On December 9, 2018, National Education Examinations Authority（NEEA）issued a letterAbout the establishment of the overseas examination test center of NEEA and admission to host IELTS in ZUA. This letter officially marks that ZUA has been admitted. The center is for both IELTS for UKVI and IELTS.
IELTS, a leader of English assessment in overseas study, immigration and career development, is the only language test in the world admitted by the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI). IELTS is also admitted by more than 10,000 establishments concerning educational institutions, employers, professional associations and government agencies in more than 140 countries and regions around the world. In addition, IELTS is the only English test specified for the Canadian SDS program. This center in ZUA indicates that the total number of IELTS for UKVI reaches 40, covering 28 cities in Chinese mainland.
On January 11, 2019, ZUA held an inauguration ceremony for the center, announcing the test center for IELTS for UKVL, approved by NEEA, officially settled in ZUA. Li Yong, president of ZUA, and Zhang Yilei, director of North China Central China Examinations Department of the British Council (BC), unveiled the ceremony on behalf of both parties.
Vice Presidents Zhang Rui and Zhao Jian held talks with Zhang Yilei. The two sides furthered their ideas on this center to promote the cooperation between ZUA and British universities, deepen the reform of the English teaching system of ZUA, improve language proficiency for and offer more overseas study opportunities to the undergraduates.
From January 23 to 26, the first IELTS test was successfully held in the teaching buildings No. 5 and No. 7 in the east campus of ZUA. It is understood that the 312 candidates for first test were not only from Henan, but Hainan, Anhui and Shaanxi.
The center is equipped with 11 oral test rooms and 12 for writing test, or 540 seats available. On test days, ZUA cooperated closely with the IELTS officials, so as to offer all-round quality services for the candidates in every single link from test site guiding, check-in, candidate identification, waiting before exam, oral exam, and writing test. The responsible team of outstanding teachers, coordinated with each other and made emergency action plan, which kept everything in order and security.
“The ZUA IELTS test center is fully prepared, up to standardization and in a good order, with standardized test venue, improved environment and considerable test service.” Ms. Zheng Letian, the manager of BC's IELTS test center department, spoke highly of ZUA test center.
During the first test, Zhao Jian, director of the ZUA IELTS test center and vice president of ZUA, came to the test site to watch the oral exam, writing test, extended regards to the staff, and had a cordial exchange with the head on BC's side. “As the second IELTS site for UKVI in Henan, ZUA will sum up lessons and further familiarize with the process to perfect the imperfections; will strengthen exchanges with other test sites and the management of ZUA's to an excellent level nationwide." Zhao Jian said.
According to concerned head, the School of Foreign Language will spur the reform of English teaching to level up students' English proficiency through cooperation and communication with BC and learn from the standardized mode of international English proficiency test. It is of great significance to internationalize ZUA and Henan.
