Showcasing UK ELT at ICEF Berlin

We hosted a fantastic UK Reception during ICEF Berlin 2024 for over 200 guests, including English UK members, study travel agents, journalists and service providers. 

Gin, British nibbles and life-sized celebrity figures, including David Beckham, Adele, King Charles III and Harry Potter actors, supported the Great Britain & Northern Ireland theme with our fellow reception hosts, the Department of Business and Trade (DBT) and LANGUAGECERT. 

>> View the UK Reception photo gallery

UK ELT: welcoming, changing lives

Speakers included English UK Chair Shoko Doherty, who said the event was an example of our collaborative work with the DBT through the English Language Teaching Action Group. She said: 'For me, English language teaching is more than an industry; it's an experience that truly changes lives. I know because it transformed mine. Half a lifetime ago, I arrived in the UK as an international student, looking to strengthen my skills and my future. Today, I'm not only the CEO of Celtic English Academy but also here, working with all of you to expand our industry's global reach. 

'The United Kingdom is a welcoming country. Intercultural learning and experiences don't just happen in the classroom but throughout every moment of a student's journey. Personally, I built lifelong friendships, including with my homestay family... and I still keep in touch with peers I studied with, and now, I often host international students in my home. Some of them even travelled to Japan for my wedding.'

Ben Wannenwetsch, the DBT's Deputy Director and COO for Business and Trade at the city's British Embassy, said: 'It is a time of great opportunity for UK ELT as our nation becomes the first choice of even more students.

He added:

'The UK is a fantastic place to be an international student, and we will give them a great welcome. 

'We value ELT students' contribution to our universities, to our communities, and to our country.  ELT students are often at the start of their learning journeys, coming here on school trips or academic English programmes before choosing one of our world-class universities or study centres for advanced academic or professional study.  Studying English in the UK is often the beginning of a lifelong relationship which builds closer global bonds. '  

Lucy Horsefield, Head of Business Development at LANGUAGECERT said 'as a global English test provider, LANGUAGECERT is proud of the role we play in helping hundreds of thousands of people to achieve their dream of living, studying or working in the UK.' Lucy thanked everyone who joined us at the reception adding that 'it was a wonderful evening and fantastic to see so many dedicated industry professionals come together and celebrate the importance of the international education sector in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.' Contact Lucy to find out more about LANGUAGECERT's English tests.

Mark Henebury of the DBT said the event had been 'a fantastic evening to celebrate how dear we hold our partnerships with agents across Europe and around the world.'

What's the outlook for UK ELT?

The UK Reception concluded English UK's three days in Berlin promoting UK ELT at ICEF's flagship networking event.

We were delighted to join forces with Ivana Bartosik from our insight partner, BONARD and host a seminar and panel discussion on the global ELT market and the UK's future outlook.

>> Download the global ELT market presentation