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Why English language testing matters for UK higher education

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The UK is at a pivotal moment when it comes to the English language tests it uses to help decide who can enter the country to study, work, invest and innovate.  

The government’s new industrial strategy offers a vision for supporting high-value and high-growth sectors. These sectors – from advanced manufacturing and creative industries, to life sciences, clean energy and digital – will fuel the UK’s future growth and productivity. All of them need to attract global talent, and to have a strong talent pipeline, particularly from UK universities. 

This summer’s immigration white paper set out plans for new English language requirements across a broader range of immigration routes. It comes as the Home Office intends to introduce a new English language test to provide a secure and robust assessment of the skills of those seeking to study and work in the UK.  

In this context, the UK faces a challenge: can we choose to raise standards and security in English tests while removing barriers for innovators? 

The answer has to be ‘yes’. To achieve, as the industrial strategy puts it, “the security the country needs… while shaping markets for innovation,” will take vision. That clearly needs government, universities and employers to align security and growth. There are no short-cuts if we are serious about both.  

The sectors that will power the industrial strategy – most notably in higher education, research and innovation – are also those most boxed in by competing pressures. These pressures include the imperative to attract world-class talent and the need to show that those they help bring to the country are well-qualified.  

But these pressures do not have to box us in. We need not compromise on security or growth. We can achieve both.   

Getting English testing right is a critical part of the solution. That means putting quality and integrity first. We should demand world-class security and safeguards – drawing on the most sophisticated combination of human and artificial intelligence. It also means deploying proven innovations – those that have been shown to work in other countries, like Australia and Canada, that have adjusted their immigration requirements while achieving talent-led growth.   

Decision-making around English language testing needs to be driven by evidence – especially at a time of flux. And findings from multiple studies tells us that those students who take high-quality and in-depth tests demonstrate greater academic resilience and performance. When it comes to high-stake exams, we should be setting the highest expectations for test-takers so they can thrive in the rapidly changing economy that the country is aspiring to build.  

The government and high-growth sectors, including higher education, have an opportunity to grow public confidence, prioritise quality and attain sustainable growth if we get this right.  

Decision-making around English language testing needs to be driven by evidence – especially at a time of flux

International students at UK universities contribute £42 billion a year to the economy. (As an aside, the English language teaching sector – a thriving British export industry – is worth an additional £2 billion a year, supporting 40,000 jobs.) Almost one-in-five NHS staff come from outside the UK. 

More than a third of the UK’s fastest-growing startups have at least one immigrant co-founder. Such contributions from overseas talent are indispensable to the country’s future success – and the industrial strategy’s “focus on getting the world’s brightest minds to relocate to the UK” is smart.  

At Cambridge, we help deliver IELTS, the world’s most trusted English test. Over the decades, we’ve learned that quality, security and innovation reinforce one another. It’s why we draw on our constantly evolving knowledge of linguistics to make sure our tests assess the real-life language skills people use in actual academic and professional environments. 

Technological innovations and human intelligence must be central to the test-taking experience: from content creation to exam supervision to results delivery. Having one without the other would be reckless.    

We should deploy the latest data science and AI advances to spot risks, pinpoint potential fraud, and act intelligently to guarantee a system that’s fair for all. IELTS draws on proven AI and data science developments to prevent fraud and improve the information available to institutions like universities, businesses and UKVI.  

As the government takes its industrial strategy, immigration reforms and English testing changes forward, it’s vital that departments coordinate on the shared opportunities, and tap into the best evidence available.  

This is complex work. It requires a collaborative spirit, creative thinking and deep expertise. Fortunately, the UK has plenty of that. 

About the author: Pamela Baxter is managing director, IELTS at Cambridge University Press & Assessment



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Education

Trends, Growth Outlook, and Key

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AI in Education Market

The Global AI in Education Market is at a CAGR of 46.12 % during the forecast period (2024-2031).

