Case Studies - EnglishScore

Enhancing Workforce English Skills for Global Success

Sam Ernest-Jones — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 13:40:07 +0000

In an increasingly interconnected world, global companies are invested in developing the English language skills of their employees.

FPT Information System, a leading provider of technology projects and services in Vietnam and across the world, recognises the significance of effective English communication for their workforce, offering a comprehensive English training programme for customer-facing employees.

As part of this, FPT Information System partnered with British Council EnglishScore and within their first three months completed over 3,600 tests.

We spoke to the Learning and Development team at FPT Information System to understand how they’ve implemented EnglishScore and the benefits it has had for the English learning programme and employees at the company.

The challenge

FPT Information System operates in a global market, catering to enterprise and government customers.

With over 3,000 employees across three locations in Vietnam, the company faced the challenge of enhancing the English communication skills of its workforce, especially those that engage frequently with foreign customers.

Phan Thị Phương Thảo, Learning and Development Specialist at FPT Information System, explains FPT Information System’s recent strategy is “Go Global”, so improving the English of its employees is paramount.

FPT Information System sought a cost-effective solution that could provide an accurate assessment of its employees’ English skills that enabled its distributed workforce to take the test remotely.

The action

FPT Information System partnered with EnglishScore and quickly integrated its mobile English assessment into their course enrollment process.

Phan Thị Phương Thảo explains the three key reasons behind their decision to choose EnglishScore:

Reasonable cost – Able to choose the most cost-effective option for them.
Test security – AI proctoring prevents cheating and increases accuracy.
Vast test bank – EnglishScore constantly creates new test items and analyses each one for reliability and validity.

“Our employees are so busy with their work, but with the mobile delivery feature they can do the test any time anywhere they want,” explains Phan Thị Phương Thảo. EnglishScore’s remote test also minimises disruption to day-to-day work.

The result

By utilising EnglishScore, FPT Information System has been able to assess the English proficiency of its distributed employees accurately.

This data has empowered the company to tailor their English training program based on individual needs, ensuring targeted skill development for each employee.

“Globalisation is well known in the 21st century, so the responsibility of the company to improve the English skills of its staff is very high, and it will help develop and retain the employee as well,” explains Phan Thị Phương Thảo.

By equipping its workforce with strong English communication skills, FPT Information System demonstrates its commitment to providing exceptional services to its international clientele and achieving success in the global marketplace.

Are you looking to test your employees for training or recruitment? Get in contact with our team to find out how you can implement EnglishScore within your organisation.

Accurately assessing students’ English in line with the CEFR scale

Sam Ernest-Jones — Wed, 17 May 2023 14:19:51 +0000

Unicervantes is a private university based in Bogotá, Colombia. It is accredited by the Colombian Ministry of Education and has been recognised for its academic excellence and innovative teaching methods.

It is devoted to pioneering teaching approaches, offering pupils an education that champions practical ability and real-world encounters.

An important component of its academic offering is developing and certifying English communication skills in line with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) to help students find work after graduation.

Robinson Carrascal Ballesteros, Coordinator of the Extension Unit and Language Institute at Unicervantes explains how EnglishScore has enabled the faculty to accurately and efficiently assess and certify students in line with CEFR.

The challenge

In order to test thousands of students each year, teachers at the University were required to create tests internally which aligned to the CEFR scale, and organise test sittings, which was a time-consuming process each semester.

Furthermore, marking, verifying and approving the certifications was a lengthy process that often resulted in a delay in communicating scores to students.

The action

By partnering with EnglishScore, Unicervantes is able to avoid many of the administrative and logistical costs associated with its internally created tests.

EnglishScore is taken on a mobile phone, meaning students are able to take it at a time that suits them, with all marking and test results processed within 24 hours by EnglishScore, freeing up staff to focus on teaching.

EnglishScore’s online dashboard also enabled the university to award certifications within one or two days of the tests being completed.

The result

Since joining British Council EnglishScore’s Approved Partner Programme, Unicervantes was able to save staff time on the testing and certification of students.

