TO help meet the challenge of making Saudi graduates proficient English speakers, Pearson signed recently a Memorandum of Understanding with Jubail Industrial College, the Kingdom's largest and most sophisticated semi-autonomous technical institute. The new agreement will see the two organizations harness the latest global technology to assess English language competencies for between 5,000 and 6,000 Saudi students each year. The English language tests used under the agreement will have all four skills machine-scored, using sophisticated scoring engines that research has shown to be at least as reliable as human raters, if not more so, ensuring the integrity of the results. Pearson's internationally acclaimed Versant testing will be employed to accurately test learners' English levels. The Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic, which is recognized and accepted across the globe by more than 3,000 academic institutions, professional bodies and the UK and Australian border agencies, will also be introduced in the foreseeable future. The test uses the latest security measures, including state of the art biometrics, to ensure the integrity of the test. The agreement will significantly improve the job prospects of the College's graduates, and help them to more rapidly progress their careers, said Christine Ozden, who led Pearson's Middle East and North African operations. “English has largely become the language of business in Saudi Arabia, and so it is fundamentally important to the future of all students that they have access to the best possible English language education, from primary school, right through to tertiary level. This is what we hope to achieve with our partner, Jubail Industrial College, who like Pearson, understands the need to give learners the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the world of work, and contribute to the long term growth of the Kingdom's economy.” Dr Saleh Al-Sheri, Deputy for Education and Training Affairs at Jubail Industrial College, said: “It is our goal to contribute to the ongoing growth of the Saudi economy, and the long-term prosperity of both our graduates, and the community as a whole. By employing the very best English language testing services, and then giving the students the most relevant remedial content, we are ensuring our students have the best chance of success in obtaining meaningful and rewarding work, and aiding the competitive growth of business both here, and in the wider region.” — SG