The AI in Education Market takes center stage in DataM Intelligence’s latest comprehensive research, where industry experts deliver cutting-edge analysis powered by robust data analytics and strategic market intelligence. This groundbreaking study dives deep into the competitive ecosystem, spotlighting market leaders and their innovative approaches to product development, competitive pricing models, financial performance, and expansion strategies. The research unveils critical market forces, competitive positioning, and breakthrough trends that will define the industry’s trajectory in the coming years, providing stakeholders with actionable intelligence to navigate this rapidly evolving marketplace.

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AI in education refers to the application of artificial intelligence technologies such as machine learning, natural language processing, and generative AI to improve and personalize learning experiences, automate administrative processes, and enhance educational outcomes across K-12, higher education, and corporate training environments.

Market Trends

Personalized & Adaptive Learning

AI enables dynamic customization of content, pacing, and feedback based on each student’s learning style and progress.

Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS)

AI-powered tutoring platforms offer real-time, personalized support that mimics one-on-one instruction, improving comprehension and retention.

AI-Powered Virtual Assistants

Chatbots and digital assistants handle common queries, provide homework support, and automate grading, freeing up educators’ time.

Automation of Administrative Tasks

Tasks like admissions, attendance, and performance tracking are streamlined using AI, reducing operational load and improving efficiency.

AI in Education Market: Industry Giants and Emerging Leaders:

Business Machines Corporation (IBM), Microsoft, Bridge-U, DreamBox Learning, Fishtree, Jellynote, Century-TechLiulishuo, Third Space Learning, Jenzabar.

AI in Education Industry News:

AI Tools in Classrooms: Major tech providers have introduced AI-driven features in learning management systems to assist teachers with grading, content creation, and student engagement tracking.

Nationwide AI Integration: Governments across regions are embedding AI education in school curricula and establishing AI training programs for educators to build future-ready talent pools.

Teacher Upskilling Initiatives: Several large-scale programs have been launched to train educators in effective AI tool usage, instructional design with AI, and ethical considerations.

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Segment Covered in the AI in Education Market:

By Technology: Deep Learning and Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing (NLP)

By Component: Solutions, Services

By Deployment Mode: Cloud On-premises

By End-User: Educational Institutes, Educational Publishers, Others

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Regional Analysis for AI in Education Market:

⇥ North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)

⇥ Europe (U.K., Italy, Germany, Russia, France, Spain, The Netherlands and Rest of Europe)

⇥ Asia-Pacific (India, Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia Rest of Asia Pacific)

⇥ South America (Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America)

⇥ Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., South Africa, Rest of Middle East & Africa)

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➠ What are the AI in Education market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global AI in Education Industry?

➠ Which application/end-user or product type may seek incremental growth prospects? What is the market share of each type and application?

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This release was published on openPR.



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‘High aspirations’: the school that embodies Labour’s hopes for special needs | Special educational needs

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The classroom within All Saints Catholic college, west London, looks much like any other classroom. But this one offers a solution to England’s crisis in special needs education.

On one recent summer day the class was doing creative writing. Yet with every pupil having special needs in speech and communication, writing is just one part of the lesson. “Remember to reply to me,” the teacher gently reminds one pupil after discussing their work. “When I say something, you need to reply.”

Later a pupil starts “stimming” – self-stimulating by repetitive movements, often seen among children with autism – but is quickly interrupted by the teacher. “Do you need time out?” she asks quietly.

The classroom, known as the Bethlehem unit, has the rows of desks and whiteboard of a typical school but only eight pupils, who all have education, health and care plans (EHCPs), formal agreements between families and local authorities that detail each child’s needs.

The fate of EHCPs has been thrust into the political spotlight, after ministers refused to confirm reports that they will be curtailed or abolished. Although its official title is a “specialist resource provision”, the Bethlehem unit is, in effect, a mini special school inside a mainstream secondary – a model that ministers are pinning their hopes on as they prepare a new schools white paper for October.

Ria Dhillon, whose son Kai has attended the unit, said the school had been “wonderful”, nudging him to reach his potential in subjects such as maths in which he had previously lacked confidence.

