IELTS Online was the big topic of discussion for hundreds of higher education institutions visiting the IELTS team at a major conference in Barcelona. Experts behind IELTS say there is a growing interest in the online version of the test, which offers the same content and features as IELTS Academic taken in a test centre, but with added flexibility.
This year’s EAIE conference in Barcelona attracted record numbers with over 6,300 higher education professionals in attendance. The IELTS team were there in full force, and were delighted to report a huge amount of interest in the online version of IELTS, a relatively new way of taking the test in some parts of the world.
The event, which is a staple in the calendar in the higher education sector, was particularly significant as it was held face-to-face for the first time in two years.
"It was a fantastic chance to talk to student recruiters and other higher education professionals in person again, and there was a real sense of face-to-face higher education events are back!" commented Anna Minett, IELTS Senior Marketing and Stakeholder Relations Manager.
She continued: "One of the big topics of interest discussion this year was the IELTS Online format which is beginning to make waves. People wanted to know how the platform works in practice, how results are received and how it can be used to create even more opportunities for test takers around the world. This was really encouraging and reflects how institutions and test takers want more choice in how and when they take a test."
The IELTS team also highlighted the benefits of the test, which continues to go from strength to strength with 11,000 recognising organisations around the world. The theme of the conference was: The future in full colour – embracing the ever-expanding spectrum of tools for internationalisation. This included a look at education support during conflict, climate change and inclusion.