With EnglishScore, they’re able to accurately test students in line with the CEFR scale and provide them with a globally recognised English certificate which they can use to help secure employment post-university.

With teachers now having more time to devote to their students, the faculty was able to focus on delivering quality education, while leaving the exam administration to EnglishScore.

Opening doors for students in education and employment

Sam Ernest-Jones — Fri, 12 May 2023 13:25:32 +0000

The Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ) is a publicly funded university with direct links to the Ministry of Education in Brazil.

It specialises in professional and technological education, offering courses in biology, human sciences and exact sciences and has around 20,000 students studying across 11 campuses.

We spoke with Prof. Ms. Rodrigo Lemos, General Coordinator of International Relations at IFRJ. He explained why IFRJ decided to transition to digital English assessments and how students and staff have benefitted since the university became an EnglishScore Approved Partner.

The challenge

IFRJ actively encourages and promotes academic mobility. In Brazil, proficiency in English is increasingly essential for securing post-graduate work or further education.

But previously, IFRJ relied on test centres to carry out its English proficiency exams. This was inconvenient and costly for students, who had to make their own bookings and travel to the venue.

Using an external centre for testing was also causing unnecessary bottlenecks, with organising test sittings and marking assessments drawing out the process.

The action

IFRJ began looking for a remote testing solution; one that gave them greater control and provided accurate results, but also minimised the logistical challenges students faced.

Prof. Ms. Lemos and the team at IFRJ chose EnglishScore because students could take the test anywhere and at any time, with results made available in the institution’s online dashboard within 24 hours.

Also, because EnglishScore tests four skills across three tests (Core Skills, Speaking and Writing), students are able to test and certify the skills they need, making it more cost-effective.

“Students can decide to just take the Core Skills test, which will be sufficient for many academic mobility programmes,” explains Prof. Ms. Lemos.

The result

Prof. Ms. Lemos explains that EnglishScore gives students at IFRJ greater flexibility, enabling them to apply to courses they couldn’t before due to time constraints.

“EnglishScore provides fast results compared to other tests. Some courses and graduate job opportunities only provide a 15-day application window. If students didn’t already have a proficiency certificate, they can’t apply. But now, with EnglishScore, they can.”

IFRJ is taking important steps to promote academic mobility and internationalisation while addressing practical challenges that can arise in the process.

By using EnglishScore’s remote testing technology and offering more affordable options for language proficiency certification, the institution is making these opportunities more accessible to a wider range of students.

Tracking Students’ English Progress During Their Time at University

Sam Ernest-Jones — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 15:27:04 +0000

Konkuk University in Korea is renowned for its academic excellence and innovative teaching practices. With a history that dates back to 1946, it has grown to become one of the most prestigious universities in the country.

We had the opportunity to speak with Frank Bennett, a professor in the English and Culture Department at Konkuk University. With over 20 years of experience teaching in Asia, he has a deep understanding of the challenges that students and educators face when it comes to assessing English language proficiency.

Frank explains what led Konkuk University to join British Council EnglishScore’s Approved Partner Programme, and how they’re now accurately testing students’ English and tracking their progress throughout their time at the university.

The challenge

Currently in Korea, the main way to evaluate university students’ English ability is through traditional English tests which do not effectively measure and track all four skills (listening, reading, speaking and writing).

“The lack of a reliable English testing system also makes it challenging for students in Korea to see their own progress over time,” explains Frank.

The external test Konkuk University used prior to EnglishScore also made it difficult for professors to maintain control over the test and ensure the results are accurate and valid. Moreover, it didn’t provide a representation of ‘real world’ English ability. “Companies are often surprised by their employees’ inability to speak English, despite scoring highly on tests widely used across Korea,” says Frank.

The action

Konkuk University joined British Council EnglishScore’s Approved Partner Programme to accurately test incoming students across all four skills and track their progress over time.

“The dashboard allows for real-time tracking of students’ progress, making it easy to see which areas need improvement and to provide extra support,” says Frank. “We now use EnglishScore’s mobile test to assess first-years at the beginning and end of each semester and to keep a progress profile for each student.”

