UQ wins Japanese contract for English language training
The University of Queensland has won a significant contract to provide English language and technical studies training programs for one of Japan's largest associations of tertiary education institutions.
The University's Institute of Continuing and TESOL Education (ICTE) will supply the programs to the Tokyo Colleges Association (TCA), which has 70 junior college members in the Tokyo metropolitan area with about 76,000 enrolled students.
The initiative is a joint venture between Australian International Education (AEI) Japan, TCA and Qantas Holidays International.
ICTE director Christine Bundesen said the contract tender process was open to Australian university English language centres and involved considerable work by ICTE staff over the past four months. Ms Bundesen said the initiative would involve a four-week training program and homestay accommodation placement for about 150 students in July-August 1999. The contract is valued at $400,000.
"The contract is a significant win for ICTE and the University and will provide a strong promotional base in Japan to springboard other education and training opportunities," she said. "It will profile ICTE to the 70 TCA junior colleges and beyond for prospective further studies in English language, highlight ICTE capacities for development of ?travel and learn' and continuing education programs, and will showcase the University of Queensland for prospective further studies in undergraduate degree programs."
The English language and technical studies programs would focus on the academic disciplines of tourism and hospitality, early childhood education, ecology and environment, interior design, health care and food technology. Participating students would gain credit towards studies in their relevant Japanese junior colleges.
Australian Ambassador to Japan Peter Grey said credit for study in Australia was a significant breakthrough in the official recognition afforded Australian education courses by Japanese institutions and demonstrated the strong bilateral relationship and co-operation in the tertiary sector between Australian and Japan.
Ms Bundesen said she believed the University of Queensland had been chosen because of ICTE's significant background in English for Special Purposes programs and links with the academic and corporate sectors. ICTE also had broad experience with international students, a diversity of programs, and was prepared to be flexible to respond to client needs.
For further information, contact Ms Bundesen, telephone 07 3365 6500.
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