International English Language Testing System celebrates twenty years of growth

New Delhi, Apr 25 (ANI/Business Wire India): The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is proud to celebrate its twentieth anniversary in 2009, marking its unprecedented international growth and success in setting the standard of English language proficiency for Higher Education and migration.

Since IELTS was introduced in 1989, it has developed into a global leader, with annual candidate numbers rising to well over one million in 2008, and accepted by over 6,000 organisations worldwide. In India in 2008, over 200,000 people took IELTS.

Speaking of IELTS' phenomenal growth, Kevin McLaven, First Secretary (Educational Services) British Council India, said, "Over the last two decades IELTS has become the leading and most widely accepted international English language test in the world. Whether for work or study, millions of ambitious candidates have benefited from the life-changing opportunities that IELTS enables."

John Belleville, IELTS Director (IDP Education) said: "The success of IELTS has been driven by a continual focus on strong, expert-led research and innovation, along with a commitment to test language ability in a practical, real and relevant way. IELTS is uniquely fit for purpose, as it covers all of the key skills - speaking, writing, reading and listening abilities. Indeed our face-to-face speaking test is the only true-to-life oral test available. Ultimately, IELTS is not just about giving students a certificate, but proving that they have the language skills needed to get the most from learning and working in another country."

Truly global and cosmopolitan in nature, IELTS is developed by an international team of writers. The test content is internationally focused, thanks to our network of test materials writers in North America, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. All the standard varieties of English are accepted in candidates' responses.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, joint owners British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations will be involved in a series of projects covering achievements to date and developments for the future. (ANI)