Author: Melissa

Guido Schillig, Managing Director of Anglo-Continental, gives his predictions for the English Language and International Education sectors in 2018.

With just a few days left of 2017, the English Language and International Education sectors eagerly await the start of 2018. There is no doubt that these sectors in the United Kingdom have been contracting over the last few years and in response many institutions have been downsizing. However, downsizing should not have been just about cutting cost but discovering new opportunities while maintaining investment.

The signs are currently positive for 2018 for the UK. Stability of visas and the value of the British pound allows students to follow a more intensive course for longer and do so more frequently while they are learning in the United Kingdom. However, we must remember that students are much more sophisticated today and are seeking value for money. Therefore, the institutions that have only cut costs but not developed new programmes or invested in their schools will not attract new students.

“For the next few years I foresee that that UK will return, albeit slowly, back to being the top destination to study.”

 

Investment in the school is not just about new paint and carpets. It is about new equipment for students, the latest interactive whiteboards, investing time in inspecting and re-inspecting the homestay families, continual professional development for its staff and much more. Collectively, this delivers a full and complete service for its students that is professional and raises the standards of the institution.

For the next few years I foresee that that UK will return, albeit slowly, back to being the top destination to study. It will take time but over the past few years and now in the depths of Brexit negotiations, the British government has come to learn the importance of International Education and its value of an estimated £25 billion a year.

It is an industry to be cherished and nurtured much like British fashion, finance and banking, information technology, the British film industry and tourism. In recent months more members of the cabinet are openly declaring their support of International Education and recognising the long-term impact of the soft power that international education cultivates.  

“It is clear that that the market does not disappear but finds alternative destinations.”

 

The data from Open Doors will not be available for a few years, but when Donald Trump was voted the 45th President of the United States there was instantly a heightened level of uncertainty for International Education in the Americas. Anecdotally, it has been said that enrolments have reduced to a trickle. It is clear that that the market does not disappear but finds alternative destinations. Despite its harsh winters, the most logical, alternative destination for students considering America, is Canada. 

The Australian dollar and tighter controls on visas is starting to move students away to other destinations. However, Australia has been at the top of the favoured countries for many years now and so students who have studied in Australia and gained valuable knowledge and experience have returned home and become the frontline counsellors advising the next generation of students. For this reason, Australia, in my opinion, has not fallen as fast as one would have expected. This highlights the strong influence of soft power. 

There will not be too much of a change in destinations such as Ireland and New Zealand and we must not forget the smaller alternative destinations such as the Philippines, Malta, Singapore and South Africa. If their market share is, say, 2% or 3% then collectively they are about 10% of the market.

Government policy and economics have increasingly important roles in shaping students’ choices. However, as educational leaders, we must play our part too. We must develop new programmes, invest and continue to raise standards to ensure that students get the best value education.

 

 

To find out more about Anglo-Continental, click here.

For more corporate news about Anglo-Continental, visit our LinkedIn page here.

Meet Anna, Anglo-Continental’s new Marketing Administrator for Western and Eastern Europe, Russia and Latin America.

My name is Anna and I am Anglo-Continental’s new Marketing Administrator working together with Naomi Lyon to provide support to our students and agents from Western and Eastern Europe, Russia and Latin America.

I am originally from Russia but now I live in the United Kingdom. For the past 7 years, I have mostly lived in the North West of England before I relocated to Bournemouth in July 2017.

Before coming to the UK,  I used to work as an English language recruitment agent in Russia. During my time in this role, I had the pleasure of being a leader for a group of Russian teenagers who came to study in Bournemouth. This was my first experience of Bournemouth. It was a visit that I really enjoyed.

I have also had first-hand experience of being an international student as when I first moved to the UK, I studied English at a language school in Manchester.

My experience of being an agent, a group leader and a student has helped me a lot in my current position at Anglo-Continental and I am sure that it gives me an in-depth insight into any concerns a student may have about studying in the UK.

I love living and working in Bournemouth. There is so much to do in the town itself and the surrounding area. Bournemouth offers something for everyone. In my free time,  I like spending time outdoors.  I enjoy walking, cycling, playing tennis and mini golf – some of the many activities you can do in Bournemouth.

With its beautiful coastline and countryside Bournemouth is the perfect place to enjoy the outdoors. Bournemouth is also a great place for water sports. One of my new goals is to learn how to surf.

To contact Anna, click here.

To see Anna’s LinkedIn article, click here.

Meet Naomi Lyon – Anglo-Continental’s new Business Development Coordinator for Latin America and Europe

 

Hello! My name is Naomi Lyon and I am the Business Development Coordinator for Latin America and Europe at Anglo-Continental.

My passion is foreign languages and learning about other cultures, which has led me to work as an EFL teacher and as a French, Spanish and Italian teacher at secondary schools.

