Category: Uncategorized

Congratulations to StudentWorld on successfully completing its 2024 Quality Review activity!

Posted on | by Ed Itor

StudentWorld, an Australian-registered Education and Migration Consultant Agency, operates within a larger international network spanning 17 office locations across 14 countries, including Spain, India, Nepal, Lebanon, and the Philippines. Since its inception in 2000, StudentWorld has been recruiting international students primarily from India, with additional recruitment from China, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines, and Brazil for study opportunities in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, and the UK. StudentWorld has partnership agreements with several NEAS members. In addition to NEAS Quality Endorsement, StudentWorld holds certifications from other prominent Australian organisations including ICEF, ISEAA, and PIER/ITAC.

NEAS conducted its assessment of StudentWorld’s operations and services using Area J of the NEAS Quality Assurance Framework, focussing on these important Quality Principles: the presence of an ethical framework underpinning the practices of the agency and its counsellors; provision of information to stakeholders that is ethical, accurate and consistent; use of governance structures that are effective and transparent; supporting a performance and development culture for staff; implementing systematic risk management processes; and routinely obtaining stakeholder feedback to inform the continuous improvement of services. More information on Area J can be referenced here: https://neas.org.au/resources/neas-quality-framework/#area-j.  

NEAS implements a unique 360-degree stakeholder feedback approach in its review procedures. Staff surveys, in conjunction with internal documents such as the Counsellor Handbook & Ethical Framework for Student World and its Counsellors in Collaboration with Providers, underscore the agency’s dedication to delivering professional and high-quality service to all stakeholders. These documents outline legal standards, guidelines, and expectations for counsellors, ensuring adherence to compliance and ethical practices. Additionally, the Student Evaluation Form is used to assess student needs and tailor advice accordingly. Provider and student interviews further highlighted the agency’s commitment to legal compliance and professionalism, with students expressing satisfaction with the service received from StudentWorld. Students praised the staff’s knowledge and expertise, often recommending the agency based on their positive experiences with counsellors.

February 2024

New CEO Update February 2024

Posted on | by Ed Itor

Adam Kilburn

Chief Executive Officer

a.kilburn@neas.org.au

T: +61 2 90559275

M: +61 411279927

Dear Valued Quality Member,

In my first few weeks at NEAS, I am reminded of what a privilege it is to work within the ELT sector. We’re a diverse group with an important unifying purpose. We support people through change. Our students progress in proficiency and articulate pathways. They find new ways to be, and they do this in the diversity of settings we provide, operating across continents, with the aid of partnerships, using new and different models. Our sector is vibrant, dynamic and people centred. There is just so much innovation and change out there! 

NEAS is an organisation I’ve come to know over my many years in the sector. Always (and still!) committed to quality, NEAS is in essence an organisation of and for its membership. Diverse this membership may be, but common to all is a shared motivation for improvement. This can be challenging, especially in the face of change which seems to keep accelerating.  To meet this challenge, our ELT communities matter. Indeed, they are fundamental to the broader education sector, especially as that sector defines itself internationally.

I plan to deliver the best for our membership first by articulating aspiration, then by finding shared points of interest; mobilising the power of our communities; and adding value in the spirit of getting better. NEAS will be the “go to” thought leader in quality and improvement for our sector and it will do so within an environment that I know will continue to evolve in ways we don’t yet know. Because quality isn’t about ticking boxes. That’s too static. Quality is a broader, richer, more complex, and energising concept operating in multiple dimensions from edtech and technology to micro-credentialling, from stand-alone ELICOS to integrated cross sector pathways, both public and private and across the globe

Let me learn with you.  I’ve already started getting out and about meeting people in English language centres and those in business that support education providers. My goal especially in these first few months will be to listen. I encourage you to contact me. Tell me what you think. What are your aspirations and how can NEAS help you realise them.

As always, we thank you for your loyalty and commitment to QA in ELT and remain at your service. 

February 2024

Online Learning Courses

Posted on | by Ed Itor

Core Courses Completed Badge
Complete the suite of free NEAS Core Courses on NEAS Online.

Specialisation Completed Badge
Complete a NEAS Specialisation Course on NEAS Online.

Master Practitioner in ELT Badge
Achieve the industry renowned Master Practitioner award, achieved through the NEAS Online Capstone Course.

NEAS Endorsed ELT Professional Badge
For individuals who have achieved the NEAS standards for ELT professionals and completed the NEAS capstone course “Master Practitioner in ELT”. NEAS Endorsed ELT Professionals are the aspirational individuals in the ELT community.