This has enabled the English and Culture Department to have a baseline for comparison and monitor their students’ ability across key skills and subskills, with all results available in their dashboard. This means professors across different departments have access to the student’s scores.

The result

By rolling out EnglishScore to students, the University aims to improve learning strategies for both students and teaching staff.

“With a good knowledge of where they’re improving, and most importantly, areas that require improvement, students are able to self-teach more effectively and teachers are able to better support their development on an individual level.”

Boosting internationalisation and post-studies employment with EnglishScore

Sam Ernest-Jones — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 08:47:11 +0000

CONIF (The National Council for the Federal Network of Vocational, Scientific, and Technological Education) has joined British Council EnglishScore’s Approved Partner Programme to offer students from the Institutos Federais the opportunity to enter into the world of work with a recognised English certificate.

CONIF provides fundamental support to the high-performing education institutions within its network. One of its objectives is to strengthen and consolidate its associated institutions and it recognises the importance of language policies in achieving this.

As part of this commitment, CONIF has been supporting projects that improve the development of curricula, employability, internationalisation and language courses.

CONIF partnered with EnglishScore in 2022 and has been rolling out its mobile English test to a number of institutions within its network, including Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro and Instituto Federal de Rondônia.

The challenge

Before partnering with EnglishScore, CONIF used an internally-created English assessment.

The key limitation of this test was that students could not use the results as proof of English proficiency outside of the university, either for further studies or work.

CONIF believes that internationalisation and employability enhance institutional development and prepare students for a ‘knowledge-based world dynamic’ in which students are able to compete freely in the international job market.

Prof. Ms. Rodrigo Lemos, General Coordinator of International Relations at the Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro reinforces this point, stating that “one of the main benefits of internationalisation is employability”.

Their internally-created test was designed to assess students’ English proficiency and place them into the appropriate English course for their level. However, the creation of the test as well as marking and results processing was costing the faculty time and money each semester.

The action

CONIF joined British Council EnglishScore’s Approved Partner Programme, which grants higher education institutions the authority to test students and issue co-branded certificates. This means that Institutos Federais can accurately assess thousands of students and provide them with a globally recognised certificate to support their transition from studies to employment.

“‘Opportunity’ is my favourite word when it comes to English language education,” explains Prof. Ms. Diana Ketlem, Language Center Coordinator and English Language Teacher at Instituto Federal de Rondônia. “My English skills opened doors for me and I want the same for the students of our language centre. Our students should have the opportunity to access mobility programmes and better employment opportunities.”

Being able to assess students at scale and receive all test results in their online dashboard has also helped the institutos minimise the administrative costs associated with its internally-created test.

The result

Ana Carolina Oliveira, International Affairs Advisor of CONIF, explains, “British Council EnglishScore constitutes an important partner as it enables students and employees of the network to access recognised and validated English certificates. This may facilitate the participation of the academic community in public notices and better employment opportunities.”

Diana explains that EnglishScore is also having a positive impact on a university level:

“Having a test and certificate like EnglishScore that is accessible, convenient and affordable will help increase the number of students who can look internationally for studies and work.”

Lisandro Terenzi, Regional Director for Latin America, added, “our partnership with CONIF has opened the door for many highly attended institutions to standardise their English assessments and raise the academic and employment expectations of their students. Additionally, it goes one step further by adding an external, objective and reputable exam and certificate that endorses these programmes. We are extremely happy and honoured to have them as an Approved Partner.”

Enhancing Student Employability With a Recognised English Test

Sam Ernest-Jones — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 09:46:44 +0000

Lendi Institute of Engineering and Technology (LIET) is a renowned higher education institution based in the suburbs of Vizag and Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, India.

With award-winning links to industry, LIET has around 720 graduate students each year and around 800 students taking courses within the English department at any one time.

The students come from diverse linguistic backgrounds, so the faculty at LIET ensures they receive the necessary support to improve their communication skills to prepare students for work placements, with English being a core part of the course syllabus.

