Thursday, August 16, 2007

IELTS

IELTS is the International English Language Testing System. It measures ability to communicate in English across all four language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking – for people who intend to study or work where English is the language of communication.

Since 1989, IELTS has been proven and trusted worldwide to provide a secure, global, authentic and customer-focused test which measures true to life ability to communicate in English. Close to 5,000 education institutions, faculties, government agencies and professional organisations around the world recognise IELTS scores as a trusted and valid indicator of ability to communicate in English.

More than 700,000 people a year are now using IELTS to open doors throughout the English-speaking world and beyond। The test is taken every year across 120 countries, and is one of the fastest growing English language tests in the world, and sets the standard in integrity, research and innovation.

IELTS – the International English Language Testing System – has increased recognition enormously in the US over the last five years with now more than 1,100 institutions accepting the test for undergraduate, graduate and professional school admissions. In addition IELTS is used for VisaScreen through CGFNS for non-native speaker nurses and healthcare workers applying to work in the US. Professional bodies and organizations such as many state boards of nursing around the country, Association of Schools of Public Health, Association of Veterinary State Boards, and the Institute for International Education (IIE) recognize IELTS for applicants in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK. IELTS is jointly managed by the three international partners British Council, Cambridge ESOL and IDP Education Australia.

IELTS International, the organization managing the US test center network, is very pleased to announce a Call for IELTS Test Center Applications with a view to opening new test centers as soon as the fall of 2007. IELTS International is particularly seeking applications from educational institutions in major metropolitan areas that service non-native speaker students and alien residents.

The IELTS test is administered at local test center level, requiring a commitment to the scheduling and administration of the test in a standardized and secure environment, and the local marketing of the service. Becoming an IELTS test center provides excellent opportunities for staff professional development through training – which is provided by IELTS– as proctors, raters and examiners; a medium-term opportunity to develop revenues; and the status of offering the IELTS test service to both internal and external clients.

To begin the process, please submit by email or regular mail a brief ‘Expression of Interest’ letter by August 31, 2007. The letter should include the following information:

1. History of the organization applying to be a test center, including date of establishment.
2. Operational status – a brief overview of programs, staffing and premises.
3. Relationship with educational and professional organizations, such as NAFSA, TESOL, NAGAP.
4. Financial status – brief details of how the organization is funded.

If your institution produces an annual review, please also include a copy with your letter.

On receipt and review of the letter, IELTS International will send an application packet including details of selection criteria, examiner requirements, an outline of the test administrator’s duties, computer and other facilities (the test is currently pen and paper) and action plan. Proposed centers need to have the capacity to test at minimum 30 candidates once per month.

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