I have spent a lot of time working and travelling abroad for work and for pleasure and I have been lucky enough to visit many places around the world. I have particularly enjoyed visiting Mexico, Peru, Italy, Spain, Nepal and Japan.

My other main passion is music. I play in two local bands and one is a Colombian cumbia band! My instrument is the keyboard, and I sing backing vocals. I love the Latin spirit of the music! Our music always creates a great party atmosphere that people really enjoy.

 I am very much looking forward to travelling abroad and meeting our agents and students.  My experience of living abroad has made me aware of the many challenges an international student could face living away from their home country. This knowledge will be valuable in helping students adapt to the UK and make the most of their time here.

For students planning to study in the UK, I would say it’s important to come with an open mind, socialise with other nationalities and embrace life in the UK. I think we have an excellent lifestyle in Bournemouth and a variety of opportunities for everyone, young and old.

 

Anglo-Continental is pleased to have Naomi Lyon join our staff, and we look forward to working with her.

Click here to contact Naomi Lyon, Anglo-Continental’s Business Development Coordinator – Latin America and Europe.

Anglo-Continental Teacher Training Centre is proud to announce its partnership with m2r Education.  m2r Education is a leading education recruitment specialist that will be teaming up with Anglo-Continental to support its newly trained CELTA teachers to find roles worldwide!

Students who complete their CELTA course with Anglo-Continental will be given the opportunity to contact the m2r Education team for advice and support with regards to where to go after obtaining their teaching qualification.

Established in 2001, m2r Education is a multi-award winning UK based firm offering a quality and ethical recruitment service to overseas organisations within the education and training sectors. m2r Education has links worldwide and is therefore perfect for newly trained CELTA teachers looking for overseas roles.

Munir Mamujee, Managing Director at m2r Education commented, “Having met Matthew on a recent Training Gateway Trade Mission to the Middle East, it was clear that we could offer significant assistance to their CELTA graduates and I am delighted that conversations between our companies have led to the creation of this business partnership.”

Matthew Scott, Business Development Coordinator at Anglo-Continental, has expressed his support for the partnership stating that, “m2r Education’s customer experience focus means that our newly qualified CELTA trainees will get the highest level of support in finding their first overseas job. Anglo-Continental is always striving for quality and, by partnering up with m2r Education, we are adding value to our Teacher Training Programmes.”

Anglo-Continental is an approved Training Centre for the University of Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) and has both full-time and part-time courses on offer throughout the year.  The CELTA qualification is the essential qualification for native English Teachers entering the English Language Teaching profession.  The course does not assume any previous teaching experience.  The scheme is administered by the University of Cambridge Examinations which ensures that the regulations and fundamental aims of the scheme are implemented.  Find out more about Anglo-Continental CELTA Courses:  https://www.anglo-continental.com/english-courses/teacher-training/celta-english-language-teaching-courses/

Find out more about m2r Education: http://www.m2rglobal.com/

I love the creativity and flexibility of Digital Media, and really enjoy working in this field. I have studied both Graphic Design and Digital Animation.  When social media exploded around the world, my career progressed into content creation for platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and more.

I visited Bournemouth on a weekend break in 2012 and fell in love with the beautiful coastal town. A year later, I was living in central Bournemouth.  There is so much to do and see in Bournemouth. From comic book conventions to the new ‘gastro-pub’ down the road, walks in the New Forest to wakeboarding in the bay, Bournemouth is an exciting place to live!

During the summer of 2017, I taught English at Anglo-Continental.  This was a dream of mine – to teach English as a foreign language.  During this time, I was informed of a digital media opening at the school, the position of Digital Marketing Coordinator.  I quickly pounced on the opportunity and was subsequently hired. Anglo-Continental is a world-class English teaching establishment, with friendly, professional and supportive staff.  I look forward to growing in my role and promoting Anglo-Continental around the world.

I have been learning English for nine years in Switzerland. I have spent the past two years working for an international electric company where I had to communicate a lot in English which I really enjoyed.  Last year I spent time in France for language stay.  I had an amazing time there and I learnt how to learn a different language in the actual country with native speakers around me.  As I had experienced how much fun an exchange could be, I wanted to do one more in England.

Now, through a special kind of apprenticeship, called KV-Plus, I am able to learn English for six months in Bournemouth and work there as well.  This is why I am doing my internship at Anglo-Continental. 

Doing an internship is one of the best ways to improve your English skills and gain more fluency. I think it’s really fascinating and interesting to be in touch with people from all around the world. 

Bournemouth is a lovely town and you can do many different activities.  When you go out in the town it’s a good way to learn English, but I recommend that you also make friends with other students from all over the globe. This means you have to speak English. It is really interesting to go out with people from different cultures.  You learn something about other cultures.  It is also nice to teach them a little bit about your culture.

Don’t worry about making friends.  All the people are really open-minded and want to get know other students as well, so it’s easy to make new friends.

