Navigating ELT Recovery: What are destinations doing to stimulate the market?

Sector associations have played a strategic role in managing the impacts of the pandemic and advocating for the English language teaching sector. With the first signs of mobility recovery, they are now taking a more active role in facilitating the way forward: identifying suitable business development initiatives, proposing funding schemes, and establishing student-oriented recruitment platforms that will support both providers and agencies.

This first-in-a-series of industry panels comprised of renowned ELT association executives gathered online to share insider information about destinations’ ongoing and planned activities.

The session started with a brief state-of-the-industry presentation by Ivana Slobodnikova, BONARD’s Senior Research Manager. Ivana contextualised BONARD’s latest intelligence on the global ELT market and offered her perspective on the trends shaping the sector’s recovery.

She was further joined by the industry panel featuring Jodie Gray (Chief Executive at English UK), Cheryl Delk-Le Good (Executive Director at EnglishUSA) and Gonzalo Peralta (Executive Director at Languages Canada), chaired by Patrik Pavlacic, BONARD’s Head of Research. Panellists discussed how governments are engaging and collaborating with the sector as part of their commitment to international education.

Talking points included highlights of the most recent actions available for stakeholders to leverage: digital marketing initiatives, awareness campaigns, insight into new policies and strategies to boost student recruitment, and the return of in-person events.

Presenter:

• Ivana Slobodnikova, BONARD

Panellists:

• Jodie Gray, English UK

• Cheryl Delk-Le Good, EnglishUSA

• Gonzalo Peralta, Languages Canada

• Chair: Patrik Pavlacic, BONARD

Session recording

Key takeaways

• Industry research by BONARD showed that the market is set to recover to 55-60% of pre-Covid-19 levels in 2022 – something that association representatives felt mirrored their experience (or development in their country);

• Rebuilding staff capacity was mentioned as a key factor that will determine the pace of market reconstruction by all stakeholders from an operational point of view;

• Highlighting a possible shift from a ‘service’ to ‘care’ industry, a people-oriented approach and quality information will be the main prerequisites of successful student recruitment. More than ever, students desire a personal experience;

• Inbound travel missions have been mentioned as a positive alternative if travel restrictions make travelling overseas too difficult.