EF Education First

"EF Education" redirects here. For the yacht, see EF Education (yacht). For cycling teams, see EF Education–EasyPost, EF Education–Tibco–SVB, EF Education–Cannondale, and EF Education–Nippo Development Team.
EF Education First
Company typePrivate
IndustryEducation
Founded1965
FounderBertil Hult
HeadquartersZurich, Switzerland
Key people
Philip Hult, Chairman
Eddie Hult, CEO
Number of employees
52,000[1]
Websitewww.ef.com

EF Education First (abbreviated as EF) is an international education company that specialises in language training, educational travels, academic degree programmes, and cultural exchanges. The company was founded in 1965 by Bertil Hult in the Swedish university town of Lund. The company is privately held by the Hult family.

As of 2017, EF had approximately 52,000 employees in 116 countries.[2]

History

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1965–1979

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Bertil Hult dropped out of college to launch EF’s initial product: English immersion trips to the UK for Swedish students.[3] He had struggled to learn English in school, but while interning for a shipbroker in London, he found he picked English up more easily.[4] He came to believe that “learning by doing” could be as effective as traditional classroom methods.[5]

In the 1970s, EF opened language schools and expanded sales across Western Europe and Asia.[5] In 1972, EF opened its first school in Japan, just as English language keyboards were introduced there.[3] In 1979, the company introduced its first cultural exchange programme: EF High School Exchange Year.[6]

1980–1995

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In the 1980s, EF began organising educational travel and immersion programmes for North Americans with no language learning component, including EF Explore America, EF Educational Tours, and EF Go Ahead Tours.[7][3] The company also launched an au pair programme in 1988, EF Au Pair, today Cultural Care Au Pair, which is regulated by the U.S. Department of State.[8][9]

In 1988, EF served for the first time as the official language training services provider for the Seoul Olympic Games, giving free language training services to judges, athletes, volunteers, and host country residents.[10] The company went on to serve in the same capacity for Beijing 2008, Sochi 2014, Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018, Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022.[11][12][13][14]

In 1993, EF opened its first office in China.[15] The company’s network of English language schools in China grew quickly. It differentiated itself from competitors by marketing its international footprint and hiring native English-speaking teachers from abroad. It selected its expansion locations by looking for cities with a university, a McDonald's, and more than 1 million residents.[5] Also in 1993, EF hired graphic designer Paul Rand to redesign its logo.[16]

1996–2005

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In 1996, the company launched EF Englishtown, now EF English Live, which was among the first online English schools.[17] In 1997, EF sponsored two teams in the Whitbread Round the World Race – a men’s team (EF Language) that won the competition, and the race’s first fully female-helmed team (EF Education).[18]

In 2002, the Hult family purchased the Arthur D. Little School of Management, which was subsequently renamed Hult International Business School.[19] Hult is one of the few triple-accredited business schools in the United States.[20]

2006–2015

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EF and Hult International Business School started the Hult Prize in 2010, which challenges young people to solve the planet’s pressing issues through social entrepreneurship. The Hult family donates $1M USD in annual seed capital to the winning team.[21]

In 2011, EF introduced the EF English Proficiency Index, an annual ranking of countries by their English skills.[22] In 2014, EF launched the EF Standard English Test – a free, certifying English test designed for non-native English speakers.[23][24] In the same year, EF partnered with Community Boating, Inc., the oldest public sailing centre in the United States, to help people with physical and cognitive disabilities learn how to sail.[25]

EF celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015 with a series of events in Boston including “A Day with World Leaders” with speakers including Bill Clinton, Gordon Brown, Steve Wozniak, and Priyanka Chopra.[26] The same year, EF reconstructed the Jalapa Devi HSS School in Sindhupalchowk following an earthquake in Nepal.[27]

2016–present

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In 2016, EF became the educational sponsor of the Nobel Prize Museum in Stockholm, Sweden.[28] The two organisations collaborated to publish a textbook, Nobel Journeys, which presents the lives and accomplishments of Nobel Laureates.[29]

In 2017, EF purchased the EF Education–EasyPost professional men’s cycling team.[30] In 2023, EF launched a women’s professional cycling team, EF Education – Cannondale.[31]

In 2020, following the 2015 merger of Hult International Business School with Ashridge Business School,[32] EF began offering executive training for international organisations,[33] including via Amazon’s Career Choice programme.[34] The same year, EF began working with the Mastercard Foundation and the Rwandan Development Board to help Rwandan youth improve their English to access professional opportunities and support the country’s hospitality industry.[35]