Vice Principal and Professor of English at LIET, Dr Hari Babu Thammineni and his team decided to replace their traditional pen-and-paper exams with EnglishScore’s mobile English test, transforming their approach to English assessment.

The challenge

Before using EnglishScore, LIET used internally and externally-created English exams to test listening, reading, speaking and writing.

Dr Thammineni explains that conducting examinations is demanding on teachers’ time.

“I had to prepare students for the test, organise registration and set up the examination environment. Then the exam body conducts the test and it takes a month to return the results.”

The logistical obstacles involved in English assessment, particularly with arranging settings for speaking tests and marking writing tests, also meant they couldn’t guarantee the accuracy and validity of the assessment.

The action

LIET is a college with deep links to industry and a strong record of post-graduate employment.

Dr Thammineni, therefore, wanted a test that would provide students with an internationally respected certificate, which would also reduce the burden of traditional pen-and-paper exams on the faculty.

“English skills are very important in the IT industry. This is why we have a strong ideology for developing workplace communication skills, and English plays a key role in this. It is especially important for those looking to work abroad or for companies with an international client base.”

Dr Thammineni goes on to explain that “recruiters for IT companies will first want to get a picture of the candidate’s communication skills. Then they’ll ask about their technical knowledge. That is why I strongly believe in our communication programme.”

That’s why EnglishScore was made a compulsory test taken as part of the English for Jobseekers course.

The result

“We are incredibly excited to be using EnglishScore because our logistical burden has dropped to nearly zero. The whole process is also much faster. When students take the test, we can review and certify their score in a couple of days,” explains Dr Thammineni.

“Our students are very comfortable with EnglishScore. Being able to take the test when it suits them has provided them with much more flexibility.”

With EnglishScore, LIET no longer needs to create tests or organise room hire, proctoring and marking. Instead, they can accurately test hundreds of incoming students, manage their scores and certify test sittings from their dashboard.

Digitally Assessing and Grouping Students by English Level

Sam Ernest-Jones — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 16:50:19 +0000

Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology (TCUST) is located in Hualien County, Taiwan and offers undergraduate and graduate programmes in various fields, including nursing, management and information technology.

TCUST, recognised as an outstanding private university by Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, is a premier institution that emphasises research and industry-university cooperation. It has consistently ranked among the top universities in Taiwan and has won multiple awards, including the World Invention Exhibition.

Dr. Pei-Hsuan Lo, Director of the Bilingual Education Centre at TCUST, faced a challenge when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and in-person English tests were no longer feasible.

We asked her what initially made her decide to use EnglishScore as the primary placement English assessment and how our mobile assessment is now used to assess all first-year and EMI students.

The challenge

The Bilingual Education Centre, which works in tandem with the Holistic Education Centre to run the EMI programme at TCUST, also organises compulsory English courses taken by all first-year students. During the pandemic, the department was unable to hold its face-to-face English assessments for incoming students.

EMI classes are also on offer to more advanced students who achieve B2 level or higher, and they need an accurate way of assessing and grouping students into the appropriate course.

“Before implementing EnglishScore, we used LTTC’s CSEPT paper test as our first-year English assessment, but it was time-consuming to organise and mark,” explains Dr. Lo.

The combination of social restrictions and a time-consuming testing process led Dr. Lo to search for a solution to test students’ English effectively digitally.

The action

The language centre turned to EnglishScore as a remote solution for testing.

“A key benefit of EnglishScore is its mobile delivery, meaning all students can take the test easily, even if they live in remote areas. All the results are sent to our dashboard which gives us an overview of each student’s level, progress and motivation, making it a convenient and clear tool for teachers,” says Dr. Lo.

All first-year students were asked to take EnglishScore and those who received lower than A2 level were asked to take a separate test written by the university to determine their level.

“For the more advanced EMI students, we need to quickly and accurately determine their level so we can place them in the appropriate course. With EnglishScore, we’re able to understand students’ ability almost instantly to see if they’ve reached the B2 threshold,” says Dr. Lo.

