GoAbroad.com Innovation Awards
The first nomination Bridge received this year was as one of the top five companies in the Innovative TEFL / Teach Abroad Program in the 2020 GoAbroad Awards. This nomination acknowledged Bridge’s efforts to offer a unique opportunity for learning and cultural engagement through its Specialized Certification Program in Teaching English Online. The robust, four-course, 210-hour TEFL/TESOL program fully prepares new and experienced teachers for the virtual classroom and helps them stand out in a competitive and quickly evolving job market.
Bridge understood the industry-wide shift toward e-learning early on, originally developing this online teacher training series in 2018. The goal of the Specialized Certification program was to go beyond general English teaching methodology to provide teachers with the methods specific to online instruction, as well as familiarize them with the hardware, software, and technical skills needed to succeed in this growing TEFL/TESOL niche. As the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the industry-wide shift toward e-learning, Bridge has risen to the challenge to continue preparing teachers to deliver online lessons.
Other finalists in the Innovative TEFL/Teach Abroad Program included Destination TEFL, Keningau Vocational College, and the International TEFL Academy. While the winner this year was TravelBud, Bridge is proud to have been nominated for its Specialized Suite of Teaching English Online Courses.
The GSV Cup Elite 200
This year, Bridge Education Group was also announced as one of the Elite 200 companies that will compete in the Global Silicon Valley (GSV) Cup at the 2020 Arizona State University (ASU) - Global Silicon Valley Summit. The annual summit gathers leaders in government, education, and work who are advancing social and economic mobility by “bending the arc of human potential through innovation.” Bridge Founder and CEO, Jean-Marc Alberola, will deliver remarks during the event.
The GSV Cup is a unique cross-sector competition spanning “pre-K to gray,” including technologies in corporate learning, talent management, workforce analytics, early childhood, K-12, Higher Ed, and postsecondary education. The Elite 200 represent 21 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, North America, and South America. Other finalists include educational virtual reality company Grove Learning, as well as educational online platform for toddlers and young children, Beanstalk.
Bridge enters the GSV competition as a leader in international education, delivering affordable, accredited, online and blended teacher certification and continuing professional development programs to English teachers in over 144 countries worldwide. With a range of programs such as pre-service English teaching certification, training in teaching English online, specialized TEFL/TESOL certification in high demand areas, and tuition-free, stackable Micro-credentials, Bridge is dedicated to empowering an inclusive, global community of teachers.
GSV Cup Elite 200 nominees will deliver a presentation at the event and three finalists will be chosen. Although it was originally scheduled to take place in San Diego during April this year, it will now take place virtually September 29th and October 1st and 8th.
The PIOneer Awards 2020
The PIE (Professionals in International Education) is an independent media, recruitment, and events company connecting a global community of professionals working in international education. Every year, The PIE honors innovation and achievement in the field of education through its prestigious PIEoneer awards. This year, Bridge is proud to be nominated in the category of Digital Innovation of the Year – Learning, again for its four-course suite of specialized teacher training courses: Teaching English Online.
Based in the United Kingdom, The PIE presents the only global awards that celebrate innovation and achievement across the whole international education sphere. The awards recognize organizations that are actively redefining the global student experience by exemplifying professional standards and embracing new ideas in international education.
The Bridge Teaching English Online program reflects these principles by providing accessible, interactive, and highly specific training for teachers delivering classes online. Though developed pre-COVID-19, the program has been especially timely and relevant in recent months for teachers who find themselves transitioning from the classroom to the virtual setting. The Specialized Certification also includes a first-ever virtual English teaching practicum, empowering these new online teachers with the hands-on experience and resulting confidence they need to become the most effective online educators.
Other nominees in the Digital Innovation category include Mosaik Education, for its guidance program for refugees, and GlobalExam, for its online platform to reinforce language skills. The virtual awards ceremony will take place on October 2nd.
Empowering a Global Community
These recognitions are rooted in Bridge successfully creating an international and innovative cohort of English language professionals. Whether it’s new teachers looking for affordable and accessible initial TEFL/TESOL certification or more experienced educators seeking to grow and advance, the Bridge portfolio offers value for teachers at every stage of their career.
Bridge is honored to have been selected as a leading company in the international education space and looks forward to joining global leaders committed to changing the world through investment in education and technology. These awards are a reminder to keep exemplifying professional standards and embracing new ideas.
Founded in 1986, Bridge is a world leader in language and education abroad. An international company with headquarters in Denver, Colorado, Bridge offers a wide spectrum of language-related products and services, including language training and immersion programs, teacher training and development courses, language testing, translation and interpretation services, and cross-cultural education abroad programs.
Bridge and BridgeTEFL are registered trademarks of Bridge Education Group, Inc. in the USA. All other company names may be trademarks of their respective owners. ©2020 Bridge Education Group, Inc. All rights reserved.