Cambridge ESOL

Cambridge ESOL offers the world's leading range of certificates for learners and teachers of English - taken by over 2 million people in 130 countries. They help people gain entrance to university or college, improve job prospects or measure progress in English.

Our mission:
'To provide language learners and teachers in a wide variety of situations with access to a range of high quality international exams, tests and teaching awards, which will help them to achieve their life goals and have a positive impact on their learning and professional development experience.'

Cambridge ESOL is a not-for-profit department of the University of Cambridge. It is part of the Cambridge Assessment group, Europe’s largest assessment agency. Cambridge Assessment was established in 1858 as the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), and it will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2008. Cambridge Assessment is the trading name of UCLES. It provides exams and tests covering a huge range of subjects and levels. More than eight million are taken every year, in over 150 countries. All are respected for their quality, fairness and positive educational impact. They are backed by high levels of support for teachers and a world-class programme of research and development

The world's leading range of qualifications for learners and teachers of English
We provide exams in English language for over 2 million people every year, in more than 130 countries, as well as a range of qualifications for language teachers. Around the world, thousands of universities, employers and government ministries rely on Cambridge ESOL certificates as proof of English language ability.}

Fair, reliable and relevant exams
Our exams are developed on the basis of a long-term process of academic and practical research. We do this so candidates can be confident our exams will be accurate, fair, reliable and relevant, and teachers know our exams will help their students achieve their full potential. We design our exams to encourage learners to develop the skills they need to use English effectively in the real world.

Experts in language assessment
The exams are set by experts in language teaching and assessment. The assessment of candidates' performance involves experienced teachers, who receive extensive training and are closely supervised by specialist staff.

Research
Our exams are supported by the largest dedicated research team of any UK-based provider of English language assessment, and by an extensive pretesting programme which helps to ensure that the questions and tasks used in the exams provide an accurate measure of test takers' true abilities.

Our staff
Cambridge ESOL's commitment to excellence is supported by a permanent staff of over 200 and more than 10,000 trained examiners. The full-time staff includes assessment specialists, administrative and customer service teams, business support and a specialist Research & Validation Group whose activities underpin the quality for which Cambridge ESOL exams are world famous.

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations is a founder member of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) and works closely with testing organisations, schools and academics throughout the world to support the development of language testing in theory and practice.

For more information about us or our exams, please email us at ESOLHelpdesk@CambridgeESOL.org

http://www.cambridgeesol.org/index.html