The COVID-19 pandemic presented significant challenges to EF’s travel-oriented businesses;[36] however, it also led to growth in the company’s online programmes.[37]

In 2022, the company opened a new campus in Pasadena, California to support enrollment growth in its private boarding school product, EF Academy.[38] The following year, EF served as the Official Language Training Services Supplier for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.[39]

In the summer of 2024, EF Education First was declared an “undesirable organization” in Russia.[40]

In 2024, EF Education First was adopted by the São Paulo Department of Education (SEDUC-SP) as a platform of the São Paulo Media Center, being called "SPeak".[41][42]

Controversy

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EF has been highly criticised for the maladministration of students taking its courses.

In 2019, seven of its English teachers in Xuzhou allegedly tested positive for drugs. The case ignited discussions about EF's hiring practices, leading to its suspension from the China Association for Non-Government Education.[43]

In 2020, a former teacher of EF was charged for exploiting a previous pupil in China. The defendant, an American national, threatened to post video footage of the student's sexually explicit conduct online unless she sent him more images and a video of herself engaged in similar acts. EF said the alleged crime happened after the man returned to the US when his contract in China had already been terminated for violating the company's code of conduct. The company's spokesperson declined to explain the specifics of the violation. He has pled guilty in a Missouri court to sexual exploitation of a minor and to receiving and distributing child pornography.[44]

On 17 February 2022 Claudio Mandia, an Italian student participating in the IB Diploma programme of the EF Academy in New York, took his life after four days of punitive isolation in a White room, in which he had been placed waiting for his expulsion after being caught copying a math homework.[45] The school has always denied the circumstance that the young man was in a state of confinement, the room "was not locked" and "could have social interaction", was the reply of the Academy of New York Thornwood to the accusations of Claudio's family members.[46] However, according to the family and friends, Claudio was told by the school staff that he "did not have permission to leave the room and that the corridor had CCTV".

