Our people
Our mission:
“To provide language learners and teachers in a wide variety of situations with access to a range of high quality international exams, tests and teaching awards, which will help them to achieve their life goals and have a positive impact on their learning and professional development experience.”
Who we are:
In 1858 the University of Cambridge set up a local examinations syndicate, forming the organisation which would become Cambridge Assessment, the group of which Cambridge ESOL is a part.
This year, as we celebrate our 150th anniversary, we are proud of the heritage of excellence which stands behind us as experts in language assessment.
Quality and excellence are the two values at the core of Cambridge ESOL and they extend outwards to everything we do. Our staff are therefore central to the way we work:
We have the largest dedicated research team of any UK-based language assessor, including some of the world’s leading experts in the fields of language assessment, and other assessment specialists dedicated to the development and quality control of our examinations.
Cambridge ESOL takes pride in the expertise, training and experience of all of our staff, as we view these qualities as being essential to providing the excellence expected from an organisation such as ours.
Chief Executive Cambridge ESOL - Dr Michael Milanovic
Michael Milanovic joined UCLES in 1989 and in May 2003 he was appointed Chief Executive of Cambridge ESOL. He is in charge of a wide range of projects related to operational issues, the development of new examinations and procedures and research, managing a staff of over 220 professional and administrative personnel.
He is the Manager of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) and co-editor of Studies in Language Testing published by Cambridge University Press. Michael has been involved in language education and assessment since 1977 and has an MA in Applied Linguistics and a Ph.D. in the same field focusing on performance-based assessment.
Cambridge ESOL’s staff work in five departments, reflecting different areas of our operations, each overseen by a director:
- Customer Services
- Assessment and Operations
- Communications and Stakeholder Relations
- Research and Validation
- Business Development and Management
Customer Services
Customer Services comprises four areas: the Programme Office, the Centre Management team, the Customer Services team and the Internal Customer Support Unit.
Sarah Corcoran - Director
Before joining Cambridge Assessment in 1989, Sarah Corcoran worked for PA Management Consultants in the field of telecommunications. Prior to that she worked in Education, both as a secondary school Science teacher and as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language.
Sarah has held a range of positions within our organisation including Operations Manager, Subject Officer and Project Manager. Projects she has managed include the introduction of a new suite of English exams for the Chinese government and the development of ESOL's innovative suite of computer adaptive tests.
Sarah holds a first class degree in Education from the University of Cambridge (specialising in Educational Assessment Theory) and an MBA from the London Business School.
More about the Customer Services team
Assessment and Operations
Assessment and Operations Group (AOG) has about 130 staff.
It manages and produces all Cambridge ESOL examinations and assessments, and provides operations functions for examination administration (pretesting, entry and results processing, clerical and examiner marking and security of the examinations) and post exam processing.
The group also develops new tests and provides institutional versions of tests.
AOG’s objective, working with other groups in Cambridge ESOL, is to ensure we provide the highest quality exam products and support services, and that these are appropriate to the needs of learners, employers and education ministries around the world
Roger Johnson - Director
Roger has a first degree in Law, and a Diploma and Masters degree in teaching ESOL/EFL. He previously worked in a large British Council and Cambridge exams centre in Italy as part of the teaching and management staff, and was also involved in exam administration, inspections and training oral examiners. This was followed by a stint at the BC's headquarters in London working on employment and personnel matters, and a period as a partner in a business communications training organisation with clients across Europe and East Asia.
Roger has worked for Cambridge ESOL for over 15 years, and has wide experience of test development and operational delivery of the whole range of Cambridge products and projects. He is responsible for assessment, which designs and produces question papers and other test materials, and operations, which is charged with the processing of all the examinations and the accurate deliver of results. Roger is Cambridge ESOL's principal contact with the UK regulatory authority for exams (the QCA) and responsible for ensuring that Cambridge ESOL is fully compliant with regulatory requirements.
More about the ESOL Assessment & Operations team
Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Communications and Stakeholder Relations manages all functions related to internal and external communication and marketing, oversees strategic alliances and provides legal advice. It has four units:
- Stakeholder Relations
- Marketing Services
- Support Products and Services
- Legal Affairs
Christine Nuttall - Director
Christine Nuttall has more than 25 years of experience in the English language teaching profession, including setting up and running her own successful language school.
She joined Cambridge ESOL in 1997 after working for the British Council for seven years in Spain and London, acting as Director Assessment before going on to head a new group, Communications and Stakeholder Relations. Besides being directly involved with some of ESOL's key external relationships, Christine is responsible for ensuring ESOL has a consistent policy and approach with regard to its key contacts and stakeholders. She also oversees the production of materials and services which support our assessments, including learning tools, promotional literature and seminars and conferences.
Christine holds a BA in English and American Literature and an MA in TESOL.
More information about Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Research and Validation
Research underpins all of Cambridge ESOL’s examinations, and Cambridge ESOL is unique among European language assessment agencies in being able to draw on a large and highly qualified team of specialist researchers in language assessment. Its three broad areas of activity are:
- routine operational analyses – relating to test production, exam administration, post exam processing and exam review and evaluation,
- instrumental research – concerning small-scale projects which are designed to inform the operational activities and product development,
- research projects – involving longer term research objectives in the field of language assessment.
Nick Saville - Director
Nick Saville has over 25 years experience in linguistics, English language teaching and language testing. Nick has a degree in Linguistics and an MA in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. He worked for Cagliari University in Italy and in Japan before joining Cambridge University in 1989. As the Group Director, Nick co-ordinates a staff of 30 who undertake test development, validation and research projects. Nick is the Cambridge ESOL representative in ALTE and maintains a close involvement with European initiatives, such as the Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference, the Manual for Guidance and the Reference Level Descriptions. He regularly represents Cambridge ESOL at conferences and on project boards and publishes on language testing. Nick is Associate Editor of Language Assessment Quarterly and on the editorial board for Language Testing.
More about the Research & Validation team
Business Development and Business Management Group
The Business Development and Business Management Group has a total of about 85 staff split between Cambridge and its overseas offices, which are located in all its key regions. The group is responsible for driving forward the business globally through its range of sales and marketing staff, as well as managing the Cambridge ESOL budget and the business planning process.
Susan Randall - Director
Susan Randall joined UCLES in 1993, following around twenty years of EFL teaching and management experience in Europe and North Africa, including 12 years working for the British Council. She has a BA in French, a postgraduate qualification in TESOL and obtained an MBA before joining the organisation. Prior to establishing the group responsible for business development in 1998, she worked on a variety of ESOL management projects, including the setting up of the Team Leader System for the Speaking Tests.
In her current role as Director, Business Development and Business Management Susan has responsibility for ensuring that business targets are met globally across key markets and market sectors. In the last few years, this has involved the establishment of an increasing presence in many of Cambridge ESOL’s markets, resulting in the current 22 overseas offices, employing a total of around 54 full-time staff.
