The CE & RCPM Testing Center, which is sponsored by Cambridge Educational Research & Development Co., Ltd. (CE) and the Professional Managers Research Center under the former State Economic and Trade Commission, would undertake a special English certification project-CELS (Certificates in English Language Skills) Tests in China.

　　The Cambridge ESOL tests are well-known all over the world and are accepted by universities, employers and national education authorities in many countries as evidence of the required standards in English. For example, universities in Britain, North America, Australia, New Zealand and throughout the world accept CAE (Certificate in Advanced English), CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English) and IELTS (International English Language Testing System) as evidence of an adequate standard of English for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses. The Cambridge Certificate Examination was introduced into China in 1993 by the National Educational Examination Authority (NEEA) of the Ministry of Education. Furthermore, there are already tens of thousands of examinees who have obtained some certificates form Cambridge ESOL in the past ten years or so.

　　In the business sector, Cambridge ESOL business tests provide an independent objective assessment of an employee or potential employee's ability. The Business English Certificates are a suite of tests aimed at individuals who need a certificate to enhance their career. The Business Language Testing Service (BULATS) is a language assessment service for companies and organizations. It offers a fast, flexible service with a range of testing options to assess employees' language level. Besides English, tests are available in French, Spanish and German.

　　The CELS certificate examination system is designed for people aged 16 and over who are not native speakers of English. This English certificate examination system, a set of full and independent certificate system consisting of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing, was developed in 1999 by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) on the basis of full market research of English Learning in over 100 non-English speaking countries. The first CELS test was administered on May 2002 throughout the world. Mr. Lebus, the president of UCLES, says that, UCLES, as the most authoritative English examination organization which has a history of about 150 years, is always making great efforts to develop more examinations, especially in recent years, to meet the multi-level market needs in China-- the biggest English training market in the world. The introduction of CELS to the English training market in China is only a result of their efforts.

　　The CELS Certificate is unique although there are already many kinds of English certificates. It differs from those popular English certificates systems of other British and American English test organizations in that it is a set of modular tests, including Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing, 4 independent tests. They allow you to take tests in one or more of the four language skills. And it has independent lessons and grading methods for these 4 language skills. The certificates would show the level the examinees have achieved in each language skill test they have taken. The aim of it is to provide the examinees with more flexibility in choosing those skills they have more advantage and potentials to learn, and they also can choose those language skills that are more important to their occupations and jobs. In a word, CELS is designed to meet the real needs of the examinees-they can only choose what they really need or what just suits their abilities. For example, the Public Relations Manager in a restaurant may just need to improve his/her spoken English level and the ability to communicate with others, so he/she can select to learn only Spoken English, and take part in the test of this skill. But the researchers in government institutions or enterprises may think the ability to read English literatures more important, so they may choose to learn the reading courses and take part in tests of reading skill.

　　Ms. Shuhong Shen, the Chief Representative of China Office, UCLES, thinks that, although there are already many Cambridge tests in China, CELS is still unique. "It meets with various actual needs of the examinees; it is the fist time that this kind of test is introduced in China." She also says that, according to her experience of working for Cambridge for many years in China, CELS project would absolutely achieve great success in the English training market as the target market is greater than other Cambridge tests, and, plus the determination and dedication of Cambridge Educational Research & Development Co. Ltd. to developing eduction

　　The Director of CE & RCPM Testing Center says explicitly that they have contacted many English training organizations in Beijing and other provinces through various channels since Nov. 2003 when they were authorized to undertake CELS tests by UCLES, and till now, there are already about twenty of them which have expressed their intention for cooperation. Now, the Center has already made various preparations for promoting the market and for providing the best service for their partners.

　　More questions about CELS, please visit www.camb.cn. Potential partners can also directly contact CE & RCPM Testing Center for more information.