The network of Cambridge ESOL offices continued to expand in 2007. Offices were opened in Argentina, Malaysia, Poland, Spain, Turkey and the UAE. Several of our existing offices took on new staff.

We also keep in contact and further expand our global network through visits and events around the world.
A few of these are described overleaf. They are just a small part of a programme of over 200 conferences and exhibitions and 500 seminars.

In addition to these events, our in-country Development Managers, senior team leaders and staff from Cambridge regularly visit exam centres and teaching institutions throughout the year.

Two new teams set up in Cambridge in 2007 will enhance this high level of support by focusing on the needs of the schools sector (especially in the 8–16 age range) and of employers and businesses worldwide.

Visit to India

In November Dr Michael Milanovic, Chief Executive of Cambridge ESOL, visited India for a series of events. Vice-chancellors from universities across India attended two events held in Chennai and Delhi, to discuss language learning in the higher education sector and teaching English as a skill. Events were also held with both industry professionals and higher education authorities to discuss the setting of common standards through the CEFR and how India can bridge the gap between the needs of the two sectors. Dr Milanovic also attended two presentations for the schools sector to update them on developments at Cambridge ESOL.

LABCI

Every two years LABCI (Latin American British Cultural Institutes) holds an ELT congress in a member country. In July 2007 LABCI held their first joint conference with the ABCI (Associação Brasileira das Culturas Inglesas). Cambridge ESOL presented six talks covering a range of subjects on language learning and assessment, including updates on new developments in testing, new and updated products and support.

IATEFL

Cambridge ESOL also made several presentations at the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL) annual conference in Aberdeen, Scotland. The presentations discussed the revision of qualifications, electronic script processing, teaching English skills and the English Profile project.

BBELT

Best of British English Language Teaching (BBELT) is a biennial event organised by the British Council in Mexico. Cambridge ESOL was heavily involved in the conference and presented six talks on a range of assessment-based subjects.

ALTE

2008 will see a major conference take place in Cambridge. The Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) is holding its 3rd International Conference at the University of Cambridge, hosted by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

ALTE Cambridge 2008 represents a unique opportunity to take part in an interchange of ideas, to meet with other experts in the world of language assessment and applied linguistics: to learn, to share and to develop our knowledge on educational, social, cultural and economic environments and contexts. www.alte.org

Every year, Cambridge ESOL certificates are taken by more than two million candidates in 2,000 exam centres, in 130 countries, with support from our offices worldwide