Hello

 

You have received this newletter because you chose to subscribe to it on www.tfi-europe.com. We thank you for you interest in the TFI test and in ETS Europe, and hope that you find this newsletter interesting and informative.

 

In this first issue, you will find the latest news on ETS, the developer of the TFI test. We have also included an article that tells you everything you need to know about the test - why you should take it, how to take it and what you need to keep in mind before taking the test.

 

So read on to find out more. For information on the TFI test, to find a test centre, or register for a test, please visit www.tfi-europe.com.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, French was the leading language of international communication. In the 20th century it was replaced by English as the lingua franca but has nevertheless retained a prominent position, and is still widely used in business and academic settings.

• French is the official language in some 30 countries.
• It is recognised as the official or administrative language in international organisations such as the European Union and World Trade organisation.
• It is among the six official languages of the United Nations and all of its agencies.
• It is also the second most frequently taught language in the world after English.
• Over 170 million people use French everyday.

(Source: Wikipedia)

 

So for individuals working in global organisations, knowing and being able to use French is a valuable asset. Students and professionals may want, or be required to demonstrate their French capabilities. To meet this need, they can use the widely recognised French assessment of ETS (Educational Testing Service): Test de Français International (TFI™). The TFI test is a valid and reliable certification of their current level in French.

 

What are the main features of the TFI test?

The TFI test has been designed to test candidates at all levels of capability and, like the TOEIC test, it is not an exam. Candidates cannot pass or fail this test; it is simply a measure of how well the individual can use French to communicate in general or business environments.

 

It can be used to:

• Help training schools place students at the correct level of a language course, measure their progress and motivate them to improve their skill
• Help academic institutions establish a student’s language proficiency, and equip them with skills needed in an international environment
• Help individuals find out exactly how well they can communicate in French at a certain point in time

What is the format and where can you take the test?

Like the TOEIC test, the TFI test is a standardised, multiple-choice test, designed to measure a student’s listening and reading skills. Students are required to answer 180 questions during a session lasting approximately 2.5 hours.

 

The test is administered at ETS Europe approved test centres. Alternatively, corporations, higher educational establishments and other testing organisations can be accredited to run tests themselves, on their premises. An accredited language school can, for example, conduct public and private test sessions.

 

And how does the scoring work?

Following a test session, the local ETS Europe representative will provide scoring services, ensuring and validating the accuracy of the score.

 

If a candidate takes the test at his place of work or school, his scores could be sent to that organisation, and he will be informed of his performance by his institution. Organisations and institutions are sent the scores in the form of a Score Roster, which includes:

• Scores for each candidate
• Scores from the most recent testing session (including average score and range of scores)
• Scores obtained in all testing sessions within the organisation or institution

In fact, the ETS Europe representative can also produce other specialised reports at the client’s request.

 

Candidates taking the test independently at approved ETS test centres will directly receive their scores themselves. This will comprise a listing of their listening, reading and total scores.

 

Finally, ETS can provide a Certificate of Achievement, giving details of a candidate’s proficiency level in the two core Listening and Reading skills in French, as well as an overall rating. This certificate can then be presented to a potential employer.

 

For more information on the TFI test, test session dates and test centre locations, visit www.tfi-europe.com.

ETS (Educational Testing Service), the world leader in academic and business assessment, has announced that management responsibility for the Middle East and Africa will be transitioned to the ETS Europe Division of ETS Global BV, ETS' wholly owned subsidiary.

The newly created entity, ETS EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) will be led by Philippe Grosskost who joined ETS Global BV in 2004. Grosskost will act as Managing Director, ETS EMEA and will be responsible for the overall management, sales, delivery and business development for EMEA.

"This merger represents a tremendous opportunity for ETS to further enhance its position and reputation in the EMEA markets by expanding our brand and product positioning," says Grosskost. "All of us are looking forward to the challenges and rewards that this effort will entail."

• The ETS Europe Division currently has branch offices in Belgium, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom, and offers its products and services in 35 other European countries through a network of representatives.
• The regional head office of ETS Middle East is in Amman, Jordan, and ETS EMEA is looking to rapidly expand operations to other countries in the region.
• In Africa, ETS EMEA will concentrate on the countries of the North African belt – Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. In 2007, they will evaluate opportunities in other African countries, including South Africa and Nigeria.

Grosskost’s objective for the new regions is to drastically accelerate growth. "The Middle East and Africa show high potential, and this, combined with the established quality of our products, leads me to believe that EMEA will grow rapidly and will succeed in expanding the ETS social mission successfully in yet another area of the world."

Sales, marketing, communication and legal operations for the whole of EMEA will be managed by one centralised team, working in combination with the regional offices. The advantages of this are apparent: uniform strategies, and the leveraging of synergies and complementary competencies across the organisation.

"Though we are one organisation now – EMEA – the different markets are equally important. Hence, we follow a ‘glocal’ approach, providing infrastructure and support at the divisional level, with emphasis on localising all operations in each country," claims Benoit Thao, Director, Sales and Marketing, EMEA. In keeping with this, the product portfolio offered in Middle East and Africa will be similar to that offered in Europe (the TOEIC, TOEFL and TFI tests, as well as all new assessments that will be offered in the near future); alongside, each region will also offer particular products adapted to its market. In addition, cross-functional teams from across ETS EMEA will work together to respond to government tenders across the regions.

With a comprehensive strategy in place to ensure the efficiency of operations, and an approach that combines pan-organisational strategies with local execution, ETS EMEA is all set to rapidly grow its existing markets and enter new ones.

ETS EMEA has launched a new "institutional" website - www.etseurope-pi.org. The objective of the site is to support the business goals of ETS EMEA. As such, it aims to make accessible to the public, in -depth information targeted at policy makers, researchers and professionals in the field of education. It presents the different solutions that we offer, detailing their broader scope and usage.

 

The website is managed by the Institutional Department, a division of ETS EMEA responsible for carrying out educational policy research and disseminating the findings through reports, seminars and web portals. The Institutional Department combines its in-house expertise with that of a network of experienced partners to meet the information needs of the present and the future educational world.

 

The Institutional Department has a strong record in successfully bidding for and implementing international projects for governmental and non-governmental organisations involved in educational reform, and academic and professional development. With experience in educational reform projects and a network of professional and research partners, the Institutional Department is well qualified to serve current and future educational policy needs.