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Cambodia School wins 2021 Language Educator of the Year Award on Global Stage

• By Paid Content
• September 7, 2021 6:29 PM

The Australian Centre for Education (ACE), part of IDP Education, became the first school outside Europe to win the prestigious PIEoneer Award for Language Educator of the Year.

This year’s PIEoneer Awards were announced at a ceremony at London’s Guildhall on 03 September 2021. The winners were selected by an international panel of 43 judges from leading universities, institutions, and professional bodies from 25 countries across the globe.

The annual PIEoneer Awards are merit-based with winners selected according to the quality of the product or service being assessed, following a rigorous nominations process.

ACE beat off stiff competition from peer finalists in Australia, Canada, the UK, USA and Vietnam.

ACE Principal, Mr Ashley Irving said that after the most challenging year in the organisation’s history, this award is a dream come true for the whole ACE team, students, parents, and the Cambodia ELT industry.

“We are honoured to be recognized for our outstanding performance during the most challenging year in our history. I am so proud of every ACE department, our students, parents and partners who have worked tirelessly to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of quality language education for our students, including catering to around 100,000 enrolments over the last 18 months,” Mr. Irving said.

ACE and IDP Education Cambodia Country Director, Mr. Mao Sreng, credited the award to the ACE team. “Our team has done an incredible job during the pandemic to pivot to digital learning and ensure world-class education continues for thousands of our students across the country.”

“We are also supporting the government’s efforts to tackle COVID19, using one of ACE’s campuses as a vaccination centre and providing care packs and refreshment to frontline workers and stakeholders. Approximately 15,000 people have already been vaccinated at the campus,” Sreng added.

IDP Education Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Andrew Barkla, said the award was a testament to ACE’s performance as a team this year.

“I am proud of the way our teams in Cambodia have worked tirelessly to make virtual, online learning function on such a large scale. The work and agility being demonstrated is phenomenal, to drive the highest standards of education and safety for our students, teachers and employees.”

The Minister for Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), HE Dr. Hang Chuon Naron congratulated ACE when learning of the news about the award.

His Excellency Dr. Hang Chuon Naron has been at the forefront of driving the education reform agenda for quality, equity, and inclusiveness, and acknowledges language education as a crucial component.

“With English as the main language for education and business, I appreciate the role ACE plays in building the English language proficiency of our Cambodian students,” said the Minister at ACE’s anniversary celebrations before the pandemic.

The Australian Ambassador to Cambodia, HE Pablo Kang, also congratulated ACE.

“Institutions founded by Australia, including the Australian Centre for Education (ACE), have played a crucial role in promoting and providing English language training in Cambodia. ACE has equipped Cambodians with the English they need for their jobs or studies abroad, including in Australia. I’m very pleased to witness the growth of the Australian Centre for Education in Cambodia, and ACE’s successful pivot to offering online learning during the pandemic,” remarked Ambassador Kang.

Congratulating ACE from London, Ms. Amy Baker, CEO of The PIE and Host of the PIEoneer Awards, said she was ‘delighted’ for ACE’s win. She was also delighted with the level of industry engagement following the decision to hold both a live and virtual event.

“The hybrid format worked really well and of course it is great to award winners in-person, but the PIEoneer Awards 2021 enabled over 200 [virtual], industry friends and colleagues, to get a real flavour of the event - and of course find out live the results too. To win an award is truly a remarkable achievement - the calibre of entries is outstanding, and our Judges often comment on the wide range, high quality and inspiration offered by our entrants.”

ACE and IDP Cambodia’s recent awards include two Global CSR awards (Best Community Program Award and Excellence in Provision of Literacy & Education Award) in 2019, Best Companies to Work for in Asia Award and Cambodia Best Brand Award, both in 2020.

The full list of PIEoneer Award-winners can be found on The PIE News website and social media pages.