13 July 2017 (Taiwan) – Studying overseas has been the dream of many students in Taiwan. With an aim to connect people with learning opportunities, the British Council launched the IELTS Prize in 2011 and, since then, it has supported a total of 170 students in the East Asia region in entering universities worldwide. This year, 36 prize winners will be added to the list. The award presentation ceremony in Taiwan was held at British Office on 13July 2017. In addition to the local awards, the British Council also awarded three regional prizes to top students in the East Asia region, who will be entering their dream universities overseas to pursue further education.
Three students from Taiwan won the local IELTS Prize on 13 July 2017. One of the local prize winners, Cheng Ming Yuan commented that British Council IELTS has made her dream come true. “Winning the IELTS Prize gave me the confidence to share my views with my peers from other countries. The prize is a recognition of my language ability, and it shows that I am ready to discuss and tackle global issues with fellow students and professors no matter where they are from. For me, the ultimate goal of IELTS is not just to help students to get good grades on English proficiency tests, but to help students develop their abilities to communicate and connect with the rest of the globe,” Cheng Ming Yuan said. “The prize is like our key to the world.”
Lily Chen, winner of the third prize of the IELTS East Asia regional scholarship, just embarked on her graduate studies in the Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. Her efforts in promoting disability rights and awareness resonate with the goals of the British Council and have made her the first Taiwanese to receive the IELTS East Asia Regional Prize.
Growing up with cerebral palsy, she has defied all odds and has realized her dream to study in the US through her unwavering dedication to her studies. “The IELTS scholarship means a great deal to me. It not only helps ease the financial burden on my family, but also marks a new chapter in my life,” said Lily Chen. Currently, she is focusing on integrating universal design into curriculum design in her studies, making education accessible to all regardless of their ethnic and racial backgrounds, learning styles, and disabilities. Lily Chen aspires to a career as an educational media specialist after her graduation, and she is set in her goal to make education accessible to all.
“As an international English proficiency test, IELTS has grown in popularity with over 2.9 million tests taken in 2016, and is now recognised by over 10,000 organisations, including universities, employers and immigration authorities worldwide,” said Greg Selby, Director Examinations, Examinations Services, East Asia. “We are pleased that our wide international acceptance and the IELTS Prize are helping more students in East Asia to pursue further study overseas.”
As an IELTS official test centre, the British Council provides full support in preparing students for the IELTS test with different preparation materials such as Road to IELTS, a specially designed online test practice for registered students. Furthermore, test sessions are organised at least four times a month, which give students the flexibility to select the most suitable sessions. For more details, please visit www.ieltstest.org.tw