Cambridge ESOL celebrates in Santiago its 100 years
Some Cambridge exams are used by governments and universities around the world to award visas or university places to foreign students.
It’s been 100 years since the first Cambridge English Proficiency Exam was taken by three people in 1913. Now, over 4 million candidates a year take Cambridge English exams around the world. This enormous growth reflects how English has evolved into a key skill, and how Cambridge exams focus on the real-life communications skills candidates’ need for success at university, in the workplace and for immigration. Some of the Cambridge exams (IELTS, for example) are used by governments and universities around the world to award visas or university places to foreign students.
Coinciding with this important milestone, Cambridge Esol celebrated this special occasion with a number of events around the world. As part of these celebrations the British Ambassador’s residence in Santiago opened its doors to nearly 90 guests including Cambridge Esol collaborators, colleagues and clients. They were greeted by British Ambassador Jon Benjamin, and listened to a presentation by Dr. Michael Milanovic, Chief Executive of Cambridge ESOL, which took the audience back in time to the very first Cambridge exams.
The relationship between Cambridge exams and Chile has been long and successful. One of the most recent achievements is the fact that it is Cambridge English Language Assessment which is behind the recently concluded National English Test (Simce) to be administered again in 2014. With this, more than half a million young Chileans have been able to access an internationally recognised evaluation which should help Chile take one more step forward towards becoming a bilingual country and have access to today’s highly competitive globalised world.
For more information about Cambridge exams please contact Claudia Parra.