Following the story of Claudio Mandia, the Italian television show "Chi l'ha visto?" has brought to light many testimonies from students who participated in the EF Academy study trips. Among the testimonies, there are cases of students being hosted by drunk parents and one host parent who shot a neighbour.[47][48][49]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "About Us". EF Education First. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  2. ^ Shemkus, Sarah (November 16, 2017). "EF Education First named No. 1 on list of largest Mass. companies". The Boston Globe.
  3. ^ a b c Johnston, Katie (February 2, 2013). "Education First Aims to Bridge Barriers with Exchange". Boston Globe. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  4. ^ Hill, Andrew (February 2, 2020). "A billionaire with no master plan for his family business". Forbes. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Jedeur-Palmgren, Max (August 23, 2018). "Meet The Billionaire College Dropout Who's Teaching The World English". Forbes. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  6. ^ "EF High School Exchange Year". Council on Standards for International Educational Travel. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  7. ^ Keller, Courtney. "We are EF Go Ahead Tours". EF Go Ahead Tours. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  8. ^ Fougere, David (5 August 2009). "Company History". Cultural Care Au Pair, Speaking from the heart. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Au Pair". BridgeUSA. US Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  10. ^ Johnston, Katie (April 9, 2014). "Mass. team will help Brazil learn English for 2016 Olympics". Boston Globe. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  11. ^ Lapowsky, Issy (Dec 8, 2014). "How Brazil Plans to Teach a Million People English Before the Rio Olympics". Wired. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  12. ^ Morgan, Liam (5 November 2015). "Education First announced as sponsor of Pyeongchang 2018". Inside the Games.
  13. ^ "Tokyo 2020 Welcomes EF Education First Japan Ltd. as an Official Partner". Around the Rings. 12 July 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  14. ^ Palmer, Dan (20 August 2019). "EF Education First become first official exclusive supplier of Beijing 2022". Inside the Games. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  15. ^ Werdigier, Julia (December 9, 2013). "Bring in People Who Are Better Than You". New York Times. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Education First". Paul Rand. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  17. ^ "EF English Live has been helping millions of students learn English online for 25 years". EF English Live. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  18. ^ "A racer's life: EF Education in the 1997-98 Whitbread round the world race". October 18, 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  19. ^ Baron, Ethan (September 3, 2014). "Hult: A Powerhouse Or A Pariah?". Poets&Quants. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  20. ^ Khan, Breiknah (23 April 2018). "Here's How Hult International Business School Landed Triple Crown Accreditation". www.businessbecause.com. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  21. ^ Bahree, Megha (November 1, 2015). "A million dollars to solve the world's problems". USA TODAY. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  22. ^ Greene, Robert Lane (April 5, 2011). "Who speaks English?". The Economist. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  23. ^ Abkowitz, Alyssa; Murphy, Colum (September 12, 2014). "Upstart English-Testing Services Take Aim at Longtime Market Leaders". WSJ. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  24. ^ Kilbanoff, Eleanor (October 1, 2014). "Take A New Test Aimed At The World's English-Language Learners". NPR. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  25. ^ Luna, Taryn Luna (29 July 2014). "Community Boating raises pinks sails in new partnership with EF Education First - The Boston Globe". Boston Globe. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  26. ^ Shanahan, Mark (February 15, 2015). "EF Education First bash draws Bill Clinton, others - The Boston Globe". Boston Globe. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  27. ^ "The road to recovery through education in Nepal ‹ We are EF ‹ We are EF". We are EF.
  28. ^ "Nobel Prize Museum Partners". Nobel Prize Museum. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  29. ^ "Nobel Laureates Can Teach Kids to Persevere". Edutopia.
  30. ^ Fretz, Caley (9 September 2017). "Cannondale-Drapac secures new title sponsor EF Education First". Velo. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  31. ^ Hurford, Molly (9 June 2023). "EF Pro Cycling Is Doubling Down, Announcing Their Own Women's WorldTour Team". Bicycling. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  32. ^ Bradshaw, Della (6 September 2015). "Transatlantic alliance steers smooth course". Financial Times. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  33. ^ Dommett, Dina (25 May 2022). "Building the world's most relevant business school: The Hult Ashridge story". Global Focus Magazine.
  34. ^ "Hult EF Corporate Education Selected by Amazon as Education Partner for Career Choice Program". Yahoo Finance. 14 March 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  35. ^ "Public-Private Partnership to boost Rwanda's Tourism & Hospitality Industry". Rwanda Development Board. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  36. ^ "UK language trainer to use job scheme for already planned redundancies". The Financial Times. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  37. ^ Minji, Yao; Youyang, Zhong (3 March 2020). "Education industry quickly moving online". SHINE. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  38. ^ "EF Academy Opens 16-acre Campus, Brings Unique Global Mission and Vision to Pasadena – Pasadena Now". Pasadena Now. 15 September 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  39. ^ "EF Education First selected as official language training services supplier for Rugby World Cup France 2023 ｜ Rugby World Cup 2023". www.rugbyworldcup.com. 9 June 2021.
  40. ^ "Немецкий Фонд имени Конрада Аденауэра и еще три организации признали «нежелательными» в России". OVD-Info (in Russian). August 5, 2024.
  41. ^ São Paulo State Government (2024-04-29). "PLATAFORMA EDUCATION FIRST (EF) – ENGLISH – PRIMEIROS ACESSOS – ALUNOS A PARTIR DO 8º ANO (ANOS FINAIS) ATÉ 3ª SÉRIE (ENSINO MÉDIO)". Education Directory -- Central Region (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-10-06.
  42. ^ São Paulo State Government; State Department of Education; Education Department -- North Region 2 (2024-08-23). "Orientações pedagógicas a partir do uso da plataforma SPEAK" (PDF). SEDUC-SP (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-10-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  43. ^ "EF Suspended From Education Association Following Teachers' Drug Offenses". Sixth Tone. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019.
  44. ^ Chen, Qi'an (23 October 2020). "EF Under Fire After Former Teacher Admits to Sexual Blackmail". Sixth Tone.
  45. ^ "Claudio Mandia, studente suicida a New York: i genitori denunciano la scuola". Vanity Fair Italia (in Italian). 2022-10-31. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  46. ^ Niro, Carmine Di (2023-01-12). "Claudio Mandia, il processo per lo studente morto suicida nel college di New York rischia di spostarsi in Svizzera". Il Riformista (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  47. ^ reports, 6 News staff (2021-08-17). "Council Bluffs Police give details of foreign exchange coordinator sentencing". www.wowt.com. Retrieved 2023-06-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  48. ^ "Chi l'ha visto? 2022/23 - Claudio Mandia suicida in Usa: le testimonianze di altri studenti della "EF Academy" - 11/01/2023 - Video". RaiPlay (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  49. ^ Drigo, Lorenzo (2023-01-11). "Suicidio Claudio Mandia/ Racconti contro EF Italia: "Il mio ospite sparò al vicino"". IlSussidiario.net (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-06-05.
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