“What we’ve got here, in the Bethleham unit, finds out what they are good at and pushes them. Whereas in a lot of other schools that don’t have these facilities for kids with EHCPs, they seem to get left behind. Quiet children get left at the back,” Dhillon said.

Konstantina Pistola, a teacher in the Bethlehem unit, said: “We want our children to be fully part of the school community. We’re trying to build as much independence as possible so that they are ready for society.”

With the number of school-age children with EHCPs in England rising to more than 480,000 this year, central and local governments have struggled to keep up, with severe shortages of special school places and long delays causing anger among parents about how their children are being treated.

Though All Saints is a mainstream secondary school, about 10% of its pupils have an education, health and care plan. Photograph: Graeme Robertson/The Guardian

The ballooning number of EHCPs has also created a financial timebomb for councils. Most funding for special educational needs (SEN) provision comes via local authority high-needs budgets but those have been in deficit for years, with the combined shortfall estimated to now be £5bn. The only thing keeping more councils from outright insolvency has been the government allowing them to keep these deficits off their balance sheets.

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, has repeatedly said the government needs to “think differently” about special needs provision. Exactly what Phillipson means is not yet clear. The details are still being thrashed out in Whitehall, with the Treasury taking a close interest in the cost implications, and the Department for Education (DfE) struggling internally to develop coherent policy after years of neglect.

It seems likely that EHCPs will not survive in their current form, with existing plans phased out over two or more years. Ministers and officials argue that a better solution is for mainstream state schools to educate more children with special needs. That is where All Saints’ Bethlehem unit comes in.

While some mainstream state schools have SEN units or specialist provision, what makes All Saints unusual is the high number of its 900 pupils who have EHCPs. The percentage is about 2% for the average school in England.

Andrew O’Neill, All Saints’ headteacher, said: “If we look at this school, about 10% of our children have EHCPs, that’s one of highest rates in the country for a mainstream secondary. It means that this school has to be set up to work for all children of all needs. We have to make sure that they can succeed.”

O’Neill said the “morally right” approach was for every school to enable pupils with special needs and disabilities to access the same teaching, schoolwork and activities as their peers. “It’s about raising attainment and supporting them as well as showing that you have high aspirations for these pupils,” O’Neill said.

“You’ve got to have high standards, the pupils deserve that from the point of view of dignity. High standards should go hand in hand with a joyful experience of school.”

O’Neill has now been appointed as Phillipson’s special adviser on schools on a 12-month secondment that the DfE said will bring “frontline expertise directly into the heart of policymaking”.

Pistola explains that the Bethlehem unit can offer specialist provision to children with a wide range of conditions including autism and ADHD.

“We have to tackle each student’s individual needs. For example some students have lots of energy and we have to recognise that, while others want quiet. We are able to be more flexible around student behaviour,” Pistola said.

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, wants the government to ‘think differently’ about special needs provision. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

While some pupils have all their teaching within the unit, those able to study GCSE-level subjects such as sciences or maths are taught in mainstream classes, where All Saints’ innovative structure means they receive help from academic support assistants (ASAs), used in place of traditional teaching assistants to support SEN pupils.

O’Neill said: “Academic support assistants are experts in their subjects, while teaching assistants are typically attached to a single student and follow them through every lesson. The ASAs can offer more technical help for their subjects rather than just for one person.”

Chester Smith, a recent graduate who has joined All Saints as an ASA, said he would typically be in a lesson overseeing pupils who need support, checking their understanding, and working with those who were unable to be in the classroom.

“Most often within the class I’m circulating, making sure I talk to the key students I need to talk to first. I’m operating around the room and I can reach more students than a typical teaching assistant,” Smith said.

“There are some kids who can be really challenging but I’ve enjoyed it more than I expected – the work is so stretching and fast-paced.”

Charlotte Healy, whose son Jamal has an EHCP, says she appreciates many of the small things that All Saints is able to do, with teachers on hand at the end of the school day to direct children home through the busy streets of west London, as well as giving regular updates on their progress.

“For parents like us, you’re constantly thinking: are they OK? Are they getting on? Are they making friends, are they with the rest of their peers? That’s a big thing for parents of children with education and health care plans,” said Healy.

