NILE, INTO University Partnerships’ division for teacher training, is joining hands with English UK to offer a novel TEFL course.

The initiative, dubbed AccessTEFL, seeks to carve pathways for those aspiring to English language teaching careers in the UK, through a blend of job-oriented training and comprehensive CPD.

AccessTEFL is crafted to assist individuals who have not yet achieved a TEFL qualification, awarding them TEFLi status and rendering them fit for teaching roles as defined by Accreditation UK.

The scheme will be run by English UK, with day-to-day support, oversight and moderation from teacher training specialists from NILE – Norwich Institute for Language Education, part of the INTO University Partnerships group.

As a towering figure in the field of professional development for English language teachers, having trained upwards of 70,000 educators from more than 90 countries since 1995, NILE is highly esteemed.

The drive for this initiative originated from the systematic review by Accreditation UK, which highlighted the effectiveness of an apprentice-based teaching model.

In response, English UK crafted an affordable, in-service qualification route aimed at enlarging the qualified ELT teaching force, making the profession more accessible, and fortifying the support for new teachers. Under the expert guidance of NILE’s educators, participants will master key competencies specific to the UK ELT scene, with their schools facilitating mentorship and professional development.

Thom Kiddle, Director of NILE, shared his enthusiasm for the project: “We are excited to be working on a new project with the team at English UK – developing and managing a situated and supported CPD scheme, AccessTEFL, for new teachers joining English UK schools.”

“The scheme, to be launched later this year, will ensure new entrants to the profession are supported with structured, focused development activities, observation and feedback while they learn their craft and help accredited English UK members recruit teachers in combination with the traditional TEFLi routes.”

The AccessTEFL programme requires 40 hours of classroom study and 80 hours of teaching experience, supplemented by mentorship and the chance to work with veteran teachers. The curriculum encompasses foundational topics such as The English Language, The English Language Learner, The English Language Classroom, and Reflective Practice.

Jodie Gray, Chief Executive of English UK, expressed her delight at the launch: “We are delighted to launch ATEFL after many months planning. Many ELT centres have been struggling to hire enough qualified teachers to meet increasing student demand, and that could impede the continuing growth of UK ELT.”

“We believe ATEFL is a great way for centres to grow and develop their own staff, supporting people who are keen to teach English in the UK but who do not have a conventional TEFLi qualification. This is an affordable and accessible way for centres to train high-quality staff as part of their staff CPD, and we hope that as many as possible will be able to take advantage of it.”

ikas, a leading e-commerce platform, has netted an impressive $20 million in a Series A investment round. The round, led by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank and Re-Pie Asset Management, stands as the IFC’s most substantial investment in a Turkish startup, signifying ikas’s swift expansion and its essential role in empowering smaller enterprises.

In a pivotal development for Turkey’s startup environment, ikas has netted a $20 million Series A investment, with the IFC and Re-Pie Asset Management leading the initiative. This financial injection highlights ikas’s exceptional achievements in Turkey’s e-commerce infrastructure over the past two years. With this capital, the company is set to fortify its position in Europe and other key markets.

ikas’s rapid growth trajectory has been formally acknowledged, earning it a place in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 programme in 2023 as one of the fastest-growing technology firms in Turkey. The company has also hit a significant SaaS milestone, increasing its Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) from $1M to $10M within just 16 months, with an ambitious goal of reaching $100M in the near future.

The success of ikas stems from its commitment to offering SMEs and entrepreneurs an accessible e-commerce platform, enabling the straightforward management of online stores without the prerequisite of technical skills. The energetic ikas team, averaging 28 years in age, signifies the company’s commitment to innovation and quality. Mustafa Namoğlu, Co-Founder and CEO of ikas, expressed his appreciation to customers, the team, investors, and all stakeholders for their unwavering support.

Dr. Emre Çamlıbel, Chairman of Re-Pie Asset Management’s Board, outlined the investment strategy, stating, “Re-Pie invests in ventures with high growth potential, technology and innovation-oriented business models and we continue to grow our portfolio. This investment was executed through a dedicated GSYF (Venture Capital Investment Fund) issued by Re-Pie. Having opened its office in Germany at the end of 2022, Ikas is well-positioned to hit its target of becoming one of the leading brands in Europe in its vertical by 2030.”

Wiebke Schloemer, Director for Türkiye and Central Asia at IFC, spoke about ikas’s impactful innovation, noting, “Boosting innovation and the growth of smaller businesses, particularly women-owned and-led businesses, is a priority for IFC,” she stated. “ikas’ innovative software has the potential to transform e-commerce in Türkiye, enabling smaller businesses to access new markets, boost their online sales and productivity, and better adapt to the rapidly changing business landscape.”

Namoğlu revealed the strategic plans post-funding, commenting, “We intend to leverage the new funding to expedite our international expansion. While this round of investment significantly excites us, it also serves as a reminder that we are just at the beginning of our journey, with much work ahead.“

In a groundbreaking move, ZES and electrip, both initiatives under Electrip Global Ltd, have teamed up with Hubject, the global leader in electric vehicle (EV) charging networks, to expand their e-roaming capabilities.

ZES, a frontrunner among Turkish charge point operators, and electrip, a burgeoning force in the European CPO landscape, have announced a strategic partnership with Hubject, the top global provider of EV charging networks. The agreement, concluded on 21st March by İ. Sinan Ak, CEO of Electrip Global Ltd, and Christian Hahn, CEO of Hubject, integrates approximately 4000 ZES stations in Turkey and electrip’s networks across Europe, including Italy, France, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, and Poland, into Hubject’s extensive e-roaming network. This collaboration aims to facilitate a more integrated and convenient charging experience for EV drivers, offering them access to a wide network of e-mobility service providers throughout Europe.

Reflecting on the partnership, İ. Sinan Ak, CEO of Electrip Global Ltd, stated: “We launched ZES in 2018 to support electric vehicle owners in Turkey with our intra and intercity charging stations, and recently introduced “electrip” in Europe to speed up the electric vehicle revolution. As state-of-the-art brands, we are glad to sign this valuable partnership with Hubject. This collaboration will help us to make electric vehicles more accessible and usable throughout Turkey and European countries. This is an essential part of our overall plan to reduce carbon emissions and protect our planet with our contribution to the expansion of e-mobility ecosystem.”

Christian Hahn, CEO of Hubject, also shared his excitement: “We’re happy to welcome ZES and electrip into the inter-charge CPO network. This partnership will help them to strengthen their infrastructure in the countries where they operate. It means thousands of EV drivers will be able to easily find and use ZES and electrip charging stations and others that are part of Hubject’s e-roaming network, which in turn is a big step in the right direction of encouraging drivers to switch to electric.”

This partnership represents a significant step towards improving the EV charging infrastructure, making electric vehicles a more viable option for drivers across Europe.