not there yet. There are places available but our venue is smaller this year and we’ve chosen a “closer” format. It’s going to be great but only if you get in now. It will provide insight into the future and the drivers of that future. The future’s worth the investment… Right?

March 2024

As the new CEO at NEAS Australia, Adam Kilburn will be sharing regular insights with us through this column News From Adam. This week brings you his second update. 

One of the great things about NEAS is its international profile. With a membership that extends well beyond Australia, NEAS is a global community for those committed to improvement. I’m off overseas today to attend the CamTESOL conference in Cambodia at which NEAS is to be acknowledged for its ongoing commitment to this highly celebrated event.  CamTESOL draws professionals working in our sector from around the world, including a good number of our members, both from Australia and the south-east Asian region. I hope to meet some of you there.

Of course, NEAS has its own thought-leading event: the annual NEAS Management Conference to be held on the 9^th and 10^th of May in Sydney. We have an exciting mix of speakers engaging with us on the theme of “Quality Revolution”. Change – and hasn’t there been a lot of it lately (!?) – forces us to rethink our way to excellence. New modes of delivery; artificial intelligence; working remotely now feature prominently in our professional lives. So, given these changes, the questions are: has excellence changed? Has our way of getting there changed?  I’m really looking forward to hearing from our speakers and discussing these questions with you at the conference.     Registrations are now open but note that our format has changed this year. There are limited places. Please get in soon and register​​​​​​​.

As always, I am keen to hear from you. Please feel free to get in touch with me directly. Although we’re dispersed across the world, I’m interested in learning more about you in your own setting so that NEAS can be the most integrated, member-focused, thoughtful, and community-responsive quality organisation in our sector!

February 2024