Most French Chambers of Commerce have a language centre attached and collectively they make up the biggest single supplier of adult and business language teaching in France, working with all the major French corporations. Under the terms of a new agreement, these language centres are now able to add BULATS (Business Language Testing Service) as a multilingual test of language ability to their high quality training courses.
The agreement was formalised between AGERCEL – the national association that groups these language centres – and the four BULATS partners (Cambridge ESOL, Alliance Française, Goethe-Institut and University of Salamanca). Already over 60 of the approximately 150 CELs (Centre d’Etude des Langues) have signed up and have started using BULATS with their corporate clients, and this number is set to grow.
Mr Jean-Claude Lasnier, Director of AGERCEL, values the multilingual nature of BULATS, the fact that it is available in paper or computer-based versions and that it conforms to the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. There are also optional Writing and Speaking tests.
Sergio Roman, in charge of promoting BULATS in France, conducted a series of training sessions all over the country. They were considered a great success by the director of AGERCEL, the members of La Commission de Veille Pédagogique et Technologique and participating CELs. Among the attendees were business language teachers, centre directors and co-ordinators and sales and marketing people. The sessions consisted of a detailed overview of the test system, marketing guidelines to promote BULATS to the corporate sector and training for oral examiners.
Mr Lasnier said ‘The fact that BULATS is produced by Cambridge ESOL constitutes a real guarantee of seriousness and professionalism. BULATS will bring about positive and undeniable elements to our offer.’
Worldwide BULATS usage grew by around 50% in 2004/5. Along with Hong Kong and China, France is one of the leading countries where it is used. This agreement will help to maintain and enlarge that leadership.