NEWS

Endorsement News – ELT Support

Congratulations to ELT Support for achieving NEAS Endorsement as a Quality Product and Service in the Consulting category. As a consultancy group of experienced English Language Teaching (ELT) professionals, ELT Support is committed to supporting ELICOS colleges and other ELT organisations to establish and maintain best practices to benefit the business, the staff and the students. Drawing on the wealth of knowledge of its staff and actively engaging with industry stakeholders, ELT Support ensures its clients receive the most up-to-date and effective solutions that are aligned with their needs.

NEAS reviewed ELT Support’s professional services using Quality Area K of the NEAS Quality Assurance Framework, which focuses on research, purpose, quality maintenance processes, uniqueness and innovation, and contributions to the ELT community. The diligence of ELT Support’s project management methodology and their ability to customise projects to meet their clients’ direct needs were particularly impressive. ELT Support has also exhibited a strong commitment to stakeholder feedback, which informs a continuous cycle of improvement. The organisation’s staff is commended for their active engagement in industry outreach roles and presenting at industry forums.

For further information on Quality Area K and the NEAS Quality Framework, please visit https://neas.org.au/resources/neas-quality-framework/#area-k.  ELT Support’s achievement of NEAS Endorsement is a testament to their dedication to providing high-quality services to the ELT community.

May 2023

NEAS Endorsement News – TPL

Congratulations to TPL Education on achieving NEAS Endorsement in the Quality Education Agent category. An Australian-registered education and consultant agency, TPL Education began recruiting international students in 2021 and now has two offices in two countries (Melbourne, Australia and Bangkok, Thailand), recruiting students exclusively from Thailand. TPL Education has partnership agreements with 22 Australian education providers (some of which are NEAS Quality Endorsed Centres). TPL Education is a registered member of the Professional International Education Resources (PIER) platform. It is also a member of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA).

NEAS assessed TPL Education’s application using Quality Area J of the NEAS Quality Assurance Framework, focussing on these important 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; 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 applies a 360-degree stakeholder feedback model in its review processes. Commendably, students interviewed as part of the review highlighted that TPL Education staff were professional, quick to respond and assisted them throughout the entire journey from enquiring about the course to induction into the environment of their target destination. The partner providers and students interviewed confirmed that TPL Education seeks regular feedback from them regarding their services. The interviewed students also mentioned the helpful support services that were offered to them by TPL Education.

May 2023

2024 TOEFL® English-language Researcher/Practitioner Grant Program

ETS is happy to announce the 2024 TOEFL® English-language Researcher/Practitioner Grant Program. The purpose of the TOEFL English-language Researcher/Practitioner Grant Program is to enable practitioners to become involved in ETS’s efforts to promote English language learning, and to support education and professional development for English-language teachers worldwide through ETS’s assessments and services.

Award Value: Successful applicants will receive funding of US$5,000–$10,000. 

Eligibility: Practitioners who are teaching English in various contexts including universities, intensive English programs, study-abroad programs, primary schools and secondary (middle or high) schools are invited to apply. Prior research experience is not required, but practitioners with advanced degrees in language instruction, or a related field, will be given preference.

Application Process: Applicants must submit an application package via email to TOEFLGrantsandAwards@ets.org by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on July 15, 2023. The application package must include the following:

 Important Dates

  • July 15, 2023 — Deadline for receipt of application materials
  • August 15, 2023 — All applicants notified of selection
  • January 1 – October 1, 2024 — Research projects commence

For full details, please see the TOEFL English-language Researcher/Practitioner Grant Program webpage.

May 2023

Apply now for the Victorian International Education Awards 2023!

The Victorian International Education Awards are an initiative of the Victorian Government to celebrate outstanding international students and education providers in Victoria, recognising their commitment to the sector and leadership in our community.

These awards provide an opportunity to showcase and acknowledge impressive students, alumni and education providers who are working hard to champion international education in Victoria and across the globe.

Are you an outstanding international tertiary student, domestic student or alumnus? Are you exceptional in the areas of community contribution, academic performance and leadership?

You can receive $6,000 to support your studies as well as $10,000 for winning the Premier’s Award, while expanding your networks and being recognised for championing international education in the Victorian community. Don’t miss this opportunity to apply for these awards. 