“When you do find an environment like this, where it is really good and with the staff to help them grow, you know they care because you get those phone calls and the updates, which are so lovely to hear.”



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How AI Saved My GPA

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How AI Saved My GPA

The story of a struggling student, a midnight discovery, and the tool that changed everything.

I Was Failing.

Not metaphorically—actually failing.

Two midterms, three overdue assignments, and an essay on “Global Economic Collapse” that hadn’t moved past the title.

It wasn’t that I didn’t care—I did. I wanted to do better. But between Zoom fatigue, part-time shifts, and the endless ping of social media distractions, my brain checked out.

I was drowning in information, paralyzed by pressure.

And then, one late night, I met my secret study partner—an AI assistant.

The Accidental Discovery

It started, of course, with a TikTok.

One of those fast-talking hoodie-wearing types saying:

“If you’re still writing your own essays, you’re doing it wrong.”

I rolled my eyes. Classic clickbait.

But curiosity won—and I watched.

He typed into a clean little chatbox:

“Explain quantum physics to a high school student.”

Seconds later, a structured, clear, casual explanation popped up.

Smarter than anything I’d seen in a textbook.

I blinked. Replayed. Watched again.

This wasn’t cheating. This was genius.

From Chaos to Clarity

That same night, I gave it a try.

I opened the tab and typed:

“Summarize the main causes of the 2008 financial crisis.”

Boom.

“The 2008 financial crisis was caused by a mix of irresponsible lending practices, risky mortgage-backed securities, and a lack of regulation in the banking system…”

No fluff. No filler. Just facts—fast, clear, and organized.

In under five seconds, I had the perfect starting point for my overdue economics paper.

More Than Just Homework Help

What shocked me wasn’t just the speed.

It was how the AI actually helped me learn.

Whenever I didn’t understand something—like “compound interest” or “inflation”—I’d ask it to explain like I was five. Or in meme form. Or with emojis.

And it worked. Every time.

For the first time in months, studying became… fun.

(I know. Weird.)

The Turning Point

Two weeks later, I turned in my econ essay.

I’d written every word—but used AI to structure my arguments, clean up my grammar, and double-check my citations.

Grade: A-

My professor’s comment?

“Clear argument, excellent organization, strong grasp of the topic.”

I laughed. Two weeks ago, I didn’t even know what a mortgage-backed security was.

Keeping It Ethical

Look—I get the concern.

People hear “AI does your homework” and immediately think cheating.

But here’s the truth:

AI didn’t write my work.

It helped me understand how to write it better.

It didn’t think for me.

It helped me think more clearly.

Still, I set myself some boundaries:

No copy-pasting full answers. Ever.

Use it as a guide, not a ghostwriter.

Always fact-check. Even AI gets things wrong.

Used responsibly, it wasn’t a crutch.

It was a compass.

My New Study Routine

Now, my process is simple:

Pick a topic.

Ask AI to explain it.

Break down the complex stuff.

Organize the ideas.

Write my version—with confidence.

No more blank-page anxiety.

No more endless Googling.

Just fast support, smart insights, and space for my brain to breathe.

The Bigger Picture

I realized something else too.

This isn’t just about me. It’s the future of learning.

AI is our generation’s calculator moment.

Remember when teachers feared calculators would “ruin” math?

They didn’t. They revolutionized it.

Same with AI.

It can level the playing field—for students without tutors, for second-language learners, for anyone just trying to survive in an overwhelming system.

AI isn’t a threat to education.

It’s a tool—and if we use it right, it’s a game-changer.

The Takeaway

So yeah, maybe it sounds dramatic to say:

“AI saved my GPA.”

But it did.

Not by doing my work—

But by showing me that I could do it.

That I was capable, smart, and just needed help sorting through the noise.

Sometimes, that’s all we need.

💡 Final Thought:

The future isn’t about memorizing facts.

It’s about using the tools at our fingertips to turn information into real understanding.

And with AI as our study partner, maybe… we’re just getting started.



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