Rod Jones, CEO Navitas Wins the 2010 International Education Association of Australia for Outstanding Leadership in International Education
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- Becky Powell (US Contact)
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- Becky Powell (US Contact)
Sydney, Australia (October 22, 2010) —
Rod Jones, Navitas CEO was presented the 2010 International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) Award for Outstanding Leadership in International Education, at the Australian International Education Conference. The prestigious award, sponsored by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the world's largest non-profit educational research and assessment organisation, recognises a professional colleague who has been involved in extensive policy making positions in organisations or institutions with a significant role in international education.
Mr Jones' outstanding achievements are well-known within the Australian international education industry. He has over 30 years' experience in educational administration, and has held a number of senior administrative positions within the Government and private sectors.
Jones is best-known for his contribution to the development of the 'pathway' education programme. In response to the high failure rate of international students in their initial years of study in Australia, the programme was designed to ensure international students received the support they required to successfully complete their studies. Initially the concept was intended for international students however, its success led to it being emulated by other Australian and international institutions.
The 'pathway' education concept led to the establishment of the IBT Group which, over the past fifteen years has grown to 30 colleges: twelve in Australia, eight in the United Kingdom, two in Canada, four in the United States of America and one in Singapore, Sri Lanka, Kenya, and Zambia. All of the colleges have been established in association with high quality partner universities in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
Operating in conjunction with 16 universities, 23 pathway colleges have been established since the programme's development in 1994, with further expansion predicted by the end of 2010. Currently 15,000 English language students undertake pathway studies each year.
"We firmly believe in the importance of strong and innovative leadership from key industry bodies to pave the way for the smaller organisations," commented Eileen Tyson, Director of Client Relations at Educational Testing Service, the developer of the TOEFL® test. "Mr Jones has fostered relationships between key stakeholders across all levels of the international education industry to provide a positive environment for international students. We are grateful for his contribution to the industry and are very pleased to present Mr Jones with this award."
Educational Testing Service develops, administers and scores the TOEFL test, the most widely accepted English language proficiency assessment worldwide.
"The IEAA Awards Programme recognises and celebrates the outstanding contributions of individuals and organisations to the professionalism and reputation of the ELICOS industry in Australia. We would like to acknowledge the strong support of sponsoring organisations such as Educational Testing Service in enabling the industry to recognise and celebrate contributions in this way," said Stephen Connelly, President IEAA.
About Navitas
Navitas is the largest private provider in Australia and has colleges in a range of other countries as well, including new initiatives with a number of universities in the US. Navitas offers a wide range of education services to suit the individual situation and aspirations. Courses are tailored to meet the specific needs of students, from fast-track academic studies to additional English language support.
About TOEFL
For more than 45 years, the TOEFL test has been the most widely accepted English language proficiency assessment worldwide. Currently, more than 7,500 colleges and universities accept the TOEFL test in more than 130 countries.
About ETS
At non-profit ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary education, as well as conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually — including the TOEFL® and TOEIC® tests, the GRE® tests and The Praxis Series™ assessments — in more than 180 countries. www.ets.org
About the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA)
IEAA offers networking and professional development opportunities through industry focused workshops, seminars and symposia. It also has an active research program and public policy agenda. IEAA works in close collaboration with a wide range of industry stakeholders including other peak bodies, as well as with governments to enhance and strengthen Australian international education. Together with IDP Education, IEAA jointly presents the annual Australian International Education Conference, the largest conference of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region.