Please share this opportunity with your friends and networks and apply now! Applications close Monday 5 June 2023 at 11.59pm.

Information about the awards is available at studymelbourne.vic.gov.au 

To apply, please go to: https://www.studymelbourne.vic.gov.au/victorian-international-education-awards/2023

May 2023

2023 NEAS CONFERENCE – IT’S A WRAP!

What a fantastic event this year’s NEAS Management Conference turned out to be! Thursday’s success was guaranteed from its opening with an authentic Welcome to Country by Elder Marc Merriman speeches from Councillor Emelda Davis, Karla Lampe from Study NSW and Brian Smith from IELTS. 

Throughout the day, the line-up of presenters ensured there was something for everyone and the enthusiasm, sense of optimism and positivity never died down. This carried through into the evening’s entertainment with Kikki Nicks, dinner and into the next day. 

World Class Speakers

The opening plenary speaker Leigh Sales AM shared stories of her professional journey, which proved to be amusing, yet informative and was generous with her answers to questions and nuggets of advice on the theme of The profession, The Professional and Professionalism. 

Our Closing plenary speaker, His Excellency Vasyl Myroshnychenko, closed our conference with stories about his English language learning journey and how he came to be where he is today. This enigmatic and confident speaker provided us with food for thought on how we should move forward in helping our colleagues in the ELT community overseas.

Exhibition Excellence​​​​​​​

The atmosphere in the exhibition space was electric as Delegates flitted from one exhibitor to another to hear about their latest services and products. We are extremely grateful to our 2023 conference exhibitors and sponsors: IELTS, Learning Vault, Pearson, PeopleCert, Study NSW, UTS College, ELT Support, Bookery, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, Macquarie University Department of Linguistics, English Australia, Duolingo, ETS TOEFL, OET, Holmesglen English Language Centre, TPL Education, E2 and Language Fuel. 

THANK YOU!

The Virtual Experience

This year saw 1000 participants register for the conference online and we were thrilled to host delegates across Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Canada, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Tanzania, Uruguay and the USA. The online platform provided live access to all speaker sessions, a virtual sponsor exhibition, meeting hub for delegates and plenty of additional content.

Please note: All videos from the conference will be available to conference registrants until 30 June, 2023 on event On Air, then to everyone including the general public from 1 July 2023.

2023 Awards

This year, awards based on excellence in Quality Assurance were presented across seven categories:

  • Quality Provider Award – New Member
  • Quality Product / Service Award
  • Online Delivery Award
  • Quality Education Agent Award
  • Master Practitioner Award
  • 25 Years Quality Commitment Award

Culminating in the most prestigious award the NEAS Life Member Award, which went to Mr Russell Welch.

Congratulations to all the winners! 

The NEAS team thanks you for your support!​​​​​​​

On behalf of the NEAS team, Quality Assessors, Board and Advisory Council, thank you to all of our members that attended the conference. We are proud to serve the ELT community and we can’t wait to do it all again in 2024! Plans for next year’s event are already underway, so stay tuned for further announcements.

May 2023

International House – Gold Coast

NEAS congratulates International House – Gold Coast Campus on completing a successful Quality Review Activity. 

International House – Gold Coast Campus, situated on the fourth floor of the Australia Fair Shopping Centre, has strategically positioned itself in the heart of Southport, providing both students and staff with access to central services. With stunning views of the Gold Coast Broadwater to the Southport Spit, the campus offers close proximity to essential amenities such as Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) Student Hub, GCCC Southport Library, Southport TAFE IELTS Centre, the Glink light rail, and a variety of medical, optical, dental, and retail services.

International House has given the site a fresh, modern look, incorporating their trademark colors and branding. To cater to a substantial number of students across three timetables – Morning, Afternoon and Evening – the College maintains a diverse teaching pool. The College provides a range of ELICOS and test preparation courses, fostering an environment where practically and theoretically trained teachers can interact and learn from each other.

Gold Coast campus is at the forefront of innovation, with Sydney leading the way in virtual reality activities for students. Virtual reality stations have been set up for students to engage in virtual discovery activities such as visiting other cities. Student feedback on these activities is currently being collected and used to inform the learning design of a suite of activities pitched to the different proficiency levels of students.

April 2023

Language Links International

Congratulations to Language Links International (LLI) on completing a successful Quality Review Activity with NEAS.

