On July 6, 2022, Antonine University (UA) entered into an agreement with IDP IELTS Australia and is honored to have become an IELTS test venue partner officially entitled to administer the world’s leading English exam inside its campus at Hadat–Baabda (and soon at Nabi Ayla–Zahle). The IELTS test is jointly managed by the British Council, the Cambridge Assessment English and the IDP IELTS Australia and will be offered to the UA student body as well as to extra-mural students of other universities and/or schools. The signing ceremony was attended by Fr. Michel Jalakh, UA Rector, Dr. Huguette Abou-Mrad, Language Center (LC) Director, Ms. Tatiana Fadlallah, English Department Coordinator, and Ms. Celine Rizk, LC Administrative Assistant, from the UA side, as well as by Mr. Randy Santiago, IELTS Administrator, Ms. Hanan Mokdad, Public Relations and Marketing Manager, Mr. Sharif Ghalayani, Operations and Logistics Specialist, from the IELTS side.

In this globally connected world, English is not only considered as a universal language, but also as the passport to an accelerated path to success, especially that English language proficiency can help the learners fulfill their academic aspirations, leap to greater heights and broaden their social and cultural horizons. In truth, investing in their language skills is a valuable asset which can increase their chances of studying abroad as well as greatly boost their career prospects.

Furthermore, an orientation day will be organized in October 2022 and the first exam session will then be conducted on campus. It is worth mentioning that the IELTS is recognized by numerous organizations worldwide (Canada, United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Belgium, to name but a few), including but not limited to educational institutions and migration authorities.