EF Education First

The group EF Education First is a global provider of educational (particularly language training ), and travel services. According to self-promotion, it is the largest private educational institution in the world.

EF Education was founded by Sweden Bertil Hult in Stockholm as Europeiska Ferieskolan (European summer school ) and is still family-owned. The registered office of the Group is in Lucerne since 2001; other important offices are located in Boston, Hong Kong, Shanghai, London and Zurich. Currently, the company employs approximately 14,000 permanent employees and 20,000 temporary employees ( language teacher and tour guide ) worldwide.

In the still highly fragmented and often dominated by non-profit / public institutions market of language schools and language courses, EF Education differentiated by global presence (own schools and sales offices in over 50 countries ) and profit orientation: The Swiss business magazine balance estimated revenue in May 2006, the group two billion Swiss francs, at a profit margin of over 10 percent.

History

EF 's founder, Bertil Hult organized in 1965 for the first time a group trip for Swedish students to southern England. Princess Margaretha of Sweden opened in 1978, the first international EF language school in Cambridge. 1983 was the opening of the first EF- language school in the United States. EF English First was 1993, the first foreign-owned language school in Shanghai. 1997 began the online language school Englishtown.com. 2001 there was a crisis because of the consequences of September 11 for the travel industry. In 2001 the move of its headquarters from Amsterdam to the tax- favorable Switzerland. EF English First was 2007 national partner of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. EF bought in 2008 both the Huron University in London and the Marrymount College in Tarrytown, NY / USA. EF and Cambridge University ESOL 2008 signed a comprehensive cooperation. Among other things, there is a joint research center in Cambridge. EF was 2009 that it is the official language partner of the Football World Cup 2014 in Brazil.

Businesses and brands today

  • Language Schools and Courses: EF Language Travel - Organised Holiday Courses for children and adolescents 8-19 years.
  • EF Language Courses Abroad - Language Courses for adults over 16 years in the host country; about half of Group sales being achieved with this product
  • EF Academic Year Abroad - Longer-term courses in the host country, usually six or nine months as " Gap Year " ( intermediate year).
  • EF English First - English schools in non-English speaking countries, mainly in emerging markets; some English -First schools are operated as franchises
  • Internet and corporate deals EF Englishtown - virtual language school ( with real teachers ) over the Internet
  • EF Language Learning Solutions - Language courses for corporate clients and executives
  • Cultural exchange programs EF High School Year Abroad - Allows students to spend a year at a high school; mostly in the U.S. but also in Britain and Ireland.
  • Cultural Care Au Pair - to work Allows young people in the U.S. as an au pair
  • Institutes of Higher Education Hult International Business School in Cambridge, MA (USA ), San Francisco, Dubai, London and Shanghai; a university and business school that has emerged from the former " Arthur D Little Business School and also bought in Huron University in London
  • EF University Preparation Abroad ( formerly: " EF Brittin College " ) - prepared an institution with several locations in the UK, the U.S. and Australia, the foreign students (especially from less developed countries ) to study in English-speaking countries
  • EF International Academy - Private high schools in the United States, England, Singapore, and Australia; they provide the financial statements "Advanced Level " and " International Baccaleaureate " to.
  • Study tours ( to be marketed in the U.S., Canada and India ) EF Educational Tours - Organized study tours for school classes abroad
  • Smithsonian Student Travel - Organized trips for American schools within the U.S.
  • EF College Break - Organized study tours for college students abroad
  • GoAhead Vacations - Organized group travel for Americans (mainly pensioners)

Languages

International Language Schools of EF currently teach the following seven languages:

  • English in the USA, Canada, Malta, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, Singapore and the UK
  • French in Nice and Paris
  • Spanish in Barcelona, Malaga, Madrid and Costa Rica
  • Italian in Rome
  • German in Munich
  • Mandarin Chinese in Beijing and Singapore
  • Japanese in Tokyo
Types of business entity Englishtown (website) Cambridge (Massachusetts) Standard Chinese Berlitz Corporation
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