August 2023

Start your Individual Quality Endorsement Journey as an Associate Member

Posted on | by Ed Itor

If you are an individual who wants to be a part of the ELT industry and keep up to date with news, NEAS provides an affordable Associate Membership that provides professional development and ways to empower your knowledge as a teacher and/or manager.

As an Associate Member of NEAS you will gain access to professional development from Australia’s leading Quality Assurance organisation in ELT. This includes:

  • Quality Learning Series Courses
  • Listing as an ELT professional
  • Online Learning Courses
  • Assessment of Qualifications 
  • Discounted Management Conference Ticket
  • Access the NEAS News

August 2023

NEAS Advisory Council

Posted on | by Ed Itor

As some Advisory Council members complete their tenure, we extend a warm welcome to two new Advisory Council members: Marta Setkowicz and Sharon Leslie.

It is with gratitude for their wisdom, contributions and inspiration as Advisory Council members that we farewell Jason West, DOS at UTS College, Alex Nanni, Associate Director of Institutional Research, Roger Williams university, and Youngeun Song, PEO Australian Pacific College. 

Marta Setkowicz is the Student Experience Director at Australian Pacific College and English Unlimited (National). As such she is leading the Learner Experience Enterprise Unit at the national level in achieving outstanding course, operations and student service delivery. She works closely with Senior Managers across Australia in pursuit of innovation, excellence and growth. She is a University of Wroclaw graduate.

Sharon Leslie, is currently the Director of English Language Programs at Southern Cross University College. She is an experienced Lecturer with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. Skilled in Teaching, Higher Education, University Teaching, and Curriculum Development. Strong education: professional graduated from QUT (Queensland University of Technology).

July 2023

NEAS Professional Development Opportunity in February

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Communities of Practice: Research in Quality Assurance

This COP is for ELT professionals who would like to learn more about research in ELT. This COP provides an overview of the benefits of engaging in research and provides participants with practical tasks to encourage and support engagement in research. Topics in this area include the continuum of research and the role of quality assurance. The NEAS Endorsed Master Practitioner badge is awarded to industry professionals who undertake an area of research of their own specialist interest.

When: Friday  10 February, 12:00 AEDT
Type: Webinar online
Registration: free

Register

Industry Webinar Series: People Cert

PeopleCert delivers exams in more than 200 countries, in 25 languages, through its state-of-the-art assessment technology. It enables professionals to reach their full potential and realise their life ambitions through certifications and learning.

When: Friday  23 February, 15:30 AEDT
Type: Webinar online
Registration: free

Register

The 2023 NEAS Professional Development schedule has been released – check it out here!

University of Technology Sydney (UTS) – Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)

Posted on | by Ed Itor

Congratulations to the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), on the successful completion of its Quality Endorsement exercise. NEAS is delighted to announce that UTS has joined a select group of NEAS Endorsed ELT Qualifications Providers. The TESOL and Applied Linguistics courses at UTS are taught within the School of International Studies and Education, one of two schools within FASS. Quality Endorsement covers these four courses: C04420 Master of TESOL and Applied Linguistics (Extension); C04305 Master of TESOL and Applied Linguistics; C06116 Graduate Diploma in TESOL and Applied Linguistics; and C11254 Graduate Certificate in TESOL and Applied Linguistics. These qualifications are embedded, in that the subjects within the graduate certificate form the first part of the graduate diploma and the graduate diploma forms the first part of the master’s degree. Earlier versions of these courses have been running for many years and are well respected across the industry.

The sense of community within the teaching and academic management staff was observed and commended; this positive environment enables the teaching staff to obtain a very good understanding of each student and provide individualised support. A rigorous and systematic approach to gathering feedback and implementing it was also observed, and this ensures that the courses are continuously improved and respond to student need. Students interviewed in focus group sessions praised the School’s response to the COVID pandemic, and provided many positive comments about the responsiveness of teachers and improvements made throughout the challenging period. This speaks, again, to the collegiality of the School, staff members’ attention to the students, and the continuous improvement culture within the School. Alongside the multiple stakeholder meetings conducted as part of the Quality Endorsement exercise, the documentation provided for auditing was extremely thorough and reflects well on a governance framework that is comprehensive and solid.

17 August 2022

Interview with Denver Craig, NEAS Quality Assessor

Posted on | by Ed Itor

Celebrating 10 years service with NEAS Australia!

Tell us, how did you first come to know about NEAS?

As the Head Teacher at a boutique ELICOS college in the late 90s my manager at the time was very keen to make sure that I had a thorough understanding of the accreditation process for the college. This was how I was introduced to NEAS as they were the only accrediting body for ELICOS providers in NSW. I began to learn the NEAS Standards and what it meant to be compliant.

How did you join NEAS and what were your motivations in doing so?

