Chinese agents have flown back to their offices fired up about what they've seen - and experienced - on an inward mission which departed from the usual format.
The party of 13 agents from some of China's biggest agencies stayed in two of the English UK member centres, experiencing for themselves brand-new inner city accommodation at the Stay Academy's Stay Club and the country house grandeur of Trebinshun House in Wales.
The last few days of the mission were spent at StudyWorld, where the party - whose agencies send about 30 per cent of the UK's Chinese summer students - were able to have meetings with 35 extra educators, as well as meeting others during networking events.
Sarah Wang, international manager for English UK who organised the trip, said: "Many of them are very experienced operators like Walkite and Damei International. However, they thoroughly enjoyed the mission as the tour covers a wide range of schools – from small independent language centres, to summer centres at prestigious universities, boarding schools and large state colleges. They said it would take them months to see and meet so many centres.
"They were thrilled with the exclusive experience at Trebinshun House. There were a lot of discussions among them of how to package the school for their VIP clients." She added: "It is also the first time we tied in the FAM trip with StudyWorld. Although it was exhausting, the agents said they obtained an ocean of information."
Qi Zhang, of Xinjiang Right Start Culture Co, was very positive about the Fam trip. "It was useful for our company. I was quite impressed."
"We're a developing region and we're talking to our local children and families about opportunities to study abroad in the UK. I studied my degree in the UK and really liked the culture and the education.
"We've been sending children to summer camps but I think after StudyWorld we will have more resources and will be sending students to sixth form."
It was the sixth time English UK has run an inward mission specifically for Chinese agents.
The party began the trip at the Stay Academy in London before a half-day showcase and workshops. They spent the first night in the Stay Academy's student accommodation, before visiting International House London and travelling to Bath, where they walked round the city and visited Target Summer Centre at the University of Bath. They then moved on to Bristol, visiting EC before travelling to Wales.
In Wales, they visited Celtic English and enjoyed a city tour of Cardiff before English UK Wales hosted a banquet meal in the stunning surroundings of the city's castle.
The following day was spent visiting Cardiff and Vale College, ELAC Summer Centre and Trebinshun House, where they had dinner and stayed the night.
Cheltenham was the next port of call, with visits to the Anglo-European summer centre and Churchill House summer centre, before travelling to Oxford. Over two days in the city they visited the MM Oxford Summer Centre and Eckersley Oxford as well as enjoying a walking tour of the city and a trip to Bicester Village. They then moved on to StudyWorld where they enjoyed the usual programme of formal appointments and networking meetings.
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