IELS Malta inaugurates newly refurbished school

IELS (The Institute of English Language Studies) has invested over €3 million over the past two years to upgrade the main Adult Centre school in Sliema, as well as their owned-and-managed Day's Inn Hotel. These upgrades reflect the high standards the school is renowned for, and will benefit both students and residents alike.

The refurbished main school in Sliema was inaugurated by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on the 24^th of June, and was accompanied by Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis; both who were welcomed by the shareholders, directors and staff of IELS.

The fresh design provides spacious, bright, safe, and functional recreational areas, with fast and free wireless connectivity available throughout the building. Students have access to an online self-study portal, and the state-of-the-art interactive teaching equipment enables students to learn more effectively. The school also has a media hall, a conference room, indoor and outdoor leisure areas, and will shortly be opening a bookshop and lending library. In addition, the impact on the environment has been a vital consideration throughout the project to ensure that the new infrastructure is substantially more efficient, helping reduce the facilities carbon footprint.

As one of the first English language schools in Malta - and among the largest on the island - IELS has contributed to the development of the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) industry locally, and has introduced various new academic programmes over the years. It is also the only language school on the Island that offers both Cambridge Celta and Delta courses, which lead to internationally recognised, high quality teaching qualifications. IELS has always stayed at the forefront of contemporary English Language Teaching methodologies with an effective academic ethos based on sound language learning and acquisition principles.

What makes IELS different from the rest is its quality assurance in education, the school also has an excellent reputation for providing a high quality range of services and personal attention to customers

The international growing demand for English language courses and proficiency has seen the EFL industry develop into a major global educational service industry over the years, with Malta being amongst the top eight destinations where non-native English speakers travel to learn English. According to national statistics, 2013 attracted close to 75,000 foreign students which amounted to almost 234,000 student weeks, generating €64 million in direct revenue into the EFL industry.

Apart from the direct revenue generated, IELS has a ripple effect on the Maltese economy as it contracts not only direct employees, but also host families, hotels, personnel from the leisure and entertainment industry, as well as catering establishments.

“Since its inception in 1985, IELS has welcomed over 200,000 students from all over the world and last year alone received students from over 30 different nationalities. These include students from mainstream European markets as well as other markets such as Brazil, Korea, Japan, Turkey and Colombia” said IELS General Manager Alex Lanczet.

The three IELS schools in Malta and Gozo consist of over 150 classrooms which can accommodate over 1,500 students of all ages on a daily basis. The facilities are open all year round.

With the increasing growth of online business, IELS has also invested in the development of a new innovative website - www.ielsmalta.com - to continue increasing its online presence. The IELS website enables students to search and book English courses, accommodation services and flights directly.

With new management on board since 2009, IELS business has increased by over 40% and further growth is expected in the coming year.

IELS was founded almost 30 years ago as a joint venture between FTI Touristic Group and Mizzi Organisation.

FTI Group is a leading player in the travel industry in Germany and in other countries in Europe, bringing to Malta over 75,000 passengers yearly and selling services in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and UK, among others. FTI employs close to 5,000 employees worldwide, of which 370 are employed in Malta.

The Mizzi Organisation is a group of companies spanning a broad portfolio of business interests and industry sectors, including retail, automotive, tourism, manufacturing, real estate and mechanical and engineering contracting, employing over 1,000 employees locally.

IELS also forms part of LAL Language Centres, a prestigious international group of language schools having a portfolio of schools in the UK, US and South Africa.

IELS employs a dedicated and professional leisure and welfare team which organises various  cultural and social activities and ensures that the safety and wellbeing of the students is always a high priority. In all, IELS employs over 150 members of staff.