ELS signs landmark agreement with local university

ELS Educational Services, an American English language and educational program provider, and Jiangsu University signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Dec 13 to enhance their exchange of talents.

This is the first time ELS is partnering a Chinese university to provide on-campus English training to both Chinese and foreign students.

According to the MoU, an ELS language center will be established within the Jiangsu University campus in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province. The institute is ranked among the top 50 universities in China and has an Essential Science Indicators (ESI) rating. The language center will offer language training to international and Chinese students who want to study abroad.

Students will be first assessed by specialized tests before being placed in one of the 12 proficiency levels in the program. Over 650 universities across the United States, Canada and Australia recognize ELS Level 112, the highest level of English language proficiency that is similar to IELTS and TOEFL tests.

ELS will also leverage its extensive network to help Jiangsu University recruit more international students. More than 1.25 million international students have been admitted to US universities through ELS programs in the past 55 years, according to ELS statistics.

Hanscom Smith, the US consul-general in Shanghai, said at the signing ceremony that this MoU will let ELS serve as a bridge for Jiangsu University to fulfill the educational goals of students from around the world.

Statistics show that more than 300,000 Chinese students were studying in the US in the most recent academic year that ended, an 8 percent increase from the previous year. China remains the largest single source of international students studying in the US, with Chinese citizens accounting for 30 percent of international students, according to figures from US Consulate General Shanghai.

"To make the US-China relationship work in the future, we need students who will benefit from this cooperation between ELS and Jiangsu University," said Smith.

Mallik Sundharam, vice president of Business Development of ELS, added that an increasing number of international students are choosing China as a destination for overseas study.

"For non-native English speakers, the ELS training center can be a great help. This strategic cooperation is also part of our efforts in expanding their recruitment network in an emerging market," said Sundharam.

ELS is also planning to set up more centers in other regions in China in the years to come. These centers will be designed based on the cooperation model with Jiangsu University.

"This cooperation is consistent with the university's strategy of cultivating more global talents. I hope this win-win partnership can help the university attract more international talents," said Ren Xiaofei, director of language and culture centre and dean of school of liberal art, Jiangsu University.

Wu Yiwei contributed to this story.

yuran@chinadaily.com.cn