To take part in an exchange is one of the best things you can do.  In addition to learning the language you will get so much experience about life and after this time you will have so many amazing memories.  I would recommend it to everyone.

Daniela (from Italy) and Jürg (from Switzerland) first met in the Student Centre at Anglo-Continental in 1966.  They fell in love and were soon married after their course.  This month they returned to Anglo-Continental to reminisce about the year they spent together at Anglo-Continental in Bournemouth.

On a tour of the school, Daniela and Jürg were surprised by how much the school and Bournemouth had changed.  The town has grown tremendously and the school has evolved into a modern teaching environment of the 21st century.  They were especially impressed with the Student Centre, where they first met, which has recently been modernised with state of the art equipment.

Daniela explained how she came to Anglo-Continental to study for one year to achieve her proficiency certificate.  Jürg also studied for a year but he enjoyed socialising and learned at a much more leisurely pace!  Daniela remembered that there were students from all around the world at the school – Asian, Arabic as well as European students (as is the case today!).  The teachers were easy to talk to and made the students feel that they could talk to them about anything.

Daniela used to love ballroom dancing.  During her stay Anglo-Continental organised a dance event at the Pavilion ballroom and the Mayor of Bournemouth attended the event!

Daniela and Jürg now live in Avignon, France with their two daughters, Réjane and Regina.

On Anglo-Continental’s 67th anniversary (Monday 7 August 2017) a memorial bench and gardens were unveiled in memory of Mr Fritz Schillig, Founder of Anglo-Continental.

Guido Schillig, Managing Director of Anglo-Continental gave a speech: 

“Today marks the 67^th anniversary of the day that Fritz, or FS as many used to call him, opened the doors to his school to welcome the first students who had travelled from abroad to come to Bournemouth in order to learn or improve their English.  It is therefore fitting that we should dedicate this bench in his memory on this day.

We would like to thank James, the Facilities Manager and his team for their efforts in placing the bench here and for the lovely garden that surrounds it. 

We hope that staff and students alike will take advantage of this bench and from time to time remember the man whose hard work and vision has given us Anglo-Continental as it is today.”

I have been working at Anglo-Continental for over 2 years.  I am the Business Development Coordinator for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa; which means I have done my fair share of travelling since joining!  The part of my job I enjoy the most is meeting new people; experiencing new cultures and being on hand to support students adjust to study in the UK.  I am also proud to be in a job where I can promote my hometown of Bournemouth!

                

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am a keen sportsman having studied Sports Management at Loughborough University – I have a season ticket at AFC Bournemouth (local team) and regularly try my hand at a number of different sports.  If I am not overseas for business, I am usually overseas for personal travel – I still have a bucket list of countries ready to tick off year on year!  A passion for both sport and travel culminated in me once cycling over 5,000 miles across Europe!

In my opinion what makes Anglo-Continental stand out when compared to other schools is its commitment to quality and its fantastic location within Bournemouth!

 

Efe Tekkanat is a second year media student at Bournemouth University and currently doing his internship at Anglo-Continental.  He writes regularly about culture and technology in his blog www.efetekkanat.com

“I’ve always wanted to work in the communication industry, whether it’s advertising, marketing or public relations.  After looking at the universities in Finland, I decided that, for an international career, I should take the big leap and move to the UK.  Regardless of what industry you’re aiming to work in, moving to England to study can be an immense boost for your career.  I chose Bournemouth University because of the reputation of its media school.  My degree (Communication and Media) offers me the widest skill set.  I’ve studied journalism, marketing and even linguistics on my course!  If you are into marketing and digital media, studying in Bournemouth might suit you, as the town has a vibrant and thriving marketing scene.  There are marketing networking events organised regularly and students are always welcomed to those.  Many students also appreciate that London is just a two-hour bus ride away.

A lot of my Finnish friends have asked me how I prepared myself to study in the UK.  It is important to note that a lot of your time will be spent reading in the library, so you should be comfortable reading and writing in English.  Here are some tips to get you ready for studying in an English academic environment:

1. Listen to and read English material as much as you can, as often as you can.  Read your favourite books in English, watch movies, listen to podcasts and audiobooks;
2. Consider signing up to English speaking online forums and connect with people that share the same interests as you.  It’s even better if you have the opportunity to visit England and study at a language school, before starting your university;
3. University is all about academic writing and demonstrating that you are able to defend your arguments.  A good thing to do is to set up a blog, research your favourite topics and start publishing your opinions.  The most important thing with this is to have fun and enjoy the learning experience.

In addition to this, I strongly recommend to try to intern at a company that you are passionate about.  I am doing mine at Anglo-Continental, which is one of the largest English language schools in the UK. Working at Anglo-Continental gives me the opportunity to learn more about education marketing.  I enjoy working with current and prospective students and meeting new people from around the globe, helping them to have an enjoyable learning experience.  Having applied through an education agent myself to study in Bournemouth, I know quite well how exciting the opportunity of studying abroad can be.”