15/02/2021
Cambridge Assessment English has teamed up with China’s National Education Examinations Authority (NEEA) to establish an Innovation Centre to support English language teaching, learning and assessment in China.
The Innovation Centre will aim particularly to improve English teachers’ understanding of educational assessment, to provide guidance for examination practitioners, and to promote the application of the China’s Standards of English Language Ability.
The centre will build on three decades of collaboration between Cambridge and NEEA, which has provided examinations for millions of teachers and learners and generated a unique repository of research, insights and data on language learning in China.
A memorandum of understanding to establish the new centre was signed by Ms Francesca Woodward, Chief Executive Officer of Cambridge Assessment English and Mr. Zheng Yihui, Vice President of NEEA. Guided by the General Plan for Deepening the Reform of Education Evaluation in the New Era issued by the State Council of the People's Republic of China, the two organisations will work together to promote the reform and development of foreign language education and assessment.
Cambridge Assessment English and NEEA have been working closely together since the early 1990s to deliver the full range of Cambridge English Qualifications from young learners to C2 Proficiency, including the Business English Certificates. NEEA also supports IELTS tests, which are jointly owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English.
Francesca Woodward explained:
‘This is an incredibly exciting development that will help support teachers and language assessment professionals in China. The level of commitment and innovation in language teaching in China is inspiring, and Chinese educators have unique expertise in many areas, including delivering high-quality learning on a very large scale. We are delighted to be able to collaborate and jointly contribute to the enhancement of the understanding of assessment, which makes a vital contribution to effective teaching and learning.’
Woodward continues ‘Our long-standing partnership with NEEA, and the world-class research carried out by both our organisations will ensure that the new Innovation Centre makes a deep and lasting contribution to language education in China and beyond. Cambridge Assessment English and NEEA share a commitment to using in-depth research and innovation to ensure that learners have the language skills they need for success throughout their education and working lives.’