In those days the annual review required the providers to collect piles of hard copy paperwork and as the NEAS Head Office was located nearby I regularly headed into their office to drop off paperwork or ask for advice in regard to particular matters, such as teacher qualifications and defining parts of the ESOS Act or National Code. I became quite intrigued with the process of annual accreditation and used to ask lots of questions to learn what was “best practice” in the industry. Eventually, I was asked to join a training session for new NEAS Assessors and my manager thought this would be a great opportunity to extend my knowledge and improve quality at our own college at the same time.

What are your views on the changing face of NEAS over the past 10 years?

The main changes have been the application of the quality review cycle which allows centres to participate in a range of quality reviews, rather than the same type of review each year. In addition, NEAS has become a body that supports and promotes centres that strive for quality in order to deliver the best outcomes for their stakeholders, rather than simply checking on compliance issues. These days there are so many opportunities for centres to reach out to NEAS on a regular basis for support with areas such as professional development, premium product endorsement for unique services as well as receiving regular health checks and supporting continuous improvement.

Looking into your crystal ball, what do you foresee for NEAS and international education for the next decade?

I see a strong future for NEAS because in our industry there will always be a desire by centres to improve their level of quality and to gain the best outcomes for all of their stakeholders. As educators, we will always have an essential desire to learn and improve.

In addition, it seems clear that the opportunities for some centres to deliver their courses transnationally will continue to grow and NEAS will be central to this development. 

Is there anything else you would like to mention?

As a former Director of Studies, I always felt fully supported by NEAS because of their level of care and depth of knowledge. As a NEAS Quality Assessor, it’s always a pleasure to assist and support centres as part of the NEAS Quality Assurance process. 

Thank you, Denver!

Posted on | by Ed Itor

PRESS RELEASE – Tuesday 12 April, 2022

NEAS Australia and English Australia – Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

(Clockwise from top left: Prof. Tanya Buchanan, Dr Patrick Pheasant, Brett Blacker and Kerry Sutcliffe).

NEAS Australia is pleased to announce the signing of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with English Australia.  The MOU was signed by NEAS Chair, Prof. Tanya Buchanan and English Australia Chair, Ms Kerry Sutcliffe on Tuesday 12 April 2022. NEAS CEO Dr Patrick Pheasant and English Australia CEO Mr Brett Blacker were also part of the online ceremony.

The MOU establishes the terms and understanding between NEAS Australia and English Australia to facilitate collaborative activities that are mutually beneficial for both organisations. The purpose of the MOU is to:

  • ensure a consistent understanding of what type of information the organisations can share and how this information should be used.
  • establish agreement on the most effective form of this information so it can feed into established regulatory systems.
  • clarify the relevant liaison officers to facilitate the relationship between the organisations and the exchange of information.

We are enthusiastic that this partnership will strengthen and advance the interests and activities of each organisation and continue to promote excellence in the English Language Teaching sector.

Pear Academy Australia

Posted on | by Ed Itor

NEAS congratulates PEAR Academy Australia on becoming our most recent Quality Endorsed Member! Specialising in enhancing further the English language communicative skills of Medical and Allied Health professionals, PEAR Academy prides itself on being designated a Premium Preparation Provider for the Occupational English Test (OET) in Australia and India. PEAR Academy is also an OET licensed test administrator, with test venues in Adelaide (Australia), Bangalore, Mangalore, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, and Pune (India). PEAR Academy’s purposeful strategy is to achieve NEAS Endorsement as an online provider of OET preparation in the first instance, before extending its partnership with NEAS to cover the development of Quality Endorsed physical ELT Centres abroad. Over the past months, NEAS worked closely with PEAR Academy to review these critical components: syllabus, Learning Management System, teacher qualifications, and Train-the-Trainer programme. Integral to NEAS Endorsement has been its distinctive 360-degree stakeholder-driven feedback model, which is informed by input from students, teachers and professional staff.

PEAR Academy has successfully negotiated partnerships with education providers in India to administer OET Test Centre Days on campus under strict guidelines set by OET. It has also recruited trainers and support staff with strong industry and TESOL experience to effect best practice approaches to teaching, learning and testing. PEAR Academy offers a dedicated course, titled, English for Health Professionals (EHP) – OET Communication, which is delivered online and is offered in two-, four-, six- and 12-week modules. In addition to supporting students to achieve their target OET levels, the EHP Course helps students communicate effectively in real-world clinical settings. Teaching, Administration and Student focus group respondents gave highly positive feedback about studying with and working for PEAR Academy, which participants dubbed “Care” Academy. Anonymous student online survey responses included comments such as, “PEAR Academy guides and mentors candidates in a rightful manner”. Highly positive focus group responses were indicative of best practice approaches to online course delivery and test preparation and industry placement.