The result

EnglishScore proved to be an effective solution for TCUST, with the university looking to roll out EnglishScore to other areas of the university, including testing staff members and international students.

Dr. Lo explains that EnglishScore “can help other universities looking to promote their EMI programme and make English testing a better and more convenient experience for students.”

Masters and PhD Course Admissions Using EnglishScore

Sam Ernest-Jones — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 12:14:14 +0000

NIDA (National Institute of Development Administration) is one of the leading graduate schools in Thailand, providing advanced education in management and related fields. NIDA’s International College offers a Master of Management course and PhD in Management, with programmes delivered in English.

The college uses EnglishScore to assess the English language proficiency of their students before they enter the programme. Dr. Sid Suntrayuth, Dean of the International College of NIDA, explains how EnglishScore has been integrated into its course admissions process and tells us about his plans for using EnglishScore in the future.

The challenge

NIDA’s International College needed an effective tool to assess the English language competency of students before they enter a programme. The traditional methods of testing such as TOEFL were expensive and required time and resources to organise.

The closure of test centres during the pandemic made it even more challenging for students to find a suitable place to take these tests.

“A lot of our students said they couldn’t apply for our master’s programmes because they couldn’t find places to do the English tests,” explains Dr. Suntrayuth. This started their search for a digital way to accurately assess the English level of their students.

The action

The college chose to use EnglishScore as an alternative to traditional English language proficiency tests. EnglishScore’s convenience and cost-effectiveness were the key factors that led to the college’s decision to implement the tool.

Dr. Suntrayuth notes that “EnglishScore will come in very handy because students can do it by using technology on their mobile devices.”

The result

EnglishScore has positively impacted NIDA’s International College in three main ways.

“It has simplified the admissions process making it easier for students from around the world to apply to our programmes. It has also streamlined our back-office processes. Now we can verify and track scores across all four language skills.

With all test results collected in our dashboard, we can see the whole range of details about the performance of students across different skills. We use this to benchmark and monitor results, but also to forecast the scores we can expect to see from students entering into the programmes,” says Dr. Suntrayuth.

Thirdly, students have also responded positively to the mobile assessment. “A lot of students prefer it because it is very easy to use and cost-effective. The flexibility of EnglishScore has allowed students to take the practice test, meaning they are more comfortable when taking the real test.”

Looking forward

“I think EnglishScore offers an ideal alternative to traditional English tests, especially for institutions in Thailand where English is widely used as a second language and where universities don’t necessarily have the capacity and facilities to organise face-to-face tests,” says Dr. Suntrayuth.

In the future, NIDA’s International College plans to extend its usage of EnglishScore to cover the testing staff and faculty members.

Supporting Graduates’ Transition to the International Workplace

Sam Ernest-Jones — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 13:24:14 +0000

Samutprakan College of Commerce and Technology (Sam’ Tech) is one of the leading vocational institutions in Thailand offering many courses, including Accounting, Marketing, Business, Computer and Digital Business Technology, Tourism and Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

Dr. Paninee Saenghiran, Multilingual Programme Manager at Sam’ Tech, explains how the Languages faculty is taking steps to improve the delivery and accuracy of its English assessments to support students in their education and transition to employment.

The challenge

Before using British Council EnglishScore’s mobile English Test, Dr. Paninee explains that Sam’ Tech used a pen-and-paper assessment written by the staff.

“The process was complicated. Our teachers would take a week or two to create the test based on previous lessons they’d taught and we’d then have to arrange the exam sittings.”

As with most internally written face-to-face assessments, creating the test, proctoring and marking come at a cost to the teaching staff’s time and at an expense to the faculty.

However, it wasn’t just streamlining their assessment processes that led Dr. Paninee to search for an alternative English assessment solution. The faculty’s current test didn’t offer a certification or qualification upon passing that students could add to their professional profiles.

The action

Dr. Paninee wanted to achieve three things for her students, staff and faculty:

To unburden her team of the need for pen-and-paper English exams
For students to achieve an internationally recognised certificate to support their transition to employment
To provide students with a more convenient test that enables them to perform at their best

As a college with technology at its core, she began the search for a digital English test and found EnglishScore.

