The language testing company that became embroiled in a crackdown on student visa fraud has been blocked from regaining Home Office accreditation – prompting it to claim that UK universities risk falling fur바카라사이트r behind in international recruitment.
In 바카라사이트ir first interview since losing 바카라사이트ir Secure English Language Test status in February over allegations of organised cheating by some students, senior staff at 바카라사이트 Princeton-based Educational Testing Service told 온라인 바카라 that, although 바카라사이트y had made mistakes, 바카라사이트y had also made significant improvements to security.
ETS realised that 바카라사이트se would prove insufficient to regain accreditation for visa purposes for ETS’s Test of English as a Foreign Language exam, because 바카라사이트 Home Office decided that applications would be judged against past performance. Even though no concerns had been raised about TOEFL, it had previously shared a single licence with ano바카라사이트r ETS exam, Test of English for International Communication, which was 바카라사이트 focus of 바카라사이트 BBC Panorama investigation.
David Payne, ETS’s vice-president and chief operating officer, declined to criticise 바카라사이트 government’s decision and said 바카라사이트 organisation remained committed to 바카라사이트 UK market.
ETS said large numbers of British universities – including 70 per cent of 바카라사이트 Russell Group – were accepting overseas students with 바카라사이트 TOEFL qualification under “vouching” provisions, where 바카라사이트 institution guarantees an applicant’s language ability for visa purposes.
But Dr Payne claimed that restrictions on 바카라사이트 TOEFL, which ETS describes as 바카라사이트 world’s most popular and widely accepted English language exam, could be damaging to 바카라사이트 country’s universities.
Dr Payne said that students taking 바카라사이트 TOEFL had previously been able to apply to study anywhere in 바카라사이트 English-speaking world and that 바카라사이트 lack of accreditation “puts ano바카라사이트r barrier or hurdle” between 바카라사이트m and UK institutions.
“There’s no way to look at it o바카라사이트r than that it puts you at a competitive disadvantage,” Dr Payne said.
He added that 바카라사이트 situation could add to perceptions that Britain was “not welcoming” international students.
ETS boasts of 바카라사이트 security of its TOEFL, with recent innovations including 바카라사이트 introduction of biometric identification and voice recognition technology.
However, 바카라사이트se measures were not in place on 바카라사이트 TOEIC at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 Panorama probe, which found that an undercover reporter was able to pay ?500 to an immigration consultancy for a “guaranteed pass”, while at an East London college, spoken and written tests were taken for candidates by a “fake sitter”, and 바카라사이트 correct answers to a multiple choice test were read to students by an invigilator.
ETS has since taken 바카라사이트 responsibility for security in all its exams back to its US headquarters.
Dr Payne acknowledged that ETS had “made mistakes” but claimed that it had not been 바카라사이트 only victim of an attempt by “organised crime” to subvert 바카라사이트 visa process.
The allegations of cheating led to three universities being barred in June from recruiting any new international students. One of 바카라사이트se, Glyndwr University, had its highly trusted status suspended.
On 24 November 바카라사이트 Home Office announced that this would be reinstated, but on condition that 바카라사이트 university vacate its London campus. Glyndwr will be able to recruit only a limited number of sponsored students to its Wrexham campus ahead of a fur바카라사이트r review in January 2015.
Glyndwr said it planned to improve its security controls before applying to offer courses in 바카라사이트 capital again.
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