NEAS conducted a virtual Management Meeting with Language Links International followed by a Site visit by Dr Patrick Pheasant.

Language Links, conveniently situated in Northbridge, close to the Perth CBD and the central train and bus interchange, is part of Academies Australasia Group. The College currently caters to a diverse student body including students from Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Austria, Italy, Korea, and Japan.  Students are enrolled in courses offered across two shifts: Morning and Evening. These courses include General English levels from Beginner to Advanced, Cambridge First (B2) and Advanced (C1) and EAIP.  Upon attainment of the required level, students may articulate to pathway institutions.

Language Links International has special support services in place to ensure that under-18-year-old students are specifically catered for, including homestay support, airport pickup and drop off, working with children checks, excursion permission forms, and welfare support services.

The College is committed to embracing digital processes and is actively transitioning towards this goal. Teacher professional development is highly considered and there is an annual professional development plan in place for teachers. The College places high value on student feedback and conducts regular surveys and student feedback is utilised to shape the development of courses.

April 2023

EF International – Perth

Congratulations to EF International-Perth for successfully completing a Quality Review Activity with NEAS.

EF International-Perth Campus is conveniently located across two buildings in the Perth CBD close to the central train and bus interchange. The main building is a refurbished heritage building with historic character as well as modern classrooms and student facilities. Students cross a small lane to study in the more modern sister building.

The Campus provides modern and state of art facilities, well-equipped classrooms and student breakout areas. Boasting ample space for growth, EF International-Perth provides students with access to facilities in both buildings, including microwaves, refrigerators, and vending machines. 

QR Codes play a distinctive communication role in the Centre, with pull and push modes employed. Students are able to access surveys and other important information via codes. The Centre further leverages social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Linked to promote its programs, services and facilities, with the assistance of student ambassadors who play a significant role in promoting the campus to prospective students.

EF International-Perth enjoys the advantage of operating several Centres throughout Australia, providing opportunities for benchmarking activities. As a multinational, large-scale institution, EF International-Perth gathers student feedback samples from across its Centres to inform curricula, test reviews and the overall development of the EF International brand. Additionally, staff have the opportunity to work at various EF Centres, providing a unique opportunity to compare and contrast operations. 

April 2023

Citipointe Christian College International

NEAS congratulates Citipointe Christian College International on completing a successful Quality Review activity.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the doors of Citipointe Christian College International (CCCI) closed at the end of 2020 as enrolled students successfully transitioned into mainstream classes, and the College was in hibernation during 2021. However, with the start of the new year in 2022, students began to return to the school, which currently offers three classes. The College has written a new Secondary School Preparation Program which is referenced to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

The International College building, although slightly detached from the main school classrooms, is situated within the large church and college campus. The hexagonal classrooms on the top floor, as well as the multi-purpose room used for student counselling and classroom breakout activities, are all well-equipped with modern and comfortable furnishing.  

Homestay families are sourced from the Citipointe school and church community, as well as other Christian churches in the region. Clear guidelines and expectations are established for both students and homestay families, ensuring a peaceful and happy living environment.  The staff at CCCI possess a good understanding of the unique issues that under 18 international students may face, and this knowledge is reflected in their adherence to established procedures. 

April 2023

University Preparation College

Congratulations to University Preparation College for completing a successful Quality Review activity.

“The University Preparation College (UPC) is located in Surry Hills, Sydney, and provides a welcoming and friendly student services desk. The Centre is easily accessible by public transport, with buses and train services located nearby. The location provides students with easy access to a range of amenities including cafes, restaurants and shops. Students come to UPC from Vietnam, Japan, Egypt, Hong Kong and the Philippines among other countries, and are currently enrolled in either a General English or an EAP class. The majority of students are on pathways to VET courses at UPC College. 

UPC offers a comprehensive range of resources to students, including self-study resources via Microsoft Teams and face-to-face support. After-class language-focus workshops, study skills sessions, and workshops aimed at acclimating students to life in Australia provide students with a holistic approach to student life. 

UPC conducts regular course evaluations, soliciting feedback from teachers and students each term. Teacher feedback informs the test validation sessions, while student feedback is used to improve courses and services.   

UPC places great emphasis on student attendance and progress and offers students at risk of falling below the 80% attendance threshold make up classes to help them stay on track with their studies.”

April 2023