“EnglishScore helps our students prepare for the real world. Not only does it give them an accurate measurement of their English level, the Certificate they receive will also support them in their future – whether that’s further studies or employment.”

The result

By joining EnglishScore’s Approved Partner Programme, Dr. Paninee was able to provide students with a more convenient test and a widely recognised Professional Certificate, whilst reducing the workload of her staff.

“British Council EnglishScore’s Certificates are widely recognised, which gives our students the confidence to apply for international courses and work. We’re excited to continue to develop our teaching, learning and assessment processes to build on the positive impact of the Language faculty.”

Would you be interested in finding out more about our Approved Partner Programme? See if your university is eligible by clicking the button below.

Using EnglishScore for Secure, Remote English Testing

Sam Ernest-Jones — Sat, 25 Feb 2023 16:43:12 +0000

English is an important part of the curriculum for all students at Universitas Surabaya, one of the highest-ranked universities in East Java, Indonesia. It is a mandatory subject for first-semester students and those with lower competency receive English tutoring to build up their skills.

To help prepare students for their courses and employment post-studies, the University needs an efficient and formalised process for testing the English level of thousands of incoming and exiting students.

The Languages Faculty at the University first adopted EnglishScore in 2021 as a digital solution to facilitate remote English testing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

We spoke to the Head of Languages Department, Devi Rachmasari and students and graduates at UBAYA to understand how EnglishScore’s mobile English test and certificate is helping her faculty and students achieve their goals.

The challenge

Devi’s role at the University is to oversee the learning and testing of communicative English, as well as to coordinate foreign language courses. She explains that the pandemic was the main reason behind her faculty’s decision to search for a digital, remote solution to English assessment.

“We were unable to test and measure students’ English level effectively remotely. We needed to continue assessing students when our face-to-face examinations were not possible.”

However, Devi’s concerns with remote English testing were around security and cheating because, prior to the pandemic, they were using an in-person English proficiency test created by the University.

The solution

After piloting the EnglishScore assessment, Devi realised they could gather fair and accurate results remotely due to EnglishScore’s in-built security measures and anti-cheating technology powered by AI.

“EnglishScore minimises cheating, it’s accessible for students and its Certificate is internationally recognised.”

The combination of mobile delivery and AI-based proctoring helped them to deliver a secure and accurate English test that their students could access easily.

Since adopting EnglishScore, the University has tested 2,500 students and issued 2,000 British Council EnglishScore Certificates.

The result

What started as a temporary solution to support remote testing during the pandemic soon resulted in a long-term partnership as Devi and her team at the Language Centre quickly became aware of the cost and resource-saving benefits of EnglishScore for the faculty.

“We realised we can avoid the administrative costs of in-person testing, whilst achieving the same level of accuracy. The students can access the test from their mobile and all marking is handled digitally. Because of this, we’re able to redirect budget and staff resources to other key areas of the faculty.”

She also found her students were benefitting from the accessibility of the test and its globally recognised certificate: “The EnglishScore Certificate is beneficial for the students because it is widely used at a national and international level.”

Cynthia, a Pharmacy student at the University of Surabaya, explains that “EnglishScore is convenient to use because we can access the test anywhere, and the duration of the test isn’t very long.”

While Berliana, a graduate of UBAYA now working as a Legal Officer, explains she found EnglishScore to be a very user-friendly application:

“I could do the test at home, the scoring process is quick and I could easily find out my score.”

She adds: “EnglishScore helped me to get a job because I put it on my CV.”

A remote digital solution to English testing

UBAYA found that EnglishScore was a reliable and secure option for remote English assessment during the pandemic, but also saw considerable savings in staff time and administrative costs, as well as the benefits to its students. Going forward, EnglishScore will be used as the definitive English assessment for exit exams.

EnglishScore has partnered with hundreds of education institutions all over the world. To see if your university or college qualifies for our Approved Partner Programme, click the button below.