The British Council held the second annual IELTS stakeholder event last week. Building on last year’s success, the British Council brought together a panel of experts to present informative sessions on IELTS, effective preparation for the exam and opportunities for higher education in the UK for students who achieve the required IELTS score. The programme was attended by of over 60 participants including teachers, principals, training managers and academic coordinators from various schools and institutes across the city.
Martin Hope, Director of British Council Qatar, said: "It is always very interesting to meet our IELTS partners and learn about the challenges they face. The British Council's new IELTS Partnership Programme will give institutions and teachers the support they need to help their students achieve good results and enter the University of their choice."
The British Council IELTS Stakeholder Event was launched in 2013 with the objective of recognising and supporting schools and institutes who provide IELTS for their students. Schools receive personalised advice and a customised array of developmental resources from the British Council to create a platform for the continuous improvement of their IELTS programme and better results for their students.
Amanda Ingram, Director English & Exams British Council added “I was particularly encouraged by widespread recognition from educators at the event that young students must build up their core English skills during their formative years to be confident of reaching the required IELTS score for later opportunities. It’s just too late to wait a month before the IELTS exam!”
At the event the British Council also recognised 11 new IELTS ambassadors, who through close collaboration with the British Council want to create a positive environment for their students as they prepare and take IELTS.
Mahmoud Soliman, one of the IELTS ambassadors said “To be an IELTS ambassador is the greatest event that has ever happened to me. I would like to thank British Council for everything as it works hard in the field of Education. Go ahead.”
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world’s leading international English language test. Taken by over 2 million candidates worldwide last year, IELTS is designed to evaluate the ability to communicate in English for education, immigration and professional accreditation worldwide. Candidates are tested in listening, reading, writing and speaking. All tests are scored on a banded system from 1 (the lowest) through to 9 (the highest possible band score).
IELTS offers a choice of two versions, to serve both academic and non-academic purposes. IELTS Academic measures English language proficiency needed for an academic, higher learning environment. The tasks and texts are accessible to all test-takers, irrespective of their subject focus. IELTS General Training measures English language proficiency in a practical, everyday context. The tasks and texts reflect both workplace and social situations. General Training is suitable for immigration purposes to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. IELTS is jointly owned by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment.
The British Council has a long-standing presence and strong brand in Qatar. Our work in English language teaching, the arts, education and social development has undergone enormous growth over the last three years. It is highly valued by local stakeholders who understand how it supports Qatar’s ambition to be a knowledge hub for the region. The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We create international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and build trust between them worldwide. We work in more than 100 countries and our 7,000 staff – including 2,000 teachers – work with thousands of professionals and policy makers and millions of young people every year by teaching English, sharing the Arts and delivering education and society programmes.
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